Mustangs Blank Waltham in Tourney Opener

In high school postseason baseball, you occasionally see an individual athlete put a team on his back and single-handedly dictate the outcome of a game. But what senior ace John Balerna did on Friday, June 2, 1978, went far beyond a standard standout performance.

In the opening round of the Division One Eastern Massachusetts baseball tournament, Balerna didn’t just lead the Mustangs to a victory over Suburban League powerhouse Waltham—he completely dominated every square inch of the diamond.

By the time the final out was recorded in the nine-inning tournament matchup, Balerna had fired a spectacular, nine-strikeout one-hitter on the mound and crushed a towering, three-run home run at the plate, carrying Norwood to an emphatic 5-0 shutout victory.

Cool, Calm, and Unhittable

Entering the state tournament, the six-foot senior was already widely recognized as the premier talent in the Bay State League. He carried a stellar 7-2 pitching record and a blistering .435 batting average into the postseason. Yet, despite having not pitched in over a week, Balerna showed zero signs of rust or big-game jitters.

“I wasn’t really throwing that hard. I haven’t pitched since two Wednesdays ago,” a modest Balerna told The Patriot Ledger after the game, attributing much of his success to his off-speed pitches and solid defensive backing.

Balerna kept the Waltham hitters off-balance all afternoon. While he did battle a brief lack of control, scattering six walks, he repeatedly shut down any brewing Waltham threats. He racked up nine strikeouts over nine innings, keeping a no-hitter intact until Waltham’s Eric Kazangian finally broke it up with a solid double into the right-center field gap. Kazangian’s hit would be the only blemish on an otherwise flawless pitching performance.

Launching the Offense

While his arm kept Waltham completely at bay, Balerna’s bat provided all the offense the Mustangs would ultimately need.

The game was locked in a scoreless tie until the bottom of the third inning. Norwood’s John Chisholm and John Salvatore both singled to put runners aboard, bringing Balerna to the plate with two outs. The senior superstar connected on a pitch from Waltham starter Tom Faherty, launching a majestic, towering home run well over the outfield fence to instantly give Norwood a 3-0 cushion.

Waltham: [] 0 Runs, 1 Hit
Norwood: [■■■■■] 5 Runs, 9 Hits (HR: Balerna)

The Mustangs added two security runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chris Collins ignited the frame with a single and advanced on a passed ball. After Tom Krohto was hit by a pitch, Kevin Carey singled to load the bases with nobody out.

Don Gross drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Collins, prompting Waltham coach Ray Yetten to make a rare brother-to-brother pitching change—pulling starting pitcher Tom Faherty and moving first baseman Sean Faherty to the mound. Norwood’s Dan Kennedy greeted the younger Faherty with a deep sacrifice fly, driving in Krohto to cap the scoring at 5-0.

One Down, Five to Go

The 9-hit offensive attack and flawless defensive execution left the coaching staff ecstatic.

“Balerna is the story. He pitched a great ball game. The kids played great defense,” praised Norwood assistant coach Bill Jacobs after the final out.

The tournament victory bumped the second-place Bay State League squad to a 15-5 overall record on the year, but the Mustangs had little time to celebrate. With the tournament schedule packed tight, Norwood was ordered to pack their bags immediately to play a 17-1 Greater Lowell powerhouse the very next afternoon.

Looking ahead at the grueling road required to secure an EMass state title, Coach Jacobs kept the team’s focus entirely in check, simply noting: “One down, five to go.”

Did you play on the legendary 1978 Mustang baseball team or watch John Balerna’s one-hitter live? Help us preserve Norwood’s rich varsity sports history! Share your scorebooks, personal memories, or classic photos with us at norwoodhistoricalsociety.org.