Holding a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, Norwood’s American Legion Post 70 saw their must-win regional elimination game against two-time defending New England champion New London brought to a halt yesterday due to steady rain in Manchester, New Hampshire.
American Legion National representative Roy Holt officially suspended play, announcing that the game will resume at 8:00 a.m. today. Rejecting any talk of a coin flip to settle the bracket, Holt emphasized, “There is no way we’re going to have a coin flip. This tournament is going to send a real winner to Wisconsin. We are going to play.”
Strong Start Interrupted by Weather
Heading into the matchup following Thursday’s tough 3-1 loss to Cranston, Rhode Island, Norwood coaching staff had faced mounting concerns. Assistant coach Richie Hebner stressed the need for an early offensive spark, while head coach Pete Wall harbored reservations about throwing his No. 3 pitcher, Scott Generazo, in an elimination game against the nemesis squad that had knocked Norwood out of the tournament two years running.
Those fears initially proved unfounded as Generazo came out firing. Despite a hiccup in the first inning—where catcher Dan O’Rourke (stepping in behind the plate while Derek Ghostlaw nursed a bad back) dropped a third strike that allowed a runner to reach third—Generazo struck out four batters in the frame, escaping the jam by punching out cleanup hitter Brian Mercado. Norwood manufactured a 1-0 lead in the bottom half when Kevin Igoe walked, stole second, advanced on a fielder’s choice, and scored on a passed ball. Shortly after, persistent rain forced officials to halt the contest.
Strategic Shifts for Today’s Resumption
When play picks up this morning in the top of the second inning with New London batting, both teams will face altered pitching landscapes:
- New London Reinforcements: The defending champions welcomed the late-night arrival of their ace pitcher, Paul Menhardt (brother of Dave Menhardt, who eliminated Norwood in 1985), who had been delayed due to mandatory early classes at Western Carolina University. Although Legion rules typically bar players absent at the start of a tournament, a special waiver was granted.
- Norwood’s Fresh Arm: Norwood holds a significant pitching advantage as ace Bob Baxter starts the day with a clean slate under the tournament’s 12-inning 3-day restriction. Having thrown only seven innings in Wednesday’s 9-0 opening victory over Concord, Baxter is fully rested and available.
Should Norwood successfully eliminate New London upon resumption, they face a grueling path ahead: an immediate matchup against the loser of the Portland, Maine vs. Cranston, R.I. game, followed by another contest to determine the tournament survivor.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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