Westerly's Michael Poole lives up to his reputation as a big-game pitcher; what he did
WESTERLY — Michael Poole finds himself craving competitive situations like Friday afternoon's Division II baseball showdown.
That’s what happens when you start your career by pitching the game that carries your team to a championship. Chasing that same feeling was always going to drive Poole throughout his next three seasons at Westerly.
This sunny day at Cimalore Field offered a stiff test, and the strong right-hander came up aces yet again. Poole fired a four-hit shutout and Drew Bozek drove in the lone run with an RBI double as the Bulldogs edged Barrington, 1-0.
Poole struck out 10 against no walks and forced the Eagles to leave three men at third base. Escapes in the top of the first, top of the fourth and top of the sixth bought the Maine commit’s offense enough time to scratch out the only run it needed. The hosts extended their unbeaten league start to the season against what figures to be a fellow title contender.
“It just keeps you hungry,” Poole said. “You want to succeed more. There’s no better feeling than after that last pitch in a state championship game.
“I just want to do it again.”
Westerly sealed its first crown in 30 years with a tense three-game series win over Narragansett in 2022. Poole announced his presence on the state scene by dominating in the clincher, a 2-0 shutout that allowed the Bulldogs to overcome a loss in Game 1. Local rival Chariho and eventual champion East Providence dealt Westerly the two defeats that ended the title defense in 2023.
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“You always want one more,” Bozek said. “Last year, the way we ended was definitely not what we wanted. You’ve just got to go out the next year and not want to be in that spot.”
The only run in this contest came thanks to a rally that started at the bottom of the Bulldogs order. Josh Ferando singled down the line in left to open the fifth, stole second base and moved up on a Grayson Simmons sacrifice fly deep to the corner in left. Bozek fell behind in the count 0-2 but found a pitch out over the plate and drove a sharp liner that split the gap in right center.
“I’d rather play this than a game where we’re up 10, 15 runs,” Bozek said. “It’s just way more enjoyable this way.
“Yes, scoring that much is fun sometimes. But I'd rather play in this any day.”
Poole was coming off 18 strikeouts in a 3-1 victory over the Chargers, a superb performance that featured virtually no danger. He was tested more frequently here and passed each time, mixing in 1-2-3 frames in the second, third, fifth and seventh. Quinn Murphy’s pair of singles and liner to deep left accounted for the only real sharp contact of the day against Poole.
“I’ll take a one-pitch out over a strikeout any day,” Poole said. “Just keep it in the zone and let them hit it if they have to.”
Barrington (4-2) put together its best chance in the fourth. Murphy singled to left and stole the next two bases to sit 90 feet away with one out. Poole struck out future Black Bears teammate Miles Fontaine and induced a bouncer to second from Trevor Snow to wriggle out of trouble.
“I just kind of zone in and throw it,” Poole said. “I don’t really think too much about anything.”
Westerly (6-0) and the Townies are now the lone unbeatens remaining in their league, and they don’t meet until the middle of May. The two potential playoff opponents will be stalking one another until the time comes. Both carry recent championship experience — it's invaluable and addictive all at once.
“We always talk about two years ago and winning a championship,” Bozek said. “It looks like we might have another run at it this year the way we’re going.”
Barrington 000 000 0 — 0 4 1
Westerly 000 010 x — 1 5 0
Jack Lawson, Nate Coutant (4) and Luke Tanous; Michael Poole and Grayson Simmons.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Poole's 4-hit shutout lifts Westerly baseball over Barrington
