Tag: Ben Hochwarter

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/11/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Billy Saltmarsh and Ben Hochwarter combined for a strong pitching effort on the mound and the Bombardiers picked up a key win on the road at Milford. Saltmarsh struck out eight in 5.1 innings of work to get the win while Hochwarter had two strikeouts in 2.1 innings. The Bombardiers had eight hits on the day with Evan Houle, Cooper Johnson, and Saltmarsh each recording a pair. Brody McKenna added a base hit and a run scored and Tyler Dunlea had one hit and one RBI.

Stoughton, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Stoughton used two runs in the top of the first inning, a key insurance run in the sixth, and a great pitching effort from Joseph Rush and Anthony Tilton to take down Canton for its first league win of the season. Anthony Girolamo smacked a two-out single to score both Brad Franey (walk) and Anthony Tilton (single) to give the Black Knights an early 2-0 lead. Rush allowed just one run on five hits and two walks, striking out one to earn the win. Tilton picked up a two-inning save, allowing two hits and one walk with a pair of strikeouts in two shutout innings. Canton cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double from Eddie Gillis to score Matt Hart (triple) but Stoughton got it back in the top of the sixth on an RBI from Tilton. Hayden Rose tossed a complete game for the Bulldogs, allowing three runs in just five hits and one walk, striking out three.

Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Freshman Nolan Gordon tossed a complete game for his fifth win of the season and the Warriors scored three runs in the top of the sixth to stun North Attleboro on the road at Community Field. Gordon allowed just one run (unearned) on three hits and three walks, striking out five for the victory. The Rocketeers took the lead with the first run of the game in the fourth on a one-out triple from Tyler DeMattio, who came home to score after a throwing error on the same play. Foxboro rallied in the top of the sixth as Jack Watts reached on a dropped third strike and Ryan LeClair was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Sean O’Leary tied the game with a double to center to bring Watts home, and then on an 0-2 count, Louis Carangelo smashed a triple to right to bring in both LeClair and O’Leary to make it 3-1. Gordon worked around a one-out single from DeMattio in the sixth and a one-out walk to Dillon Harding in the seventh to get the win.

Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 7 – Final – Franklin junior blasted a three-run home run over the fence in right field in a five-run third inning as the Panthers avenged a loss to Taunton from earlier in the season. Sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Jase Lyons had back-to-back RBI singles to put the hosts ahead 4-1 and then Chin sent a 2-0 pitch deep to right to make it 7-1. Franklin took the lead on a sac fly from Evan Raider in the bottom of the first before Taunton leveled things on an RBI single from Shawn Cali in the top of the second. The Panthers went back ahead in the bottom of the second with a sac fly from Ben Jarosz. James Kuczmiec, who normally comes on in relief for the Panthers, had a terrific outing on the mound with just one run allowed on five hits and two walks, striking out a pair in a complete-game effort. Evan Cali tossed three scoreless innings in relief for the Tigers, allowing four hits with two strikeouts.

King Philip, 1 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – After King Philip scored the first run of the game in the top of the fifth, Mansfield pushed across two in the bottom half and that was enough for the Hornets in a tight battle against the Warriors. Shawn Legere presented the visitors with a 1-0 lead with an RBI triple that plated Rudy Gately for a 1-0 lead. Mansfield starter Aaron Blinn (6 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 8 K) stranded the runner at third though, inducing a ground ball in the next at-bat. Cian Goulet reached on an error and took second to lead off the bottom half, advanced to third on a sac bunt from Aiden Jones, and then scored on an RBI single from Matt DeShiro to make it 1-1. Another KP error kept the inning alive and Conner Zukowski, who had walked earlier in the inning, came home to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Connor Curtis retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh, including two strikeouts, to get the save. Gately pitched well for the Warriors, going five innings with two runs (unearned) allowed on three hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Max Robison had three hits on the day for KP while Jake Maydak had two for the Hornets.

Sharon, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 9 – Final – Oliver Ames took the lead with a four-run third inning and then extended it by scoring again in the fourth, the sixth, and seventh to secure a win over Sharon. Ian Kelly and Nathan Carpentier each drove in a run and Jack Richardson plated two with a single in the third as the Tigers established a 4-0 lead. Brad Washburne scored on a passed ball and Nathanial Lewis added an RBI single in the fourth, Kelly drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, and both Washburne and Ryan Lemay drove in a run in the seventh to make it 9-0. Sharon pushed across four runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh with Dan Okstein driving in a run with a single, Connor Blaney drawing a bases-loaded walk and Liam Conway plating two with a double to left. Richardson got the win on the mound, tossing 4.2 shutout innings with one hit and five walks allowed, and five strikeouts.








Softball
Milford, 0 @ Attleboro, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Attleboro’s Lily Routhier had a game to remember, tossing a no-hitter while also having a big day offensively to lead the Bombardiers over visiting Milford. Routhier didn’t allow a hit or a walk in five innings of work, striking out four with strong defense behind her. At the dish, she went 3-for-4 and knocked in three runs. Lauren Eby also had three hits with four RBI, Sarah Maher added two hits and an RBI, and Lindsey Perry had a hit and an RBI in the win. Kayla Goldrick smashed a two-run homer over the fence in the bottom of the fourth for Attleboro.

Canton, 4 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Kerry Driscoll had a strong showing in the circle and Kate Bulger had a big day at the dish to lead Stoughton to a close win over Canton. Driscoll allowed just three hits in a complete-game effort for her eighth win of the season. Bulger had three hits on the day, including a double, and drove in a run. Leila Alaoui added an RBI double while Sydney Menz chipped in with a base hit and two RBI.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – North extended its lead at the top of the Davenport division and swept the season series with Foxboro. Kelly Colleran continues to dominate in the circle, striking out 19 batters to match the program record that she set last Friday and giving up only two infield singles. North broke the deadlock with two outs in the fifth. Pinch hitter Arianna McDavitt singled to start a rally and came in to score the game-winner on Mandi Hanewich’s triple. After Ally Levine drew a walk, Colleran knocked in a pair of runs with a double. Maryellen Charette scored North’s fourth run in the sixth. She doubled and came in on a sac fly from Emma Hanwell. Zoey McDonough returned from injury for North and had a pair of hits.

Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 15 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton led 4-3 heading to the bottom of the fifth and exploded for 11 runs over the next two innings to seal the win. The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first and made it 4-1 in the third, but the Panthers got a pair of runs in the fourth to get back within one. Taunton got four in the fifth and then seven more in the sixth to close it out. Ava Venturelli was 4-for-4 with a pair of homers and drove in five runs to the lead the Tigers. Brooke Aldrich was 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBI, Hayley Krockta added a solo homer, and Mia Fernandes was 2-for-3 with three RBI in the nine-hole. Cate Larson went the distance, allowing no earned runs, to pick up the win.

Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip’s offense came alive with eight runs in the bottom of the second inning and extended the lead with runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take down Mansfield. Emma Sheehan was stellar in the circle, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out six in five scoreless innings. Charlotte Raymond drove in a pair to get the offense going and Mia Bennett pushed another runner home to make it 3-0, and then the Warriors added five more runs with two outs. Ava Kelley, Meg Sherwood, Liv Petrillo (walk), Raymond (HBP), and Bennett all brought in a run during the sequence. Raymond added an RBI in the fourth and then KP plated three more in the fifth: an RBI from Missy Canning, an RBI double from Taylor Regan, and a throwing error for the final run.

Sharon, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 21 – Final (5 inn.) – Oliver Ames came out on fire with nine runs in the first and 10 more in the second to take a big win over visiting Sharon. Junior captains Maddie Homer (4-for-4, five RBI, three runs) and Katie Melendy (2-for-5, four RBI, two runs) paced the offense for the Tigers. Junior Lexi Galsband, sophomore Madison Monteiro and freshman Devon Morris had two hits and three RBI each for OA. Melendy got the win in the circle, allowing just three hits with 10 strikeouts.




Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 3 @ Blackstone Valley, 18 – Final

Sharon, 9 @ North Attleboro, 18 – Final – Jared Vacher had a strong showing at the face off X, setting North Attleboro for a big day offensively in a non-league win over Sharon. Clayton Billingkoff and Matt Antonetti each had five goals apiece with three assists while Connor Ruppert added a pair of goals and four helpers. The Rocketeers played well defensively in front of JT Gallagher (seven saves).

Oliver Ames, 13 @ Hull, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames went on the road and returned home with a 13-4 verdict over Hull. The Tigers had five players find the back of the net with junior Ben Reardon leading the charge with seven goals. Wyatt Fritchman added a pair while Ryan Jaco, Alex McAndrew, Wes Tower, and Ryan Moore each scored once. Junior Noah Isleib made 10 saves in net for the win.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 12 @ Oliver Ames, 9 – Final – After building a one-goal lead at the half (7-6), Canton held the hosts to just half of that production in the second half to get a key win on the road. Ella Yeaton paced the attack for the Bulldogs with five goals while Emily McCabe added four goals and four assists. Elyse Broderick made eight saves in net to secure the win.

North Attleboro, 18 @ Sharon, 7 – Final – North jumped out to a 12-2 lead at halftime to pick up the road win. Bailey Garte scored three times for the Eagles, who also got goals from Keira Lydeard, Anna Hertzel, Lauren McLaughlin, and Kaitlyn Galeota. McLaughlin also gave the Eagles a strong presence on the draw and the defensive end of the field. Gilli Aronson stepped into goal for the first time this season and saved five of the 11 shots she faced, as the Eagles played nearly even in the second half.

Milford, 10 vs. Blackstone Valley, 6 – Final – After seeing a four-goal lead slip away to visiting Blackstone Valley, Milford scored five of the final six goals to secure the win. The Hawks had a 5-1 lead before the visitors chipped away, eventually pulling even at 5-5 early in the second half. Emily Croteau (two goals, three assists), Aislinn Bennett (four goals, two assists), Carly Haley (three goals, one assist), and Stephanie Goulet (goal) paced the offense.

Taunton, 5 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 12 – Final – The Tigers had four different players find the back of the net but fell against Dighton-Rehoboth in a non-league clash. Maddison Szala led the way with a pair of goals while Sarah Clark, Cali Melo, and Riley Lemaire each scored once for the Tigers.




Boys Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro won all three singles matches and added one more victory from doubles action to defend home court with a 4-1 verdict over visiting Milford. Kyle Neuendorf overcame a one-set deficit to secure a 3-6, 6-0, 7-5 win at first singles, Ethan Johnson rolled in a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second sinlges, and Arnov Sodhani prevailed from a hard-fought third singles match with a 6-4, 7-5 win. Attleboro’s fourth point came from the team of Evan Sousa and Brady Rosen, battleing to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win. Milford’s second doubles tandem of Pedro DeSousa and Todd Ostertag battled for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win.

Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Canton’s Davis Lamb and Kevin Moltenbrey prevailed in a battle at first doubles that went three sets to secure the clinching point for the Bulldogs in a win on the road over Stoughton. Lamb and Moltenbrey earned a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 win to clinch the victory. Max Kupferman (6-0, 6-1) and Suraj Ramanathan (6-0, 6-0) added wins at first and second singles, respectively, for the Bulldogs. Stoughton got wins from Anish Sinha (third singles) and Anthony Maylock and Aadil Khond (second doubles).

North Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – It took three sets for two matches but Foxboro finished off a 4-1 win over the Rocketeers at home. Senior Bo Canfield grabbed a 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 win at second singles while the team of freshman Luca Meyer and sophomore Ryan Fossella battled to a 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (3) win at first doubles. Garrett Spillane added a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles and Raj Jetty added a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. North Attleboro’s Aashman Gupta and Caleb Cheney earned a 6-4, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – With straight-set wins in all five matches, Franklin earned a sweep on the road over Taunton. Senior Vayshnav Malhotra earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, senior Sameen Shaik added a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second singles, and senior Drew Mahoney grabbed a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Seniors Tim O’Keefe and Thomas Broyles teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 first doubles win while sophomore Ahen Shetty joined senior Ryan Rourke for a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Mansfield, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Sophomore Jacob Weiner and freshman Josh Weiner emerged from a competitive battle at second doubles with a 7-5, 6-3 verdict to complete Mansfield’s 5-0 sweep on the road. Kailash Elumelai (6-1, 6-0), Neema Khosravani (6-2, 6-0), and Iniyan Karruppusami (6-2, 6-1) combined to lose just six total games in the three singles matches and the tandem of senior Jonah Fine and sophomore Nikhil Nain added a 6-2, 6-3 win at first doubles for the Hornets.

