Hudson's Travis Terrill delivers a pitch during Tuesday's game. For more photos, go to the Photo Album.
NASHUA – Derek Lee was worried about losing the coin toss.
Turns out, the Hudson Post 48 coach was worrying for a whole lot of nothing.
With a spot in the American Legion state baseball tournament on the line, Hudson scored six runs in the top of the first inning and rocked Bedford Post 54, 16-0, on Tuesday at Holman Stadium. The game was called after seven innings because of the mercy rule.
Now Hudson will go on to face Exeter in the first round of the tournament at 9 a.m. on Friday at Holman.
“I thought it was going to be a 2-1 game,” Lee said. “Couldn’t have worked out better.”
Hudson and Bedford tied for second place in District B-1, each with an 8-7 record in the regular season. With the teams playing a one-game playoff on a neutral field, they had a coin toss before the game to determine who would be the home team.
Losing turned out to be a win for Hudson, which had already faced Bedford starting pitcher Joe Maher twice this season, and beaten him both times.
“We knew what to expect,” Lee said. “I’d say it was an advantage. He doesn’t lose very often.”
Bedford coach Tim Conway was just as surprised at how Hudson attacked Maher, who lasted just one inning and allowed six runs on four hits and three walks.
“Joe is one of my studs,” Conway said. “I wouldn’t expect that out of him, but it happened. He probably just ran out of gas toward the end of the season. He’s been a great pitcher for us all summer. It happens.”
While Hudson was facing Maher for the third time this year, Bedford was seeing Post 48 starter Travis Terrill for the first time this season. Terrill was solid, working himself out of tough spots in the third and fourth innings. He gave up five hits and two walks along with five strikeouts in four innings of work.
Bedford's Matt Woodmansee tries to turn a double play as Hudson's Mitch Brun slides into second.
“He was throwing a lot of first-pitch curveballs, so he was keeping us off balance,” Conway said. “And he was throwing a lot of first-pitch strikes. We weren’t hitting the ball.”
Although he hadn’t faced Bedford before Tuesday, Terrill had been the rock in Hudson’s rotation all season.
“He’s been our top pitcher all year,” Lee said. “He didn’t really have his fastball, but he really located his breaking ball. He’s been our top guy consistently all year.”
Cullan Baker pitched two innings of relief for Hudson, allowing two hits and two walks with three strikeouts, and Tyler Syphers came in for the seventh to finish things out.
Korey Lelievre led Hudson’s offense, going 2-for-4, including a triple, with five RBIs. Mitch Brun also drove in three runs while Tyler Bonin and John Coughlin each drove in two.
Post 48 sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning, and 10 of them reached base safely.
Brian Lessard led off the game with a seven-pitch at bat that ended in a walk, and advanced to third on a well-executed hit-and-run with Derek Bratton. Lelievre flied out to right field to score Lessard, and a hit and an error loaded the bases for Hudson with one out.
Bonin followed with a hit to plate Hudson’s second run, and Ethan Harley was hit by a pitch to bring in another. Coughlin added a RBI single and Brun walked to drive in Hudson’s fifth run before Lessard grounded into a fielder’s choice to make it 6-0.
Bedford's Joe Maher throws a pitch.
Post 48 added three runs in the top of the third, five in the fourth and two more in the sixth.
Bedford threatened in the bottom of the third when Mike Laflamme and Matt Woodmansee opened the inning with a single and a walk, respectively. But Terrill battled back to get the next three batters out, including two strikeouts.
In the fourth, Bedford loaded the bases with two outs, but Terrill induced Woodmansee to ground out to end the inning.
But Post 54’s best chance at scoring came in the fifth. Andrew Klimm drew a one-out walk and stole second base. After a lineout and another walk, Pat Parker singled to center field and Klimm raced around third.
The throw from Lessard seemed high, but Hudson catcher Bonin came down with the ball right in front of Klimm and tagged him to end the inning.
“They had our number all season,” Conway said. “Our kids came in with the right attitude, we just couldn’t get it done.”