American Legion team has heartbreaking losses
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Marlborough - This is not how Art Bennett wanted his long career in American Legion baseball to end. His Marlborough Post 132 team was treading water entering last weekend, but suff ered a pair of heartbreaking losses and entered play this week with a 4-6 record.

Webster-Dudley defeated Marlborough, 3-2, June 23 with a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning.

That defeat was followed by a 12-8, nine-inning loss to Sturbridge. What made the loss to Sturbridge extra tough to take was the fact that Marlborough had rallied from a 7-4 deficit to take an 8-7 lead in the fifth inning. Sturbridge tied the game, 8-8, in the sixth inning, but Marlborough appeared to have pushed the winning run across in the eighth inning,

" only to have the winning run thrown out at the plate.

The losses left Bennett shaking his head.

"We're just not hitting," he said. "We've pitched very well for the most part, but on the days we do, we just don't getting any hitting. On the days we hit it a little, like against Sturbridge, our pitching struggles. We just can't seem to get on track."

The team is composed of primarily of players that were on the Marlborough High team, a team that went 15-6 this spring.

"I think the adjustment from playing in the Mid-Wach B to playing American Legion baseball has been tough for a lot of our players," Bennett said. "The game gets diff erent in a hurry at this level. At the plate you don't get as many good pitches to hit. Pitchers can't just rely on their fastball. They've got to hit spots and work the count. In the field there's no room for shoddy defense. You've got to make the plays, all of them. You can't give teams extra outs at this level. If you do, you'll lose."

Bennett said his most consistent player this summer has been center-fielder John Tunnera, who bats third in the order behind shortstop Matt Berte, who's the team's leadoff hitter, and second baseman Wes Russell, who hits second.

"John Tunnera is the best player I've got, by far," Bennett said. "He's having a good year. He shows up and works hard every day. You couldn't ask for more from a player than he gives me."

Marlborough's regular lineup also includes Tyler McElman at third base, Chris McKenzie and Garrett Butt, who alternate between pitching and playing first base, Pete Richardson behind the plate, Mike DeBello in left field, and Josh Vermeesch in right field.

Reserves for Bennett include Dave Monti, Ethan Vermeesch, Shane Campbell, Jeff Mula and Brad West.

Bennett, who's been with the Marlborough Legion team in one capacity or another since 1980, confirmed that this will be his last year coaching the team. He said he expects to hand the reins over to Lonnie Quirion next season.

Quirion teaches and coaches baseball at Hudson Catholic, his alma mater.