Greylock Nips Taconic In Classic Title Game
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Friday afternoon's Berkshire Classic game pitted North Division champion Taconic against South Division winner Mount Greylock. The level of the play was what most fans would expect from two of Berkshire County's best teams, a cleanly-played contest featuring two effective starting pitchers. The Braves' Peter Gregory and the Mounties' Robby Buffis duked it out for seven innings, while both squads combined for just one error in the game.In the end, a two-run double by junior Eddie Dufur in the bottom of the first inning was all Buffis would need in order to secure a 2-1 home win for Greylock. Buffis allowed just one earned run, courtesy of an RBI double by Hunter Stanton in the fourth inning, on four hits to lead the hard-charging Mounties (15-5) to their eighth win in the past nine games. The win over Taconic (13-6), a Division 1 team, should secure Greylock a home game in the Division 2 Western Mass. tournament. That's good news for Steve Messina's club, which is 10-1 playing at home this season.
Buffis went the distance, striking out four and walking two to improve his record to 3-1 this year. Gregory also threw a complete game, tossing five scoreless innings after the Mounties got to him quickly in the first. He ended up allowing three hits overall, finishing with nine Ks and three walks.
Greylock was forunate to get to Gregory when it could, collecting all three of its hits in the first inning. Junior Eric Leitch started things off with a single before senior Billy Pulasky blasted a double to center field. A walk by Andrew Leitch loaded the bases, setting the stage for Dufur's two-out double to right field. Eric Leitch and Pulasky scored, but the Braves' defense executed a nice relay throw to nail Andrew Leitch at home plate.
The Mounties will now wait and see who their opponent is in the upcoming Western Mass. tournament. Seedings will be released after a meeting in Northampton on Tuesday.