Norwood Advances to State Final Four-August 9, 1985

Post 10 Secures First State Final Four Berth Since 1978 with Impressive Home Victory at Balch Field, Advancing to Play at Milford’s Fino Field

With its ace on the mound and timely hitting, the Norwood American Legion baseball team drew a pair too tough for Lawrence to handle. Before a large home crowd at Balch Field, Post 10 cruised to a 5-2 victory to capture its first berth in the state final four since 1978. Norwood advanced to challenge the western Massachusetts representative—either Indian Orchard or Grafton Hill—in a 4 p.m. contest the following day at Milford’s Fino Field in the opening game of the double-elimination state tournament.

Norwood ace Tim Cox, pitching despite a sore back that required icing between innings, silenced Lawrence’s formidable bats by striking out 11 batters while allowing just five hits, two walks, and two unearned runs. “I tried putting the pain out of my mind, I just concentrated on putting the ball over and letting them hit it,” said Cox. “I felt more comfortable pitching than just sitting around.” Norwood manager Pete Wall praised his pitcher’s grit, stating, “Cox has got guts. His back was hurting him, but he still wanted to pitch. He just goes out and does the job; he reared back and threw. I can’t say enough about him.” Wall added that Cox is the best pitcher he has managed since former major leaguer Billy Travers.

Norwood jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Mike Wall hit a home run to the opposite field in left. Though Lawrence threatened by loading the bases in the second, Cox escaped the jam and pitched shutout ball through the first seven frames, retiring the side in order in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. Norwood capitalized on defensive miscues to add three runs in the fourth inning, sparked when Dave McMullen hit a bloop fly to center that was lost in the lights. Following a wild pitch and a single by Pete Wall, Bob Goonan reached on an outfield dropped fly ball. Third baseman Joe Benson—who went 2-for-4—then drove home two runs with a single to center, while Goonan scampered home on Chris Maloof‘s sacrifice fly.

Lawrence broke the shutout in the eighth inning when Dan Connolly singled, stole third, and scored on an error following a throw to third by Ned Brigham, with Ken Covey later scoring on a fielder’s choice to narrow the gap to 4-2. However, Norwood answered in the bottom of the eighth when Brigham reached on an error, and Goonan smacked his second double of the evening to drive in Brigham, sealing the 5-2 final. Lawrence coach Jim Toomey conceded, “Norwood’s a good ball club. We didn’t lose to a mediocre team.”

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