BY RYAN O'CONNOR
Despite manager John Ryan’s reservations, Salem American Legion is headed to the postseason.
After finishing in a five-way deadlock for first place in District A at 14-6, tiebreakers seeded Salem third, where it plays Jutras, which finished second in District B.
Still, Ryan had maintained his team would not count its proverbial chickens prior to hatching a playoff berth, and his caution proved prophetic.
Salem, beginning the week in first place with a 13-4 record, gave up two opportunities with a 9-3 home loss to Dover on July 25 and a similar 8-3 defeat on Friday, July 27, to Portsmouth, with whom it finished tied in the standings.
But, with his team’s tournament chances fading, Ryan sent ace Connor Nolan of Windham to the mound against Post 79 on Saturday, July 28.
Nolan pitched seven innings, holding his opponents to one earned run on two hits in a 16-3 victory.
“He really demoralized them, as he does most clubs when he pitches,” said Ryan of his stopper, who pitches again against Jutras.
Windham’s Matt Delaney and Brad White posted three-RBI performances, including a triple by each.
Salem’s Eric Simm hit a towering home run which Ryan said cleared the 350-foot sign on the fence by 30 feet, and Mike Romano knocked three doubles and collected two RBI.
In Post 63’s loss to Dover, Salem’s Hal Landers contributed two hits and two runs, and Delaney added two of the team’s seven hits.
Joe O’Dell of Salem came into the game with one out in the second inning, his team down by seven, but held Dover to two runs and six hits in the final 7 2/3 innings.
“They just got up on us way too early, and we couldn’t come back offensively, mostly because they had one of their better pitchers going, and he just shut us down,” said Ryan.
Against Portsmouth, Windham’s Matt Hardy delivered two hits. Delaney notched a hit and two RBI.
Like O’Dell the previous contest, Windham’s Larry Weymouth came into the game in early relief, shutting the opposition down by allowing one run and two hits in the final five innings.
“It was a very good performance against a great hitting club,” said Ryan of Weymouth. “Had he started the game it may have been a different outcome.”
Despite the two losses, Ryan showed some rare confidence going into the playoffs.
“I’m pretty happy (with our chances),” he said. “We have a lot of pitching to help us go deep (in the tournament).”
Salem and Jutras face off at the tail-end of a 9 a.m. doubleheader to begin tournament play on Saturday, Aug. 4.