Tag: Ben Arrighi

Big Red Blasts Dartmouth, Books Trip To D2 South Final

North Attleboro baseball
North Attleboro’s Zach DeMattio celebrates after a two-run triple in the first inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
ROCKLAND, Mass. – Even though it was very early, things weren’t looking good for the top-seeded Rocketeers.

Dartmouth had its first four batters reach on three straight walks and a double, resulting in a quick 1-0 advantage. But that was all the damage the Indians did as catcher Zach DeMattio erased the leadoff walk trying to steal second and starting pitcher Peter Cohen settled in to get two outs with runners on second and third.

And in the bottom half, North had a swift answer. The Rocketeers scored three runs, assuming a lead that they never relinquished, and sparked what would be an offensive showcase that resulted in a 20-2 win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

North Attleboro advances to the D2 South Final to play Hockomock rival Oliver Ames.

Big Red senior starting pitcher Peter Cohen not only had to face the top of a talented Dartmouth lineup to start the game but also had to deal with a hole near the rubber on the pitching – a mound issue that also gave Oliver Ames starter Michael Mulrean issues in the nightcap.

Cohen walked Dylan Pacheco to start the game but he was erased at second by a perfect throw from DeMattio. But Dartmouth’s Brett Abreu and Hunter Pimental also drew walks. Eric Sylvia sent one to the outfield for a double to bring one run in and put runners on second and third.

But Cohen finally settled in, getting a pair of popups in the infield to end the top of the first down just 1-0.

“It wasn’t a matter of Peter’s ability, he was really struggling with the mound,” said North Attleboro coach Mike Hart. “He figured it out and battled, that’s the senior in him. I’ve said it before, he’s a bulldog. I knew he’d find a way to figure it out to stay in the game, he was excellent from there on out.

“I think you feel great after [the top of the first]. They got one run but it could have been worse the way that first inning was going. But again, Peter has been in that same exact spot before and he’s gotten out of it. So we have a lot of faith in him.”

The momentum the Rocketeers seemed to get from allowing just one run seemed to carry over to the offensive side. Brendan McHugh reached on an error – one of seven miscues for the Indians on the day – and Nick Sinacola walked to quickly put runners on first and second for North.

As he has done all season, DeMattio delivered at the plate but crushing a two-run triple to right center field. Two batters later, DeMattio came home on a hard hit ground ball from Nick Raneri to make it 3-0.

“If you want to pick a defining moment in the game, I think that was it, even though it happened early, that was huge,” Hart said. “Just because of the struggles in the top of the first with a couple of walks and a run. Then we come back and get those three runs, that was huge. I think that Peter at ease and let him kind of figure out the mound and pitch his game.”

Cohen showed he had settled in by needing just 11 pitches in the top of the second inning, striking out the side. And North Attleboro kept things rolling in the bottom of the second, exploding for seven runs.

Three straight singles from Aidan Harding, Shawn Watters, and McHugh loaded the bases with no outs. Sinacola’s hard-hit grounder allowed two runs to score and put runners on the corners. DeMattio followed with an RBI single to plate McHugh, and Sinacola came home on a sac fly from Pearce.

Raneri reached on an error, allowing DeMattio to score to make it 8-1. North’s offense kept rolling with a single from Kyle Bolger, who then stole second. Harding then reached on an error and two runs came in for a 10-1 advantage.

“I think we did a good job putting the ball in play,” Hart said. “Obviously it helps if the other day has some errors. We’ve done well offensively this year but we just try to focus on our at-bats and attacking the baseball instead of what’s happening in the field.

“It’s a good time for everybody in the lineup to be putting in that effort.”

Dartmouth added a second run in the top of the third. Pacheco singled, advanced to second after a walk, took third after Cohen induced a double play, and scored on a wild pitch.

North’s offense went down in order (for the only time in the game) in the bottom of the third but was right back at in the fourth. Nate Pearce struck out but raced to first on a dropped third strike and forced a high throw, allowing him to take second. A line drive double from Raneri made it 11-2, and a two-out single from Harding scored Raneri in from third.

The Rocketeers continued to stay hot at the plate and pushed across five more runs in the fifth inning. Sinacola doubled and DeMattio reached on an error to put runners on the corners. After DeMattio stole second, Pearce was intentionally walked and Raneri made the Indians pay with a two-run single through the right side.

Bolger was intentionally walked to load the bases again and Harding delivered with a two-run single. Watters followed with an RBI single to make it 17-2. The teams came off the field and started to leave the dugouts because of the 15-run mercy run.

The umps called both teams back saying the rule did not apply. A 30-minute delay occurred as officials figured it out. In the end, it was decided that the MIAA 15-run mercy run does not apply past the quarterfinal round.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

After the long break, freshman Dennis Colleran took over on the mound for Cohen (5 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 4 K). Colleran retired the side in order in his first varsity experience.

North tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ryan Pasquel was hit by a pitch and took second on a hit from Matt Seavey. Todd Robinson’s bloop single pushed Pasquel to third but Dartmouth got the force out at second. Bolger drove Pasquel in, Jake Palmer brought Robinson home with a single, and Harding scored Bolger with a base hit.

Ben Arrighi worked around a one-out walk, striking out a pair in the top of the seventh to end the game.

“Our guys came ready to play, they were really excited to get after it today,” Hart said.

North Attleboro baseball (20-2) will take on Oliver Ames in the D2 South Final on Saturday at 10:00AM at Campanelli Stadium.

Franklin Prevails In Extras Against North Attleboro

Franklin baseball
Franklin’s Jack Nally (10) is greeted by teammates following his home run in the second inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – With two of the best pitchers in the entire state on the mound, scoring chances for North Attleboro and Franklin were going to be hard to come by on Monday afternoon.

Franklin’s Jake Noviello and North’s Nick Sinacola, both committed to play at Division 1 schools next year, clashed in what was the true definition of a pitcher’s duel.

Noviello allowed one earned run on five hits and one walk, striking out 11 in eight innings of work while Sinacola struck out 12, allowed four, four walks and one earned run in 7.1 innings.

It wasn’t until the top of the ninth when the Panthers finally cashed in, exploding for five runs in the top half of the inning to prevail with a 6-1 win over the Rocketeers.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We knew we’d face Sinacola and he’s a great pitcher, and we knew it’d be a great game,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “So we talked about competition, and I think sometimes people forget that competition is back and forth — they answer, then you answer, back and forth. So that was the message prior to the game. We knew there’d be a lot of swings, we just had to stay the course and trust each other. North Attleboro is a great baseball team, they made it really difficult for us today, so hats off to them.

“I thought Jake did a great job just setting the tone. Each time we needed him to settle us back down, he was able to do that.”

North Attleboro’s Zach DeMattio connected on a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to put Big Red ahead 1-0.

But Franklin sophomore Jack Nally answered in the top half of the second, ripping a line drive solo shot down into the bleachers in left field to make it 1-1.

“[Nick] pitched his tail off, there’s not much more to say,” said North Attleboro coach Mike Hart. “He did everything we asked him to. The kids have been behind him all year. He’s a great leader for us too. We knew scoring chances would be tough to come by for both teams. You have to take them when you have the opportunity.”

Those would be the only runs that the starting pitchers gave up, though each team had a golden chance to take the lead late in the game.

North had its best chance in the bottom of the seventh when Nick Raneri reached on a one-out single, and pinch runner Nolan Buckley went all the way to third after an errant pickoff attempt. The Rocketeers tried for a suicide squeeze to bring the winning run in, but Franklin’s defense was prepared.

Noviello purposely pitched high and junior catcher Jake Macchi fired down the third base line. Shortstop Alex Haba made a nice play to get back to the bag, took the throw, and then ran down the runner for the second out. Noviello struck out the next batter to end the inning.

“We had talked about it and how we wanted to defend it,” Brown said. “We decided that if they were going to do it, it’d be the first pitch so we went pitch out there and we were fortunate enough to get it done. And our shortstop did a great job coming over the top of that play, because that’s not an easy play. The guys did a great job executing it.”

“We’ve been aggressive all season, I’m not going to make any excuses for doing it,” Hart said about the decision. “I thought it was the time to do it…that’s the way we play the game and that’s how we’re going to continue to do it.”

That momentum carried into the top of the eighth for the Panthers. Evan Wendell (walk) and Scott Elliott (single) reached and then advanced a base on a throwing error. After going up 3-0, Haba was intentionally walked to load the bases.

That put an end to Sinacola’s day but senior Ben Arrighi came in and got the job done. The senior made a nice play on a grounder near the first base line to get the force out at home and got a swinging strikeout for the third out to escape the inning without any damage.

“That’s his spot right there,” Hart said of Arrighi. “His innings are down because our starters have been able to go deep into games. I give him a lot of credit. He came in with some serious guts and got the job done for us in that inning.”

Noviello didn’t slow down in the bottom of the eighth, sandwiching a pair of strikeouts around a pop up to keep the momentum on the Panthers’ side.

Nally got things started in the top of the ninth with a leadoff single and then stole second. Shane O’Neil laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Nally over, and the sophomore scored on a base hit from senior Michael Langmeyer to make it 2-1.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Langmeyer stole second, took third on a groundout, and crossed the plate on an RBI single from Colby Fitzgibbons. Elliott followed with a walk to put runners on first and second and then Haba — who had a two-run home run taken away by a leaping grab from North’s Nathan Pearce in the sixth inning — delivered the knock out blow with a three-run bomb over the press box at Community Field to give Franklin a 6-1 lead.

