SPRINGFIELD — Had one sixth inning throw been on target, Northampton’s dream American Legion season might be over.

Instead Post 28 is still alive after Wednesday’s 8-7 win over East Springfield that set up Thursday’s winner-take-all championship Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Arcanum Field.

There were Post 28 runners on second and third base with two outs in the top of the sixth inning at Marshall Roy Park for Game 2 of the Western Massachusetts Legion championship series Wednesday.

Northampton trailed East Springfield Post 420, 7-6 and 1-0 in the series after a 15-7 loss in Game 1 on Tuesday.

Northampton’s Will O’Connor slapped a pitch the left side of the infield.

East Springfield shortstop Dez Aguirre dove to his right and snagged the grounder after one bounce on the grass and another on the infield. He shot to his feet and turned to throw to first, as O’Connor sprinted out of the batter’s box. Andrew Serio and Tim Horton headed for home.

Aguirre’s throw to Shayne Audet at first sailed high, and O’Connor motored to second. Both runs scored.

“I was hoping it’d get through. I knew it would be a close play,” O’Connor said. “Luckily he threw it away.”

Northampton coach Chuck Holt liked his team’s response.

“I like to see that we have to struggle. The beating that we took yesterday was a really good thing for us,” Holt said. “I know how they handle adversity. I welcome it.”

Zac Brittain fought through a roller-coaster outing on the mound to pick up the win for Post 28 (21-3). He threw a complete game, allowing five hits with two strikeouts.

“The whole game he battled, but those last three innings he was really dialed in,” Holt said.

Brittain set down East Springfield’s last 10 batters. He struck out Kevin Morales to end the fourth then pitched 1-2-3 innings in the fifth, sixth and seventh.

Morales’ ground out to end the game rolled to Brittain’s left, but he sprinted on the grass, picked it up cleanly with his bare right hand and flipped it to Pat Grygorcewicz at first for the out.

“I just had focus, and my confidence helped. I knew I could do it,” Brittain said.

Holt had other arms warming up during several high-leverage situations, but Brittain persevered through all of them.

“Every time I talked to him he said he felt great and wanted more,” Holt said.

East Springfield gave him everything he could handle. Post 420 took a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Mike Cruz came home after a fielder’s choice. Audet hit the ball to shortstop Ian Ostberg, who got the force at second before attempting to turn a double play. It went low, and East Springfield had its only lead of the game.

“Our coach does a great job keeping us up,” O’Connor said. “He kept saying we were in it.”

Post 420 tied the game at 6-6 one batter before with a two-run double by Aguirre after back-to-back walks loaded the bases in the fourth.

East Springfield clawed all the way back after trailing Northampton 6-2 after three innings.

“To get some kind of momentum and something we could feel good about right away (was important),” Holt said.

Post 28 built its lead on RBI singles by Hector De Jesus and Horton in the second inning and Kevin Banas in the first. O’Connor had a sacrifice fly for Northampton’s first run.

“Hitting’s just contagious,” O’Connor said. “(Post 420 pitcher Chris Penalbert) threw the ball straight, so we were looking for fastballs to hit.”

Northampton will turn to a conglomerate of pitchers for Game 3. East Springfield is handing the ball to Matt Stumbers. The winner will advance to the state tournament in Millford over the weekend. Post 420 believes it can win in Northampton.

“They have plenty of confidence,” Post 420 coach Marquez Lopez said. “They’re going to leave it all out there.”

Brittain said Post 28 was glad to still be playing.

“We’re ready to fight for a championship,” Brittain said.

Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com.

Northampton 8, East Springfield 7

Northampton          231 002 0 — 8  12  2

East Springfield     022 300 0 — 7  0  0

WP—Brittain LP—Penalbert

Records: Northampton (21-3) East Springfield (21-5)

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