Sharon, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – The Bombardiers took two wins in each singles and doubles play to defend home court against visiting Milford. Ella Lynch-Bartek secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles and Maddie Fuscaldo added a 6-1, 6-2 decision at second singles for Attleboro. Attleboro’s two doubles teams continued their success as seniors Saharla Yusuf and Tina Lam grabbed a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles, and sophomores Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller earned a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Milford’s Serena Borges earned a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win in a hard-fought, competitive battle at third singles.

Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Canton got back into the win column after taking all five matches against visiting Stoughton. Camila Cutter (6-1, 6-3), Laura Correal (6-0, 6-1), and Olivia Maloney (6-2, 6-2) swept the three singles matches for the Bulldogs. The duo of Olivia Durham and Grace Powers notched a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles, and the tandem of Allie Wong and Kelli Woodworth added a 6-2, 6-1 victory at second doubles.

Foxboro @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin defended home court in impressive fashion, taking all five matches in straight sets to take down Taunton. Izzy Trull notched a 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles, Chloe Essum added a 6-2, 6-3 second doubles win, and Sarah Schiavo grabbed a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of senior Vedika Vinayak and junior Allison Bagley captured a 7-5, 6-0 win at first doubles, and senior Amulya Jayam and sophomore Ava Davies prevailed from second doubles with a 6-1, 6-4 decision.

King Philip, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – King Philip junior Ahunna James emerged from a battle at first singles with a hard-fought win, helping the Warriors complete a 5-0 sweep. James took a 6-3, 6-2 win at took over 90 minutes in a well-played match against Kate Martin. Shea Mellman added an impressive 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles and Sammie Taylor made her return to third singles with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Senior Resha Ajoy and Lauren Casper captured a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while junior Caroline Freese and senior Palina Yakimovich settled in for a 7-5, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – The battle for the top spot in the Davenport division didn’t disappoint as three of the five matches went three sets before Sharon prevailed with a hard-fought win over a strong Oliver Ames squad. Sophomore Navya Shukla emerged with a 6-3, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5) win at first singles, freshman Judy Song earned a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win at second singles, and junior Abby Vilk took a 6-3, 6-2 verdict at third singles. Sharon’s fourth point came from the doubles team of freshman Olivia Landstein and junior Ellie Zhao, who overcame a one-set deficit for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win. OA’s first doubles tandem of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-3, 6-2 win.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 @ Nipmuc, 0 – Final

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/11/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Milford, 7 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final – Attleboro senior Christian Dame blasted a grand slam over the fence in the bottom of the third inning and the Bombardiers’ bats exploded for 16 runs in a win over visiting Milford. Milford got off to a strong start with a run in the top of the first and added three more in the second to claim a 4-0 lead but Attleboro’s offense bounced back with a six-run second inning and followed with a seven-run third inning. Dame finished with three hits and six RBI, Danny Johnson also had three hits and five RBI, and Cian Kelleher and Ben Hochwarter (two RBI, four runs) each added a pair of hits. Billy Saltmarsh got the win on the mound while Johnny Pagano struck out four in three innings out of the bullpen.

Canton, 6 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Canton scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to break the stalemate and earn a win on the road over rival Stoughton. The Dogs and Knights went back-and-forth, the visitors scoring one run in each of the first, third, and fifth innings with the hosts responding with single-run innings in the second, third, and one in the bottom of the fifth to tie it 3-3. Hayden Rose tossed a complete game for the Bulldogs to get the win, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, striking out three. Rose helped his cause at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, including the go-ahead hit in the seventh. Nico Bonanno added three hits and four RBI, plating the two insurance runs in the seventh on a single. Andy Butler added three hits, three stolen bases, and two runs for the Bulldogs.

North Attleboro, 9 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – North pushed across five runs in the top of the third and added a run in each of the next three innings to score a win on the road over Foxboro. Derek Maceda (three runs) and David Floyd (two RBI, two runs) had three hits apiece to account for half of North’s 12 hits on the day. Maceda’s one-out triple sparked a big fifth inning for North, who had three consecutive two-out doubles in the frame. Christian Bates added a hit, a run scored, and three RBI on the day. Anthony Wescott had a strong defensive performance at first for the Rocketeers and Danny Curran tossed five scoreless innings to get the win. Foxboro freshman Nolan Gordon recorded a pair of hits and classmate Mike Marcucella knocked in a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 7 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Mansfield, 3 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – Mansfield surged ahead with a three-run fourth inning but King Philip had an immediate answer in the bottom half, plating four to take the lead for good. Conner Zukowski (two hits), Jared Fraone, and Jake Maydak each drove in a run to give the Hornets a lead after 3.5 innings. In the bottom of the half, Rudy Gately drove in both Shawn Legere (single) and Brendan Sencaj (single) to cut the deficit to one, and a single from Dan Nineve brought Gately home to tie it. Nick Viscusi, who had walked, scored on a wild pitch to take the lead. In the fifth, Legere singled, stole second, took third on a single from Sencaj, and scored on a ground ball from Viscusi. Gately got the win on the mound for the Warriors, allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks, striking out eight. Sophomore Tommy McLeish struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief, and Sencaj closed the door with a scoreless seventh inning.

Sharon, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames tacked on two key runs in the bottom of the sixth and held off a last-inning comeback bid from Sharon to get the win. Patrick Finnerty smashed a home run to center in the bottom of the first for an early lead, and after a double from senior Andrew Rodgers, courtesy runner Brendan Connolly scored after a pair of ground outs. Sharon cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI from Will Hippler but the Tigers responded with two runs, the latter coming off an RBI double from Nathanial Lewis (two hits). Sharon loaded the bases in the seventh and Dan Okstein drove in two runs to make it a one-run game, but OA’s Jo Jo Gaultier closed the door to secure the win. Nick Clark pitched well for OA, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out nine in five scoreless innings of work.