“[Alex] has been real steady for us,” Brown said. “He really stepped up big and delivered in a big spot for us. We really needed those insurance runs to beat a team like that because North is capable of scoring in bunches.”

Franklin senior Bryan Woelfel needed just 10 pitches to set North down in order in the ninth inning to close the door.

Franklin baseball finishes the regular season 17-5 overall and 12-4 in the Hockomock. If King Philip defeats Mansfield on Thursday, the Panthers will share the Kelley-Rex title with the Hornets. Franklin will find out its postseason fate June 3rd (Super 8) or June 5th (D1 South). North Attleboro (16-2 overall, 12-2 Hock) is back in action on Wednesday against Milford.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/11/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 6 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Attleboro senior James Weir shined on the mound, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts in a complete game effort. Weir earned the win with just one earned run allowed. Eoin Kelleher (double) and Dakota Kirby each had a pair of hits for the Bombardiers along with an RBI each. Jon Candiales added a pair of hits and three runs scored for Attleboro.

Foxboro, 3 @ Sharon, 8 – Final – Sharon junior Noah Kamens tossed a complete game without allowing an earned run to help the Eagles pick up their first win of the season. Kamens stuck out four while walking three in the win. Senior Drew Naisuler went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI while junior Jared Reef added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.

Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro broke open a tie game with three runs in the top of the fourth and then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to earn a win over Canton. In his varsity debut, senior Ben Arrighi came on with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and induced a ground ball to get out of the inning. Arrighi then escaped another bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh to earn the save (2.1 IP, 0 R). Jeff Gale went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, including a triple, and had an RBI single in the sixth inning to put Big Red up 6-2. Nick Sinacola added two hits while Peter Cohen earned the win on the mound. Canton’s Matt Casamento had a two-run home run in the third that tied the game 2-2.

Franklin, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final (8 inn.) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield took the lead in the bottom of the first inning but Taunton answered with three runs in the top of the second to earn the win. Jack Moynihan earned the win on the bump, scattering five hits with five strikeouts and just on unearned run allowed. Josh Lajoie didn’t allow a hit in two innings of relief, striking out four to earn the save. Offensively, Trevor Pietrzyk (2-for-4) knocked in one run and Jacob Crawford had two RBI. Moynihan also had a hit and scored a run. For Mansfield, Sam Nugent went 2-for-3 and Tyler Dalton had an RBI single. Sophomore John Carney struck out five without allowing a hit in 3.2 innings of relief.

Stoughton, 10 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Stoughton’s offense exploded for seven runs in the top of the eighth inning to pick up a victory on the road. Sophomore James Genest went 3-for-5 (double, run, RBI), while Ruben Gonzalez (double, run), Robbie Seaman (double, two runs), and George Currier (run, RBI, SB) each had two hits. Sophomore Michael Nazzaro chipped in with a two-run double.  Zak Paquette started for Stoughton and went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs (1 earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts. Junior Evan Gibb got the win pitching 2.2 scoreless innings allowing just one hit.

Softball
King Philip, 7 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip’s Elise Pereira allowed just four singles and one run while striking out 12 batters to lead the Warriors to a win on the road. Brianna Lacy paced the offense with three hits, including a home run. Faith Turnese added two hits and Sydney Phillips had two RBI in the win.

North Attleboro, 20 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Bella Erti (three innings, one hit allowed) and Jaclyn Buckley (two innings and two hits allowed) combined for the shutout for North, which has scored at least 20 runs in each of its two games this season. Ashley Cangiano and Olivia Capobianco each went 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBI, while Abby Warren went 3-for-3 with two triples and six RBI. Erti also went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in a pair and Emily Nardelli had one RBI and three runs scored. North coach Bill Wallace said Andrea Miceli had a great game in the field.

Sharon, 7 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final – Foxboro seniors Hannah Davis and Mandy Ryan, and freshman Nicole Theriault each had three hits to pace the Warriors to a big win at home. Junior Emma Rohan recorded 10 strikeouts for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Franklin, 15 – Final (6 inn.) – Franklin scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back to secure its first win of the season. The Panthers tacked on four more in the second, five more in the fourth and a single run in the sixth inning. Kylie Bouzan and Meg Caron finished with two RBI apiece while Emily Valentino earned the win, striking out four while scattering six hits. For Oliver Ames, Marissa Guarino was 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored, Kayla Georgeu added a double, and Katie Abreu scored a run.

Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton sophomore Jaylin Couto allowed just one earned run on four hits in four innings of work. Couto also struck out four while Kelsey White finished with three innings of no-hit ball with three strikeouts. McKenzie McAloon (3-4, two doubles, three RBI), Hanna Aldrich (2-3, two doubles, three RBI), Jaime Brown (2-3, double), Kya Enos (1-2, two RBI), and Kelsey White (triple, two RBI) paced the Tigers’ offense. Grace Benton went 2-for-3 on the game for the Hornets, recording half of the team’s hits on the day.

Milford, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Milford rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning to escape Stoughton with a win. The Hawks put the bat on the ball but Stoughton played phenomenal defense to keep them off the board for six innings. In the top of the seventh, Emily Hartman (2-for-2, run) led off with a double, Shannon Cormier walked and Maddy Bonvino loaded the bases with a bunt single. Kelley Reichert gave Milford the lead with a two-run single and Sabrina Haarstick gave the Hawks insurance with another two-run single. Antonia Bonina had another strong day offensively, going 3-for-3 while Reichert earned the win, striking out seven with three hits allowed and just one unearned run. Stoughton took the lead when Nikki Coppola led off the bottom of the first with a walk, took second on an error and scored on a ground ball to short from Jordan Lyons. Gina Carafa tossed a complete game for Stoughton, allowing just six hits.

Boys Lacrosse
Franklin, 18 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

Milford, 2 @ Canton, 14 – Final – Canton senior Charlie O’Connor made his season debut and didn’t lose a face off, scoring two goals as well, to help the Bulldogs pick up a win over visiting Milford. The Bulldogs had eight different players score a goal including junior Teddy MacDonald, who notched his first career goal. Freshman goalie Dylan Coyne had a shutout in net in the fourth quarter for Canton.

Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Louis Piccolo recorded six points while Andrew Whalen and Pete Conley each picked up five points as Foxboro improved to 4-0. Piccolo had three goals and three assists, Whalen scored once and had four assists, and Conley scored four times and chipped in with one helper.

Mansfield, 10 @ King Philip, 14 – Final

Oliver Ames, 7 @ North Attleboro, 17 – Final – North Attleboro senior Jason McNeany dominated the face off X (18-for-20) to help the Rocketeers pick up a win at home over OA. Sophomore Andy DeMattio scored five goals, Damien Curtis scored four goals, and McNeany added four points in the win. Nate D’Amico made eight saves in net for the Rocketeers. Eric LeBlanc had three goals for Oliver Ames while Shane Kilkelly found the back of the net twice.

Sharon, 14 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Brothers Brett and Drew Litner each finished with six points to pace the Eagles to a win on the road. Brett had five goals and one assist while Drew had one goal and five assists. Kadin Nestler added three goals for Sharon while Johnny Greenberg posted the shutout.

Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 2 @ Sharon, 15 – Final – Sharon coach Shara Ginthwain called the Eagles’ win a “total team effort,” as eight different players scored goals. Sabrina Robbins had another strong overall game with three goals, three assists, and six ground balls, while Emma Eberhardt also finished with a hat trick and three assists and added 10 draw controls as well. Freshman Jenna Goldstein made it a hat trick of hat tricks for the Eagles and Cass Barbera chipped in with six ground balls. Taunton’s Hannah Moniz and Alana Tavares each scored once while Lorna Li made 11 saves in net.

Attleboro, 3 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Halle Atkinson and Shannon D’Arcangelo each recorded three goals to pace the Panthers to a win at home. Alex Field scored her goal of the season while Victoria Quinn had a strong game in midfield with four draw controls. Grace MacCallum anchored the defense with three ground balls.

Canton, 7 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Maggie Connolly scored a first half hat trick to help the Bulldogs pull out their first win of the season and first under new coach Laurie Chabot.

Foxboro, 10 @ Norwell, 11 – Final

King Philip, 12 @ Mansfield, 8 – Final – KP made it three wins in three games to start the season with six different players finding the back of the net. Katie Crowther and Caroline Klim each scored three goals for the Warriors, while Alli Meehan added two goals and an assist, Dana Truini had a pair of goals, Jess Sullivan had a goal and an assist, and Olivia Tormey scored in the win. Caroline Watson made 13 saves in the win.

North Attleboro, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 10 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Ella Hogan and Olivia Piazza each netted three goals while Chloe Kilkelly and Sofia Masciarelli added two goals apiece.

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip lost a total of three games in singles play on its way to a sweep on the road at Attleboro. Marco DiStefano won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Nick Putney didn’t lose a game in a win at second singles and Jack Cannon took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of Nick Ihley and Nate Ihley registered a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles and Zak Ryan and Jake Mager made their varsity debuts with a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro picked up its third win of the season, sweeping Canton on the road. Senior Richard Bermudez won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and Christian Bermudez won with the same score at second singles. Freshman Jonah Manso won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. The team of Ben Pfeffer and Vikram Senthilkumaran won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Alex Pfeffer and Sam Gallagher teamed up for a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Sharon picked up its third win of the season with a sweep on the road against division foe Foxboro. Fred Bondar notched a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, Andre Olivei picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles and Danujan Thirumavalavan didn’t lose a game at third singles. Junior Max Brody and senior Russell Rapaport won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles while Sharon’s pairing of Ashwin Sreevatsa and Arie Chinnappan, won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin earned a clean sweep, dropping just one game in the five matches. Rohan Herur and Saketh Saripalli each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and third singles, respectively. Liam Marr recorded a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles for the Panthers. The team of Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu (first doubles) and the pairing of Tony Calderone and Dan Angermeier (second doubles) each won 6-0, 6-0.

Mansfield @ Taunton, 3:45

Milford, 0 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Stoughton picked up its first win of the season, sweeping Milford. Freshman Waseem Sablon picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, junior Erik Anderson recorded a 7-5, 6-1 win at second singles and LJ Fernandiz won 6-3, 6-3 at third singles. Stoughton’s team of Hassan Khan and Andrew Chiang won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles and the pairing of sophomores Brendon Buckley and Mike Veliotis won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Taunton, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Taunton won in straight sets in all five matches to notch a victory on the road. Jillian Pagliuca won by default at first singles, senior Vanessa Rosa won 6-1, 6-3 at second singles, and freshman Jocelyn Pagliuca earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of juniors McKenzie Lucie and Sam Martin won 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles for the Tigers and senior Amanda Pugh and junior Brianna Fevrier won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.

Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:30

Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a pair of wins in both singles and both doubles to beat Canton. Senior Jordan Willis won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and senior Katie Ovoian won 6-1, 7-5 at second singles. The team of seniors Leah Marceau and Shurobhi Nandi won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles while juniors Mae McLaughlin and Tara Nair emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles. Canton freshman Rachel Kupferman won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles.

Foxboro, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon emerged with a 3-2 victory in a showdown with division rival Foxboro. The Eagles picked up wins at second singles and both doubles matches. Lulu Yuan won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles, Katie Merport and Emily Wen prevailed with a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles and Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein teamed up for a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles. Foxboro’s Sophia Prinos won 6-2, 7-5 at first singles and freshman Pam Nelson earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles.

Franklin, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames defended its home court with a sweep of visiting Franklin. Sarah Leger won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Tate Hadges took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second singles and Maura Kiernan didn’t lose a game in a win at third singles. The team of Kristin Bloumbas and Emily Yu recorded a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles while Rachel Stryke and Olivia Groebe prevailed 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.

Stoughton, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2017 Record: 6-14
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Matt Bosh

After missing out on the postseason a year ago, Attleboro head coach Matt Bosh believes his team’s depth and versatility will help the Bombardiers get back there.

Junior Eoin Kelleher is back to lead the pitching staff after a stellar sophomore season in which he earned HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year honors. Kelleher posted a 1.00 ERA in 35 innings of work, including throwing a no-hitter against rival North. Senior captains Jason Weir and Jon Candiales, senior Drew Pagano along with junior Sam Larkin will all see time on the mound for Big Blue as well.

Candiales and Weir also anchor the offense with the former patrolling shortstop and the latter seeing time in both the outfield and first base. Candiales gives the Bombardiers power from the left side of the plate while Weir is a three-year starter that gives Bosh flexibility in the lineup. Larkin will be in the outfield when he isn’t pitching and can use his speed to hurt teams. Corey McKenna returns as the starting second baseman while senior Dakota Kirby is back behind the dish after a year off. Kirby will add pop to the lineup as he hit 0.425 as a sophomore with 10 RBI.

“The biggest improvement that I see from last year is our team speed and athleticism,” Bosh said. “We have a lot of guys that can play multiple positions and we’re very athletic. We have a high number of kids who can play anywhere.”

Canton

2017 Record: 6-12
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Greg Digirolamo

A strong core of returning players and a good amount of depth will be keys for the 2018 Canton Bulldogs baseball team.

After losing just four players from last year’s team, there is a good mix of experienced players and talented youth for head coach Greg Digirolamo to work with. The Bulldogs will look to three senior captains to the lead the way: Matt Casamento, Robbie Wilkinson, and Tommy DeLello. Casamento is a three-year starter in center field, DeLello will man first base and Wilkinson will try to carry over the momentum from an impressive junior year into 2018. Wilkinson went 3-1 last year with a 1.58 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched.

Wilkinson will be joined in the pitching staff by seniors Austin Maffie, Niko Donovan, and Ryan Hickey, along with juniors Paul Corcoran, Robbie Sullivan, and Kevin McGonigle. Freshman Matt Connolly will also figure into the mix on the mound.

Casamento anchors the defense from the center field spot while junior catcher Matt Pigeon and sophomore shortstop Nate Quan bolster the defense up the middle.

“It’s a good group of kids that like to compete every day, what else can you ask for as a coach?” Digirolamo said. “For us the biggest thing will be seeing live pitching. If we’re to have any success this year we’ll need to do a better job at the plate.”

Foxboro

2017 Record: 7-14
2017 Finish: Reached D3 South First Round
Coach: Derek Suess

New Foxboro head coach Derek Suess sees a little bit of the past in his first team as head coach. Suess, a former Warrior himself, said the 2018 version of Foxboro reminds him of a team that won 15 games during his senior year just over a decade ago.

“This team is hungry to put the program back on the map,” Suess said. “I couldn’t ask for a better senior group to lead us. They remind me of the senior group I was a part of in 2007 in which we won 15 games. With a good mix of underclassmen, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s hard work pay off on the field.”

After losing a painful eight games by just one run a season ago, including a near upset of third-seeded and D3 South Finalist Norton in the playoffs, the Warriors will be looking to turn those losses into wins this time around.

“We need to make more winning plays to put those tallies in the win column,” Suess said.

Junior Anthony Mollica will spearhead the offense after leading the Warriors with a 0.367 batting average a year ago. Senior Chad Bearce and sophomore Joe Cavaleri will bolster the middle of the lineup, freshman Sean Yoest has shown flashes early on at the dish, and seniors Joe Freitas, Matt Rongione, and Jack Franceschelli provide the Warriors with some speed.

Senior Steve McLaughlin returns after an impressive 2017 season. Despite posting an 0-6 record, McLaughlin struck out 24 batters in 32.2 innings of work and posted a 1.73 ERA. McLaughlin will be joined by Cavaleri, Yoest, and junior Guy Quartarone in the rotation while senior Robert Theriault returns behind the dish after getting a year of experience last season.

Franklin

2017 Record: 18-6
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Zach Brown

Focusing on pitching and defense, the Panthers will be looking to get better each and every day as they try to replicate the success from a season ago.

Franklin won the Kelley-Rex division last year, its first league title since 2012. And the mix of pitching and offense put the Panthers in some conversations for Super 8, but the Panthers ended up in the D1 South and bowed out in the quarterfinals after being forced to play on back to back days.

The arms that helped the Panthers have so much success last year as almost all back, starting with staff ace senior Jake Noviello. The Fairfield-commit struck out a Hockomock-best 61 batters a year ago, going 6-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 55.1 innings of work. Noviello is complemented by lefty Jason Ulrickson (7-0, 0.80 ERA, 35 K), Bryan Woelfel (3-2, 0.91 ERA, 4 SV, 31 K) and senior James Leofanti.

The defense will be anchored by a pair of returning starters in junior shortstop Alex Haba (0.360, 12 runs) and junior catcher Jake Macchi.

“While we are returning a number of experienced arms we are also turning over a number of positions last season,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “So, we will be young or inexperienced at a number of positions. Offensively, my hope is that as the season progressing we will be able to develop an identity and find a way to manufacture runs.”

King Philip

2017 Record: 10-11
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Greg Kessler

After just squeaking into the postseason a year ago, first-year KP head coach Greg Kessler is hoping his team will be in contention for a Kelley-Rex division title in 2018.

One reason for that is the senior class and the handful of returning players that have plenty of experience at the varsity level. Ben Furfari returns as a key piece of the Warriors’ outfield and lineup. He hit 0.298 last season and will provide the power on offense. Senior Pat Limerick, committed to play at St. Joseph’s (ME), will set the tone as the leadoff hitter.

On the mound, senior Jeremy Rhines (2-1, 1.45 ERA) and junior David Morganelli will be the main options while hard-throwing senior Liam Rohan will also be in the mix. Nolan Bradley returns behind the plate as one of the top catchers in the league while sophomore Robbie Jarest will step in to take over at shortstop.

“We have a great group of senior this year,” Kessler said. “They have been dedicated to the weight room and leading our underclassmen. They continuously strive to build a team that will compete for the Hock championship. They deserve to have a great year. I guarantee that will be the most vocal and most energetic team in the Hock. We pride ourselves on being positive and enthusiastic every pitch.”

Mansfield

2017 Record: 14-8
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Joe Breen

There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Mansfield baseball program this season. And with the arms they have back, there’s good reason for it.

Senior Tyler Dalton, a UMass Amherst commit, returns after missing the majority of his junior year with an injury. Dalton was tremendous during the 2016 season as a sophomore, posting a 6-2 record while striking out 35 batters and posting a 1.78 ERA. He will be joined on the Hornets’ staff by senior Kevin Dow (UMass Amherst commit, 4-1, 1.93 ERA), junior lefty Connor Sheehan (2.82 ERA, 28 K), and junior Kyle Moran (three saves). Sophomore John Carney will also likely see time on the mound for the Hornets.

