Nick Buckley shut down Norwood without allowing a single hit on Sunday, July 19, giving Needham Post 14 its first no-hitter in more than two decades and only the third in program history.

The 7-0 quarterfinal victory was the highlight of a District 6 tournament run that ended Monday, July 20, when top-seeded and undefeated Franklin blanked Post 14, 5-0, in the semifinals.

A weekend to remember

Needham entered the district tournament as the No. 5 seed after finishing the regular season 11-5. In the first round on Friday, July 17, Post 14 hosted No. 12 Foxboro and won 5-3. Joey Saratella reached base all three times he came to the plate and scored each time. Alex Murdough pitched a complete game, striking out 11.

Two days later at Norwood, Buckley made history. His no-hitter joined a short list: Leo Corcoran threw one on July 2, 2003, a 3-1 win at Westwood, and Josh Gershman threw the program's first on Aug. 7, 1995, an 11-0 victory over Sandwich in the state tournament at Lowell.

Twenty-three years between no-hitters. Buckley ended the drought.

Season's end

Franklin proved too much in the semifinal. The top seed had not lost all summer, and Franklin's pitching held Post 14 scoreless in the 5-0 win that closed Needham's season.

Post 14 recognized 10 players who completed their American Legion eligibility in a post on X on Tuesday, July 21: Buckley, Rowan Daly, Garrett Falahee, Jonathan Francescone, Malik Ibrahim, Brendan McHugh, Murdough, George Mutrie, Kyle Nahabedian, and Eli Warn. Francescone contributed on the mound throughout the season, including a 16-6 regular-season win over Medfield on June 17 that improved Post 14 to 3-1 early in the year.

Three straight playoff seasons

Post 14 has now reached the postseason in each of the last three years. The program previously went undefeated through the regular season and District Tournament before falling in the double-elimination state tournament. This year's run added a no-hitter to the program's growing resume.

Needham's American Legion Baseball season is complete. The 2027 roster will look different without those 10 departing players, but the program enters the offseason after Buckley's no-hitter and a third consecutive playoff appearance.