Raiders strike first knowing potential regional rematch with Saukees looms

QUINCY — The gamesmanship is officially underway.

There’s a good chance Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield could meet again in the Class 2A baseball postseason. That’s what made Monday’s matchup between the longtime rivals that much more interesting.

QND pulled out a 1-0 victory on a crisp April afternoon at wind-swept Ferd Niemann Memorial Ballfield, and Raiders coach Ryan Oden was quick to spotlight the added significance to the victory.

“This could be a huge win for us for seeding for the regional tournament,” Oden said.

The regionals are about a month away and both teams could head into the postseason with 20-plus victories. QND is now 11-2, while Pittsfield is 11-4.

Oden’s statement also was about as declarative as either coach was going to get following what was a fast-paced game that took less than two hours to complete and was accented by strong pitching from both clubs.

Pittsfield coach Jerred Heinz offered a wry grin when assessing the game’s outcome, a verdict that may wind up serving as the precursor of a rematch a month from now.

“There is a good chance we will meet them again,” he said.

QND scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth when Tucker Tollerton led off with a single and advanced to second on an outfield error. He scored two outs later on an RBI single to left from Harry Oden.

Winning pitcher Ben Kasparie and reliever Dalton Miller made that run stand up, combining for a one-hitter. 

Kasparie’s 94-pitch performance over six innings included seven strikeouts. Miller tossed a scoreless seventh for the save.

Kasparie overcame a rocky start that saw him tip-toe around Pittsfield putting runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings. The Saukees stranded five runners in those four frames. 

In what was arguably the most exciting sequence of the game, Pittsfield’s TJ Reel was thrown out at home for the final out of the top of the fourth. Reel was nailed at home on a throw from Miller — playing first at the time — to catcher Michael Stupavsky.

Oden had high words of praise for Kasparie, who stranded five runners.

“Ben gave us exactly what we needed from him today,” Oden said. “He chewed up some innings. We’re in a stretch right now when we’ll be playing six games in five days.

“Our pitching and defense were both strong, but we still need some improvement at the plate. I didn’t think that one run would stand up.”

Miller, along with the collecting the save and helping terminate Pittsfield’s strongest scoring threat, was the only player in the game with two hits.

“Both teams played well defensively,” Heinz said. “We knew it was going to be tough (against QND).”

Heinz, however, was hardly disheartened. The performance of starting pitcher Konner Allen was his main focus of postgame praise.

“Konner is just a sophomore, and has been tough for us all year,” Heinz said. “He has a good approach, especially against a good team like QND.”

Allen allowed four hits and one unearned run in six innings, while striking out six and walking three. He only permitted three runners as far as second base.