Senior catcher Cullin Anastasia returns after being named to the 2017 HockomockSports.com Second Team. Anastasia had 19 hits a year ago, knocking in 10 runs and scoring 10 runs as well. Sam Nugent will give the Hornets a spark in center field and on the base path with his speed, Moran picked up plenty of experience at third base last season, and Eric Longley will provide Mansfield with some pop in the middle of the lineup.

“We will rely heavily on our pitching staff this season to keep us in games and look to make the plays behind them and be aggressive with our offensive and baserunning approach to get those guys a few runs per game,” said Mansfield head coach Joe Breen. “As always, we will turn to our senior class to set the tone and for our underclassmen to blossom under their leadership.”

Milford

2017 Record: 12-10
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Alex Dion

Milford baseball starts a new chapter in its historic history as longtime assistant Alex Dion takes over the reigns of the program.

Dion’s first challenge will be having to overcome the loss of a dozen seniors, including team ace Alex Macek, reliable infielders Zack Tamagni and Anthony Arcudi, and hard-hitting outfielder Ryan Goncalves. However, the good news is that Dion has one of the best players at his disposal in Stonehill-commit Aidan Wilde. Wilde had 59 hits between his freshman and sophomore years and added 21 more in the regular season a year ago. After seeing time as a catcher last season, Wilde will mainly man the corner infield positions in 2018.

Wilde will be complemented by junior Matt Shaver, who picked up some experience a year ago at both shortstop and on the mound. The Hawks will rely on Shaver to anchor the defense from short and give the offense a spark from the leadoff position. Junior Tyler Almeida will step in behind the dish and will provide some offense from the left side of the plate. Sophomores Luke Rosa and Colby Pires look to be in the mix as well as junior Nick Marcolini, who will pitch and patrol the outfield.

“We graduated a strong senior class this past year and are now in a situation where we have a lot of new players who we will look to take advantage of new opportunities,” Dion said. “I am excited about the athleticism that we have on our roster and the energy that these guys bring to practice each day. I think our philosophy is simple, but we preach a team-first mentality to our guys and strive to get quality pitching, play clean defense and get timely hits to win games.”

North Attleboro

2017 Record: 8-10
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Mike Hart

North Attleboro didn’t have to go far to find its new coach. Mike Hart takes over for Paul Tobin and Hart truly bleeds Big Red – a graduate from the school and three-sport coach.

And expectations are high for the Rocketeers after just missing out on the postseason a year ago. Senior captain Nick Sinacola returns after having an MVP-caliber junior season. Big Red will rely on Sinacola on both sides of the plate, leading the offense (he batted 0.415 last year with 15 runs scored) and being the ace of the staff (48.1 IP, 49 K, 2.01 ERA). Senior captain Zach DeMattio is also back after being named to the 2017 HockomockSports.com First Team, batting 0.333 with 15 RBI and three home runs. Big Red also gets senior Nate Pearce (0.371) back after a strong junior year.

Senior Peter Cohen (24 IP, 0.29 ERA) will look to build upon a superb junior year while Nolan Buckley and Jeff Gale bring experience to the outfield. Aidan Harding also has varsity experience and will be in the mix to get innings on the mound along with juniors Matt Wanless, Jake Palmer, Matt Seavey, Nick Raneri, and Ben Arrighi.

“We have a truly industrious group of players,” Hart said. “We’re going to keep moving guys around until we find the lineup that works for us. Some may have to play multiple positions, depending on whose pitching on any given day. We had a decent season last year, with many guys getting some varsity time, but we’re still unproven. We need to continue to improve every day and only worry about the things we can control. Guys will be competing every day all season, which will only make us better. We will approach each day, with a great attitude, high effort, and a steadfast approach.”

Oliver Ames

2017 Record: 14-9
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinals
Coach: Joe Abarr

A lot of the players that helped Joe Abarr have a successful first season as head coach last year are back, which means the Tigers are aiming to replicate that success.

Despite finishing in a tie for third in the Kelley-Rex, the Tigers put together the best playoff run of any Hock team, knocking off #2 Dighton-Rehoboth on the road to reach the sectional semifinals. Junior Matt McCormack is back after earning a spot on varsity late in the season this year, and along with classmate Tom Parker, should give OA a solid 1-2 punch. With a handful of capable arms in the mix, the third spot in the rotation is still up for grabs.

