Mustangs Earn Sectional Final Spot-June 16, 1986

Norwood Survives Eagles’ Furious Ninth-Inning Rally to Defeat BC High, 8-7

The Norwood High School baseball team exhibited plenty of skill over the first five innings and survived a ninth-inning rally to defeat BC High, 8-7, Saturday in the semifinals of the EMass Division 1 South sectional tournament at Rockland. With the victory, the Mustangs earned a spot in today’s sectional final against undefeated Brockton at Rockland. “I was really worried about them coming back.” Norwood Coach Pete Wall said after the game. “I knew they could hit the ball well, but the problems started when Scott (Generazo) got tired.”

Generazo had thrown 137 pitches going into the final inning but was able to get the first two outs of the ninth after Ed Pollis had reached on an infield chop into no man’s land. Things quickly went downhill for the junior left-hander. He walked the next three hitters, forcing in a run when Peter Hughes drew the third free base. Bob Goonan was brought in to relieve Generazo and was greeted by an RBI single by Pat Walsh. When Ted Roberts followed with a two-run single, the once big lead had been trimmed to one with two runners on. Goonan settled down to retire Steve Minichiello to end the game.

The start of the game certainly wasn’t an indication of things to come. The Mustangs jumped all over BC High starter Doug MacNeil for four runs in the first inning. Joe Barrett started the inning with a slicing double to right that was followed by successive walks to Goonan and Mike Wall, which loaded the bases. MacNeil retired the next two batters, but Jim Delbou kept the inning alive with a two-run double to left. Derrick Ghostlaw‘s grounder was misplayed, allowing two runs to cross.

BC High began to chip away. With one out in the second, Walsh singled, stole second and scored on a single by Roberts. The Eaglets added another in the fifth when Bob Galibois drove in Minichiello with a sacrifice fly. Norwood responded with another four spot in the fifth. Barrett walked, Goonan doubled and Wall worked relief pitcher Bob Higgins for a walk to load the bases. A wild pitch that scored Barrett. Goonan scored when Ted Decareau‘s grounder was mishandled. Another walk filled the bases again for Ghostlaw who beat out an infield hit, scoring one. Scott Generazo‘s fielder’s choice drove in the final run of the inning. The Eaglets scored a run in the seventh on an RBI single by Paul Carey, setting up the wild ninth.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger