PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Rivalry is the essence of high school sports.

 

And a little friendly rivalry between teammates can go a long way.

 

So when Pittsfield High’s Carter Matthews followed Taconic graduate Jake Flynn in the rotation for Tuesday’s American Legion District Championship playoff game, their Post 68 coach was not above stoking their rivalry.

 

“Carter’s one of our biggest competitors,” Pat Bassi said. “I told him, kiddingly, before the game, ‘Are you going to try to match Jake from last night?’ He said, ‘I’m going to try my best coach,’ and he did.’ “

 

On the heels of Flynn’s 4-0 win over Wilbraham Post 286 on Monday to open the best-of-three district final, Matthews threw a one-hit, 10-0 shutout that ended with a walk-off walk in the bottom of the fifth.

 

Post 68 moves on to Saturday’s State Championship, where it will meet the District 10 (Cape Cod) champs on Saturday afternoon in Quincy.

 

Ian Benoit and Joe Cracolici each had an RBI double in an eight-run fourth inning that opened up a big lead at Pellerin Field at Clapp Park. And Post 68 added two more without making an out in the fifth, the last one coming home when Matthews worked a bases-loaded walk to plate Joe Traversa and end the game via the mercy rule.

 

Matthews had no mercy on Wilbraham’s lineup, allowing just a one-out single to left in the fourth for the visitors’ only baserunner.

 

“He doesn’t throw exceptionally hard, but he spots his ball so well and mixes his pitches up really well,” Bassi said. “I have to give [catcher] Joe Woronick a lot of credit for that. He calls all the pitches, and he does a great job.”

 

Matthews agreed that mixing up his pitches was a key.

 

“Keeping them off balance,” he said. “Starting them off with a curve ball and, second time around, starting them off with a fastball. Always keeping them off-balance was the key for me today.”

 

Matthews faced just one batter over the minimum and needed just 47 pitches to get through the five innings. That fact keeps him in play for Post 68’s state tourney opener on Saturday, Bassi noted.

 

Matthews also benefited from flawless defense, including a big catch by center fielder Cal Messina in the top of the fourth.

 

Right after Jack Dunklee got his team’s first hit, Joe Lucas followed with a deep shot into the right-center gap. But Messina raced over to flag it down, denying extra bases and, perhaps, a 1-0 Wilbraham lead.

 

Instead, Post 68 answered in the bottom of the frame with six hits and took advantage of four Wilbraham errors to go ahead, 8-0.

 

Post 68 managed just two baserunners in the first three innings against Wilbraham starter Dom Colucci, but things were a lot different the second time through the lineup.

 

“I think it was our approach,” Matthews said. “We got a little bit more aggressive and stopped taking so many pitches. We kind of jumped on his pitches right away. I think that was the idea.”

 

Jack Cooney got the winning run started with a single to left and stole second base. After a fly ball out, Cracolici (2-for-3, two RBIs) singled up the middle to drive in the only run Matthews needed.

 

Joe Traversa and Hunter Potash singled, and Benoit and Cracolici doubled to round out the rally.