Softball
Attleboro, 17 @ Milford, 2 – Final (5 inn.) – Attleboro’s offense was on fire from the start, plating eight runs in the first and six more in the second to secure a win on the road over Milford. Kayla Goldrick recorded three hits on the day, including a double and a home run, to pace the offense. Sarah Maher added three hits for the Bombardiers, who totaled 16 hits as a team, and Emily Eby went 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored. Lindsey Perry was the winning, allowing three hits with three strikeouts and one earned run. Milford freshman Olivia Baglione had two hits and two RBI for the Hawks, including her first career home run (solo home run).

Stoughton, 17 @ Canton, 8 – Final – For the second time in the last three games, Stoughton’s offense exploded for double-digit runs, this time in a win on the road over rival Canton. Senior Sydney Menz continued to rake at the plate, going 4-for-6 with three base hits and a triple while Julie Powers added three singles in the win. Kate Bulger pitched in with a pair of singles and Alyssa Edwards had a double and played stellar defense. Kerry Driscoll threw the complete game for her third win of the season.

Foxboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Kelly Colleran struck out 16 batters, allowed two infield hits, and faced only three batters over the minimum to pick up the win for North. The Rocketeers manufactured a run in the third. Mandi Hanewich got things started with an infield hit and then stole second. Ally Levine drove her in with a single. North got the winner in the fifth. Emma Hanwell walked and Julia Forman bunted her into scoring position. Hanwell would eventually come home on a passed ball. Maddie Bailey had a couple of strong defensive plays at second to help North hold on for the win.

Taunton, 5 @ Franklin, 4 – Final (8 Inn.) – Taunton rallied with a run in the top of the seventh on a solo homer by Angie Lynch to force extra innings and then, after scoring three runs in the eighth, held off a Panthers rally in the bottom half to pull out the extra-innings win. Taunton and Franklin each scored a run in the first, but the Panthers grabbed the lead in the sixth before Lynch tied the game in the seventh. Franklin’s first run came off an RBI single from junior Avery Chalk. Chalk then put Franklin ahead, 2-1, after a fielder’s choice saw Katy Liberman score. Brooke Aldrich went 3-for-4 with two RBI and gave the visitors the lead with a home run in the first, and Kaysie DeMoura (triple) also drove in two for the Tigers. Reece Allen had two hits for the Panthers, while Hailey Fales was 3-for-4 and drive in a pair. Aislinn Lavery went the distance for Franklin, giving up nine hits and four earned runs. Liv Mendonca went six innings for Taunton and allowed seven hits and two runs. Cate Larson picked up the win for the Tigers, pitching two innings of relief, striking out three, and allowing a pair of runs.

King Philip, 4 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – King Philip held Mansfield off the board to pick up a fourth straight win to start the season. King Philip cashed in with a three-run fifth inning and added another in the top of the sixth in the win. Ava Kelley drove in the first run with a sac fly, Taylor Regan drove in Charlotte Raymond (walk) with a single, and Mia Bennett singled up the middle to bring Meg Sherwood (walk) for a 3-0 lead. In the top of the sixth, Raymond smacked a two-out single to plate sophomore Caitlyn Sencaj (double). Jordan Bennett got the win, tossing a complete-game shutout with five strikeouts. The Hornets had eight hits and had runners on base in all but one inning. They left 11 on base, including the bases loaded in the sixth. Callie Lake and Jill Koppy each had a pair of hits for Mansfield, with Lake also making six out in center. Liv Madeira, Alanna Conley, Molly Kucharski, and Olivia DeTrolio each had one hit in the loss. DeTrolio also made a nice play at third in the third inning, cutting down the lead runner at the plate after the Warriors had loaded the bases.

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Katie Melendy tossed a one-hit shutout to lead Oliver Ames into the win column for the first time this season as the Tigers took down rival Sharon. Melendy struck out eight in the circle while adding a double and a run scored offensively. After two scoreless innings, Oliver Ames scored in each of the final five innings, including a pair of runs in each the third and fourth innings. Freshman Devon Morris (2-for-3, RBI, two runs) and Madison Monteiro (RBI, run) scored in the third off a hit from Maddie Homer (two hits), and Morris and Monteiro each added an RBI in the fourth to push the lead to 4-0. Freshman Emily Martin drove in a run in the fifth and Sammy Johnson had an RBI in the sixth to score Caitlin Miller (two hits, triple).




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 22 @ Milford, 6 – Final

Sharon, 11 @ Canton, 10 – Final – After a pair of one-goal losses, Sharon ended up on the right side of a close contest with an 11-10 win on the road over Canton. Ben Shocket went 20-for-25 at the faceoff X and added four goals while Brady Daylor had a big day offensive, scoring four times with three assists. Gabe Korn chipped in with a hat trick for the Eagles and Matt Powers made 13 saves in net.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Franklin, 24 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Luke Davis scored seven times and Jayden Consigli had six goals, as Franklin scored more than 20 goals for the third straight game to start the season. It was a close game through the first quarter. Davis and Consigli each had hat tricks in the opening 12 minutes, but Matt Antonetti, Connor Ruppert, and Brady Backner each scored for North o go into the first break at 6-3. Franklin broke the game open in the second with four goals in just 1:27. Tyler Sacchetti had the first two, just 16 seconds apart, Consigli fed Connor Sullivan for a rip, and then Davis whipped a lefty shot under the bar to make it 10-6. Consigli fired in a man-up goal and Chris Drake took a hit to find the back of the net and extend the lead to nine. Antonetti made a nice steal on a clearance and scored in the last minute of the half, but Franklin led 12-4. Clayton Billingkoff started the third with a goal for North, but Franklin scored the next nine to put the game away. Davis added three more, and Sacchetti and Consigli each had a pair. Ryan Grasso and Ravin Chaudhury also scored and CJ Perro got his first of the night. Billingkoff got a second to make it 21-6 after three. Antonetti completed his hat trick in the third. Perro would add two more and finished with a hat trick as well. After a tough first quarter, Justin Alexander ended up winning 21-of-28 draws and Matt Corvi made seven saves for the Panthers. JT Gallagher had six saves for North.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – For Oliver Ames senior Wyatt Fritchman and sophomore Ryan Jaco each scored a pair of goals while junior Noah Isleib made 17 saves in net for the Tigers.

Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 15 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Milford evened its record at 2-2 by picking up its second road win of the season, knocking off the Bombardiers. Junior captain Caitlyn Bangert had a standout performance in net for the Scarlet Hawks, turning away 13 shots in the win. Aislinn Bennett (seven goals), Carly Haley (four goals), and Emily Croteau (three goals) led the offense for Milford, who built a 5-0 lead early. Senior Stephanie Goulet also scored in the win for Milford.

Canton, 17 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Seven different Bulldogs found the back of the net in a win on the road over Sharon. Allie McCabe paced the offense with a hat trick plus three assists, Emily McCabe added five goals, and Devan Spinale also netted a hat trick in the win. Annie McLean and Maggie Dailey scored their first career goals and Canton’s Elyse Broderick made nine saves in the cage. Tess Letendre had a strong game in the Sharon goal, making 13 saves to keep the Eagles in the game. Keira Lydeard led Sharon with four goals and Bailey Garte had the other two.

Foxboro, 10 vs. Hingham, 18 – Final – Hingham outscored the Warriors 10-3 in the second half to pull out the win and hand Foxboro its first loss of the season. Paige Curran, who reached 100 career points last week, and Mya Waryas each scored four goals and each had an assist. Cate Noone and Val Beigel also found the back of the net for the Warriors. Lilli Jones made six saves in the loss.

Franklin, 20 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Franklin hit the 20-goal mark for the third straight game to open the season, this time rolling to a win over the Rocketeers on the road. The Panthers dominated on draw controls, winning 21-of-23 attempts, led by four from Katie Peterson, and three apiece from Peyton Crandall, Kate O’Rourke, and Kaitlyn Carney. Stella Regan paced the Franklin offense — which featured 10 goal scorers — with four goals and an assist. Brigid Earley made seven saves in net for the win.

Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 16 – Final – King Philip secured its third straight win to open the season and second shutout of the year, taking down visiting Taunton. Makenzie McDevitt led the charge with a hat trick while Julia Marsden (assist), Haley Izydorczak (assist), and Abby MacDonald each had a pair of goals. Sammy Cloutier had four draw controls and added a goal as well for KP.

Mansfield @ Oliver Ames, 3:45




Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – A doubles sweep plus two more wins from singles action gave Attleboro a win on the road over Milford. At first doubles, the team of Tyler Rocchio and Kyle Neuendorf continued their strong start to the season with a 6-1, 6-1 win and Malachi Jefferson and Connor Coleman teamed up for a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles. Ethan Johnson was victorious at first singles (6-1, 6-0) and Arvov Sodhani emerged with a 7-6, 6-1 win at third singles. For the Hawks, Tyler Andreotti earned a 6-1, 6-3 win at second singles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Max Kupferman and Suraj Ramanathan swept at first and second singles, respectively, and the Bulldogs defended home court against visiting Stoughton. Canton’s Kevin Moltenbrey and Charlie Doody won 6-3, 6-2 at first doubles and the team of Max LaRose and Davis Lamb grabbed a win at second doubles, taking a third-set tiebreaker. Stoughton’s Anish Sinha won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles.

Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro senior Bo Canfield bounced back from a loss in the second set to win the third, completing the Warriors’ singles sweep over North. Canfield took second singles 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, senior Garrett Spillane secured a 6-2, 7-5 win at first singles and freshman Raj Jette took a 7-6 (7-0), 6-2 decision at third singles. North’s Griffin Rodden and Arnav Raghuvanshi teamed up to take first doubles (6-2, 6-1), and the team of sophomore Caleb Cheney and Ashman Gupta prevailed 7-5, 6-4 at second doubles.

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin earned a clean sweep, taking all five matches in straight sets in a win over visiting Taunton. Seniors Vayshnav Malhotra (6-0, 6-1), Thomas Broyles (6-1, 6-1), and Drew Mahoney (6-0, 6-0) all had strong showings sweep singles action. Senior Tim O’Keefe and sophomore Jay Gorgas battled to a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles, and the Panthers’ second doubles team of senior Aidan Karlowicz and sophomore Ahan Shetty didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Sophomore Nikhil Nain and junior Jesse Colchamiro won a pair of tiebreakers to take second doubles in straight sets, completing Mansfield’s win over King Philip. Nain and Colchamiro prevailed 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4), and Mansfield’s first doubles team of junior Benson Delaney and senior Jonah Fine gabbed a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles. Neema Khosravani (6-0, 6-0), Kailash Elumelai (6-0, 6-1), Iniyan Karruppusami (6-3, 6-0) combined to lose just four total games in sweeping singles action.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final

Girls Tennis
Milford, 0 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Attleboro broke into the win column on the season, taking all five matches from visiting Milford. Senior Ella Lynch-Bartek grabbed a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, sophomore Maddie Fuscaldo won 6-1, 6-4 at second singles, and junior Zoe Stanley earned a 6-4, 6-2 decision at third singles. Attleboro’s first doubles team of Tina Lam and Saharla Yusuf only lost one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win while the sophomore duo of Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller battled to a 7-0 (9-7), 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Behind a pair of wins in singles action and another from doubles, Foxboro secured a key 3-2 win over division foe North Attleboro. Athena Li rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Hailey Kornbluth battled to a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second singles, and Foxboro’s first doubles tandem of Juliana Preston and Abby Costa grabbed a 6-3, 6-4 win.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – A pair of singles wins and a pair of doubles wins was enough to lead Franklin to a victory on the road. Freshman Izzy Trull earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles for the Panthers while senior Sarah Schiavo continued her strong start to the season with a 6-4, 6-2 third singles win. Senior Amulya Jayam and junior Shriya Rasish bagged a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles, and sophomore Chloe Essam and junior Allison Bagley emerged from double seconds action with a 6-3, 6-1 win.

