It took Westport an inning to play the type of baseball it's used to playing, but once the initial miscues were out of its system, typical Westport was back.
After a bloop single, two-base error, and a big hit, Westport found itself in a 2-0 hole. Starting pitcher Chad Knight never buckled and dominated Coginchaug for 5 2/3 innings. The hard-throwing and crafty righty struck out an incredible 14 batters giving up no earned runs and allowing five hits (only two of which left the infield).
Knight used a dipping slider to get the Coginchaug hitters waving at pitches most of the day. Coupled with his great fastball, it was pretty academic that Westport wouldn't allow another run after the first inning.
It wasn't until Coginchaug's defense slipped in the fourth inning that Westport was able to take control of the game. A leadoff singly by Charlie Roof and a pair of errors cut the deficit to one run. Chris Drbal came through with an opposite field double to score two more runs to give Westport the lead for good. Max Popken lasted a two-run home run in the next at-bat to increase the lead to 5-2.
In the fifth inning, Westport loaded the bases with two infield singles and a beautiful bunt single by Ricky Offenberg before Charlie Rogers ripped one off the first baseman to score two more. A passed ball allowed the final run to come across.
In the sixth inning, Harry Azadian came on after Knight reached his pitch count on his first walk of the day. It took Azadian three pitches to strike out the 15th Coginchaug batter and give Westport a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 is at Southington South LL on Sunday.
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