WESTFIELD, Mass. – Through three and a half innings of Friday night’s New England regional opener, the Nashua 14-year-old baseball team appeared locked in a pitcher’s dual with Westfield.

Nashua’s Zack Finkel­stein and Westfield’s Spen­cer Cloutier were in control early. Both hurlers had good command, limited base runners and were backed by good defense.

"This was a ball game," Nashua coach Adam Dobro­wolski said.

But as it grew darker at Bullens Field, what was once a dream experience turned into a nightmare for Nashua, as it gave up seven runs in the bottom of the fourth en route to a 10-0 mercy-rule loss in five in­nings in its first game of the double-elimination tourney.

Nashua gave up seven hits and committed four errors com­bined in the fourth and fifth inning.

"One error opened the gate, Dobro­wolski said. "That’s it."

Finkelstein worked 3-2/3 innings. Westfield’s decisive inning included on five hits and two errors.

Meanwhile, Cloutier continued to dominate, pitching a complete game in which he surrendered two hits, two walks and struck out five.

Nashua will face East Lyme, Conn., on Saturday in the losers bracket as it tries to rekindle its tournament hopes.

Dobrowolski said he told his play­ers to keep their heads up because he believes the first three innings were a better representation of his club.

"One thing is not to get down on each other, because everyone started getting down on each other," he said. "We just tell them, ‘Pick up your team tomorrow, come ready to play. Hope­fully it’s out of your system.’

"We’ll come here tomorrow ready to play."

In total, Westfield sent 12 batters to the plate in the fourth. Carter Cousins and Sam Parker led off the frame with consecutive singles. Cam Davignon followed with a grounder slipped through the infield to score Cousins.

Cloutier singled to center to score Parker. Cam Parent drove in Davi­gnon with a sacrifice to second.

Finkelstein struck out Mike Nihill for the second out, looking primed to limit the damage considerably, but Westfield kept chipping away.

Joe Raco ripped a two-out double to right, Mike Lurgio walked and Baley Collier doubled, scoring three more runs.

Joe Berman relieved Finkelstein and Jimmy Hagan reached on an er­ror to score Collier.

Westfield ended the game with three runs in the fifth.

Nashua’s best scoring opportunity came in the first inning as it loaded the bases with one out to give Westfield an early scare.

Finkelstein walked, Jack Gauth­ier singled to right and Alex George reached on an error at first. It came up empty, as Cloutier buckled down to end the threat.

Cloutier limited Nashua to four bas­erunners the rest of the way.