Abarr won’t have to worry much about anything hit to the left side of the infield as the Tigers return third basemen Chris Pearsons and shortstop Matt Muir, two of the top defensive players at their positions. Both are capable hitters as well and will provide some pop to the lineup. Another returning starter is senior Mitch Goulet. Goulet had a breakout junior campaign in center field (0.347, 7 RBI), catching fire in the second half of the year. Abarr is hoping that momentum will carry over to this season.

The Tigers have a battle for the spot behind the plate as both junior Jake Erlich and junior Reid Latham are back, both with experience behind the dish.

“We have a great core of returning players that will be the backbone of the program,” Abarr said. “We have to fill positions in the outfield and at first. If we have some guys step up in that role we should have a decent lineup from top to bottom.”

Sharon

2017 Record: 6-14
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Kee Arguimbau

Sharon is aiming to improve on its six-win season in 2017, and will be looking to ride its senior leadership to do so.

Senior captains Max Tarlin and Drew Naisuler are two of the most experienced players in the league and will be spearheading the Eagles’ offense and defense this year. Tarlin (5-4, 46 K, 1.11 ERA) is the anchor of the pitching staff, picking up five of Sharon’s six wins last season. When he’s not on the mound, expect to see Tarlin patrolling shortstop. Naisuler returns as the team’s No. 4 hitter to provide some pop to the lineup and will be a key defensive piece at both center field and first base.

The Eagles will also rely on senior Ben Schwartz, who will mainly be catching this year as well as being a major offensive contributor. Junior Noah Kamens will be a major piece of the pitching puzzle after impressing during his sophomore year. Similar to Tarlin, Kamens will be a major player in the offensive lineup and will see time off the mound spent in the outfield. Spencer Singer is transitioning to the outfield and will continue to be one of the players the Eagles look at for offensive production.

“I have a lot of guys who are multifaceted baseball players and I can foresee a lot of games being played with straight nine in the lineup,” Arguimbau said. “We have great senior leadership and some very promising sophomores that are going to play a major role in our season’s success.”

Stoughton

2017 Record: 15-6
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Mike Armour

There are a lot of questions to be answered for this year’s Stoughton baseball team, but head coach Mike Armour is excited for his players to rise to the challenge.

The Black Knights graduated nearly their entire team (10 of its 13 rostered players), which won its second straight Davenport division title. So not only will Armour be leaning heavily on his three returning players, he is looking for new faces to seize the opportunity.

“This is an exciting year for our program,” Armour said. “It’s an awesome opportunity for our younger guys. The JV and freshmen teams both over 15 or more games last year, so we’re looking for them to carry that winning attitude into this season. I expect our team to play with heart and execute the fundamentals to make us a competitive team.”

2017 HockomockSports.com First Team selection and senior captain Ruben Gonzalez returns as one of the top players in the league, both defensively at shortstop and offensively at the plate. Senior Matt Hadley and junior Evan Gibb, both captains, are the other two returning players for the Knights. Gibb has plenty of varsity experience behind the plate and Hadley, although he will miss some time with injury, will be key piece in the outfield.

Meanwhile, Armour is looking for sophomores James Genest (first base) and Michael Nazzaro (third base/catcher) to step up and play important roles both offensively and defensively this season. Juniors Kyle Gagnon, Kevin Dixon, and Cian Swierzewski will see time in the outfield and classmate Robbie Seaman will be in the mix for middle infield.

For pitching, Gibb will see time on the mound as well as behind the play. Senior Will Eckhart has some varsity experience and junior Zak Paquette will likely log some meaningful innings for the Knights. Seniors Tim Kellogg, Talyor Atkinson, and Mike Anderson provide infield depth and Jack Brown and Ryan Semler will be in the mix in the outfield.

Taunton

2017 Record: 12-10
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Blair Bourque

There are a lot of good pitchers in the Hockomock League this year, and it looks like the Tigers’ staff could be right near the top of the list.

Taunton returns senior Tyler Medeiros, who had a terrific junior campaign and will get junior Jack Moynihan back on the mound. Moynihan was impressive during his freshman year two seasons ago but an injury limited his action on the mound last season. Medeiros fanned 68 batters in 56.1 innings of work, posting a 1.98 ERA to anchor the staff. Look for senior Trevor Pietrzyk and juniors Griffin Tomaszycki and Josh Lajoie to get some meaningful innings on the mound as well.

“Tyler clearly emerged as our top pitcher last year,” said second-year head coach Blair Bourque. “Fortunately, he’s a big kid and was able to put us on his back and carry us. Hopefully, we’re able to provide more support for him this year.”

Moynihan will also play a big role in Taunton’s offense this year. While patrolling third base, Moynihan will try to provide some pop in the middle of the lineup. The Tigers also get their top two batters back with senior shortstop Jacob Crawford (0.350, 15 runs) and senior Christian Simoes (0.340, 12 RBI).

Taunton will carry nine seniors and eight juniors this season so experience will be key.