Mansfield @ King Philip, 3:45

Sharon, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames got one win in singles and one in doubles to put the Eagles on upset alert, but Sharon took home a win to stay unbeaten in league action. Ale Aguilar won 6-4, 6-1 at second singles and Hannah Faberman added a 6-0, 6-1 third singles win for the Eagles, who also got a point from a second doubles win from Sash Fein and Sophia Oh (6-3, 6-3). OA freshman Hannah Farber secured a 3-6, 6-2, 10-5 win at first singles, and the Tigers’ first doubles tandem of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-4, 7-5 win.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Norwood, 4:00
Milford vs. Norton, 5:00
Taunton, 0 @ Brockton, 3 – Final

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Taunton returns a strong group of players looking to challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 5-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.

It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.

Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.

In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.

“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”

Canton

2021 Record: 8-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.

The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.

“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”







Foxboro

2021 Record: 5-10
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.

Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.

Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.

Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.

“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”

Franklin

2021 Record: 16-2
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.

Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.




King Philip

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.

King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.

Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.

“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”

Mansfield

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.

The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.

The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.

“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”

Milford

2021 Record: 5-9
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.

Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.

The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.

“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”




North Attleboro

2021 Record: 12-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.

Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.

One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 9-6
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.

A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.

“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”

Sharon

2021 Record: 3-12
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.

It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.

Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”

Stoughton

2021 Record: 4-10
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.

Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.

Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.

“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”

Taunton

2021 Record: 13-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.

The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.

Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.

“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/24/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to bring the go-ahead run to the plate but the Hornets got the final out to secure the 3-2 win. Mansfield took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the fifth and then tacked on what turned out to be the game-winning run in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of a pair of Bombardier errors. Jack Colby walked to open the seventh and advanced to third on a throwing error. Two batters later, an infield error allowed Colby to come home to make it 3-0. Colby was one of five Hornets with a hit; Luke Urban had a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored for Mansfield. Anthony Sacchetti earned the win on the mound with a complete game effort. Sacchetti limited the hosts to two runs on one talk and five hits while striking out 12. Ben Hochwarter smacked a two-run triple in the seventh for Attleboro.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Senior Dennis Colleran and the Rocketeers prevailed victorious in battle that featured two of the top pitchers in the area, earning a key division win on the road. Colleran tossed a complete game with just three hits along, striking out 13 to get the win. Canton junior Andrew Middleton also had a strong showing with just two earned runs allowed on two hits in 6.1 innings of work, also racking up 12 strikeouts. North struck first on an RBI single from Jared Penta in the third inning but the Bulldogs leveled the score in the bottom half on an RBI from Steven Burbank. North sophomore Aidan Conrad brought Tyler Bannon (walk, two stolen bases) in on a squeeze in the top of the sixth and Penta followed with a sacrifice fly to add an insurance run.

Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Foxboro senior Dylan Quinn had his best start of the season, tossing a complete game shutout on the road to lead the Warriors to an important division win. Quinn allowed just two hits and issued just two walks while striking out 11 Stoughton batters. Offensively, Foxboro plated a pair of runs in each the first and fourth, and a single run in the second inning. Tom Marcucella (RBI, run) and Sean O’Leary (two RBI) each had a pair of hits to pace the Foxboro offense and sophomore Ryan LeClair recorded two RBI in the win.

Franklin, 6 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – In one of their toughest tests to date, Franklin emerged with a 6-4 win on the road over division rival Taunton. Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone earned the win with three runs allowed on six hits and one walk, striking out three in four innings. Junior Ethan Voellmicke was strong in relief with one run allowed on three hits in three innings of work. Jack Marino had a double and drove in a pair of run for the Panthers, Ben Jarosz added a hit, a walk, a run, and an RBI, and Nate Cooke had three hits on the day, driving in one and scoring once. Ryan MacDougall and Danny MacDougall (RBI) each had two hits, including a double each, while Dawson Bryce plated a pair of runs on two hits.

King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Milford took care of business at home, securing an 8-3 win over visiting King Philip. Mario Lee earned the win on the mound, striking out five in five innings of work.

Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 11 – Final (5 Inn.) – Oliver Ames put together its most complete performance of the season, getting it done both offensively and on the mound in a win over Sharon. Nick Clark allowed one unearned run on two hits and one walk, striking out 10 to get the win in five innings. Jake Waxman went 3-for-3 on the day with six total bas, driving in three runs to pace the offense. Jadon Ricci added two hits and four RBI and Joe Cicchetti, who made some great plays defensively at first, added three hits, including a triple, and three RBI.










Softball
Attleboro, 19 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final (5 Inn.) – Attleboro put together an impressive offensive display to earn the division win. The Bombardiers belted out 24 hits, scoring in every inning to get the win on the road. Riley Camacho and Lindsey Perry highlighted the big offensive day with four hits apiece while Haley Perry, Lora Woyton, and Kayla Goldrick each recorded three hits. Lindsey Perry earned the win in the circle with four strikeouts. Mansfield recorded seven hits in the loss. Callie Lake, Jill Koppy, Molly Kucharski, Ashlyn Conley, Alanna Conley, Nicole Kobasa, and Abby DeCoste each had hits for the Hornets.

Stoughton, 7 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final – For Stoughton, Melody Casna and Kerry Driscoll each connected on a home run but Foxboro was able to defend its home field behind an offensive outburst. Casna went 3-for-4 overall, adding a pair of doubles to go with the home run. Driscoll smashed a two-run blast while Kate Bulger and Nicole Baker each had a pair of base hits for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 12 @ Franklin, 0 – Final (6 Inn.) – Holding a 6-0 lead on the road through the first innings, Taunton doubled its offensive output in the sixth inning to finish the game off. The Tigers had 12 hits as a team as senior Kelsey White went 4-for-4, hitting a pair of home runs to finish with three RBI and two runs scored. Hannah Aldrich (three RBI, three runs) also hit a home run for the Tigers, and McKenzie McAloon (run) and Skylar Rheaume add drove in a pair of runs. In the circle, freshman Sam Lincoln tossed a one-hitter, stirking out 10 with two walks for the win.

Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 18 – Final (5 Inn.) – King Philip pushed across six runs in the first inning and then blew the game wide open with 10 runs in the third inning to knock off visiting Milford. Junior Emma Sheehan tossed a five-inning no-hitter for the hosts, allowing just two walks while striking out nine In the circle Charlotte Raymond (four RBI, two runs), Meg Sherwood (home run, three RBI, two runs), and Mia Bennett (RBI, run) each collected three hits on the day. Maddie Paschke (two RBI, three runs), Paige Berdos (four RBI, two runs) and Libby Walsh (two RBI, three runs) each added two hits for KP, who totaled 18 hits as a team.

Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 12 – Final – North Attleboro bounced back from its second loss of the season with a big win against Canton. Zoey McDonough went the distance to get the win, allowing only three hits and striking out 11. Kelly Colleran went 4-for-4 and blasted a three-run homer. Shaelyn Burns added a three-run homer of her own, and went 3-for-3 with a walk. Belle Clarkin had a pair of hits and drove in two. Emily Nardelli had a hit and scored twice and Grace Simmons had a hit and an RBI and Mandi Hanewich made a great diving catch in center for the Rocketeers.

Sharon, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Katie Melendy had a day to remember, earning the win in the circle and helping her cause with a big day at the plate. Melendy struck out 10 in a complete game effort with no earned runs allowed on six hits. Offensively, she helped herself out by driving in three runs. Katherine Farley added two hits, two RBI, and two runs, Lexi Galsband added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Grace Simone chipped in with three hits and two runs and Kalei Clark crossed home three runs in the win. Trinity Payne and Ally Foulsham both recorded four strikeouts in the circle and Payne and Savannah Gray scored the runs for the Eagles.




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Milford, 5 @ Canton, 15 – Final

Foxboro, 6 vs. Cohasset, 7 – Final (OT)

Franklin, 19 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Franklin continued its unbeaten start to the season with a win on the road over Oliver Ames. Sophomore Luke Davis registered four goals and four assists to pace the Panthers, Matt Lazzaro added six assists, Jayden Consigli added three goals and one helper, and Justin Abely added three goals. Remi Creighton scored both goals for Oliver Ames.

Mansfield @ Stoughton, 3:45

Sharon, 9 @ King Philip, 8 – Final (OT) – Sharon’s Adam Rabb turned aside 19 shots, Ben Shocket won all but one faceoff and the Eagles picked up an overtime win on the road over King Philip. Brady Daylor had a team-high four goals, Drew Litner notched a hat trick, and Ryan Brown and Aaron Livshin each scored once.




Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 5:30

Milford, 9 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Milford trimmed the deficit to just two at 8-6 but the Bulldogs pulled away to get the win. For the Scarlet Hawks, sophomore Carly Haley scored a hat trick, juniors Aislinn Bennett and Stephanie Goulet each scored two goals, sophomore Emily Croteau found the back of the net once, and senior defender Katie Maietta scored her first career varsity goal.

Taunton, 6 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final – Foxboro jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the first half, scored 20 goals for the second game in a row, and extended its win streak to eight straight. Paige Curran led the way for the Warriors with five goals and three assists and fellow sophomore Mya Waryas chipped in with four goals. Lilly Vey had three goals and three assists. Mary Collins had two goals and three assists, Dylan Rappoli had two goals and two assists, Ella Waryas had two goals and an assist, and Kate Collins and Val Beigel each scored once. Maddie Maher made one save in the win.

Franklin, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – For OA, head coach Gen Rogan praised the play of both Reese Pereira (offensively) and Hailey Bourne (defensively).

Sharon, 6 @ King Philip, 15 – Final – KP rebounded from a two-game losing streak (both to Franklin) and got back in the win column against Sharon. Julia Marsden (five goals) and Haley Izydorczak (four goals, assist) each had five points in the win, Lily Brown added four goals, Morgan Cunningham added a pair of goals and assists, and Peyton Mellman scored once for KP. Jenna Goldstein continued her strong season for the Eagles with four goals and four draw controls. Cass Barbera scored once and Vivian Pedicone added her first varsity goal. Tess Letendre made 12 saves for the Eagles.




Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield won all five matches in straight sets to earn a sweep of visiting Attleboro. Kailash Elumelai secured a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Benson Delaney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Nikhil Nain emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles. The senior duo of Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle battled to a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while junior Jonah Fine and sophomore Jessie Colchimiro earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Canton, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Canton picked up its biggest win of the season with a 4-1 decision on the road. Suraj Ramanathan battled to a 6-3, 6-1 win at first double, Max Kupferman prevailed 6-3, 7-5 at second singles, and Minh Duong outlasted his opponent to earn a 6-3,3-6,6-4 win at third singles. North Attleboro’s Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan picked up a 6-2, 7-6 (7) decision at second doubles.

Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro’s depth was on display as the Warriors picked up wins at second and third singles plus a win at first doubles. Justine Neale earned a hard-fought win at second singles at 7-5, 6-2, junior Bo Cainfield picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles and the team of senior Jason Kandula and freshman Justin Kandula knocked off their opponents 6-4, 6-2 at first doubles. Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while the second duos team of Murtaza Khalil and Ben Dias secured a 6-0, 6-4 victory.

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – The Kelley-Rex leading Panthers took care of business in another division win, this time sweeping visiting Taunton. Liam Marr (first singles), Vayshnav Malhotra (second), Drew Mahoney (third) and the team of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas (second doubles) all won by the same 6-0, 6-0 score. Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final

Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip defended home court with a singles sweep, adding one more win in doubles action, to beat visiting Milford. In doubles play, junior Diego Meto and sophomore Nate Ihley battled to a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 win at first doubles for KP while Milford’s Connor MacLeod and Leo Donnelly won 2-6, 2-6 at second doubles. In singles action, senior Nick Putney didn’t drop a game at first singles, Brady Jannell picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and sophomore Jackson Hem was on the winning side of a 6-0, 6-3 decision.




Girls Tennis
Mansfield, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Mansfield earned a pair of wins in both singles and doubles action to claim a win on the road over the Bombardiers. Senior Alex Burnham battled to a 6-3, 6-4 win at first singles and junior Kate Martin claimed a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Hornets. The team of Sarah Harrington and Alexis O’Keefe prevailed in a three-set thriller 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 at first doubles while the team of Ally McDavitt and Caroline Gurauvage secured a 6-2, 7-7 (7-6) victory at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – By taking wins in two of the three singles matches and one of the two doubles matches, Canton successfully defended home court with a 3-2 decision over the Rocketeers. Rachel Kupferman rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Laura Correal earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles, and the team of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham walked away with a 6-1, 6-1 win at first doubles. North Attleboro’s Teresa Fan came away with a 7-6 (3), 10-6 win at second singles and the second doubles pairing of Lauren Constantino and Kyra Sha prevailed 6-4, 5-7 10-7.

Foxboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Foxboro leaned on its singles players to secure a 3-2 win on the road over Stoughton. Athena Li picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Pam Nelson was victorious 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and Sarah Prag picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Stoughton’s first doubles team of Brooke Bulger and Emily Pham-Nguyen emerged with a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 10-7 win at first doubles while the pairing of Nadia Prokopiuk and Emilia Lada earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton defended home court by winning all five matches against visiting Franklin. Jocelyn Pagliuca secured a 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles, Kayla Parrett added a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and Cayeesha Charles earned a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win at third singles. Brooke Bell and Sam Parrett teamed up for a 6-1, 7-5 win at first doubles while Morgan Smith and Courtney Martin prevailed 6-0, 6-2 at second singles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – The Eagles won all three of the singles matches and added another point from doubles play to get the win at home. Navya Shukla won 6-2, 6-3 at first singles, Allie Aguilar didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Hannah Faberman earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles. Sree Dandy and Sasha Fein teamed up for a 6-4, 6-1 win at second doubles for the Eagles. OA’s Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 7-5, 6-2 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to knock off Milford. Katarina Schneider (first singles), Mia Valencia (second singles), and the team of Amanda vanRoon and Dilara Onur (second doubles) all won by a 6-0, 6-0 score. Sammie Taylor locked up a 6-0, 6-4 win at third singles while Ahunna James teamed with Shea Mellman for a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles.




Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 0 – Final – Taunton took care of business on the road with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 15-7) sweep on the road over the Hilltoppers. Tyler Stewart (17 kills, eight digs) and Jakob Thorpe (12 kills, four digs) and Faisal Mass (six kills, three blocks) paced the offense for the visitors while Travis Nunes (nine digs, two aces) played well defensively.

Wrestling
King Philip @ Foxboro, 4:30

Franklin, 33 @ North Attleboro, 30 – Final – Franklin’s Matt Walker earned an 8-2 decision in the heavyweight bout to give the Panthers a win on the road over North in a battle of Hockomock wrestling elites. Jake Carlucci (132) and Nolan Sheridan (220) each had pinfall victories for the Panthers while Drew DiFilippo (120, 10-1 major decision), Alex Fracassa (160, tech fall), and Liam Cogavin (195, 6-4 decision) also won for Franklin. Andrew Faris (138, fall), Ethan Smith (145, 3-0), Chris Galligan (152, fall), Dylan Vigstol (170, fall), and Greg Berthiaume (182, 4-2) all won for North Attleboro.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Taunton senior Danny MacDougall, pictured here as a sophomore in 2019, is one of the few returners for the defending D1 State Champs. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2019 Record: 14-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Steve Dunlea

Two years ago, Attleboro made a run to the Div. 1 South final, only to run into league rival and eventual state champ Taunton. While the Bombardiers only return three players with varsity experience, Attleboro will be looking to replicate some of that momentum and challenge the top teams for the Kelley-Rex division title this spring.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Senior catcher Bailey Camacho caught half the innings during his sophomore season and will be the starter this spring, as well as an important presence in the lineup. Seniors Jake Gorman and Matt McMahon will both be part of the rotation and play corner infield spots when they’re not on the mound building off the experience they got two years ago. Senior Cam Foster adds speed at short and will be the closer, while juniors Billy Saltmarsh and Cian Kelleher, and sophomores Dillon James and Danny Johnson are part of what should be a deep staff for the Bombardiers. Speed should also be a strength for Attleboro, including outfielders Ben Hochwarter, Nate George, Hayden Hegarty, and Packer Sackett, and middle infielders Owen Taber and Evan Houle. Junior Christian Dame is a versatile player who can step in at multiple positions.

“We’re excited to get our players out there to see what we can accomplish,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Our guys have worked very hard during the off-season and have come a long way in the past few years. We are particularly proud of our senior leadership. It’s been a tough year and we are so grateful to the MIAA and ADs for making this season happen for our seniors.”

Canton

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Ben Shuffain

Canton had a great start to the 2019 season under then first-year head coach Ben Shuffain, including an impressive win over Wellesley. But almost all of the Bulldogs’ wins came in the first half of the season. Now Canton will look to start strong and continue that throughout the year as they look to challenge for the Davenport division title.

The Bulldogs are one of the teams that have a good number of players that played back in 2019 so there is a lot of optimism surrounding the experience on the roster this season. Canton has four starters back for this year’s campaign: shortstop/right-handed pitcher Steve Burbank, outfielder Cam Sanchez, catcher/outfielder Sawyer Julier-Albert, and right-handed pitcher Nate Hewit. Both Burbank (0.328) and Julier-Albert (0.395) were among the league leaders in batting average as sophomores so they will be key pieces for the offense this year. Shuffain will also look for contributions from outfielders Andy Butler and Zach Peters, infielder Nico Bonanno, and utility option Matt Quan — all four could also see time pitching.

Burbank will also see time on the mound and Hewit will be an important piece of the pitching staff this year. Junior Andrew Middleton, who tossed a perfect game in the season-opener, will obviously be a major part of the rotation as well, giving the Bulldogs solid depth. Behind the pitching staff, there will be a lot of players who have experience at the varsity level so Shuffain hopes mistakes will be at a minimum.

“We are lucky to have a good number of players who have varsity experience from 2018 and 2019,” Shuffain said. “They have been preparing for 18 months for this season and this group has tremendous leadership and a ton of talent. I am excited to see what they can do on the field.”

Foxboro

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Derek Suess

For the 2021 season, it all starts with pitching for the Foxboro Warriors. The 2019 squad graduated six players, and there were nine juniors on that team that missed out on their senior season a year ago. That means Foxboro has four players coming back for this spring, and almost all picked up a lot of valuable experience the last time out.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Cam Prescott and Sean Yoest will headline the Warriors’ rotation, bringing a lot of experience to the staff. Prescott logged over 26 innings as a sophomore, allowing just four walks with a 1.86 ERA. Yoest had a lot of success at the plate as a sophomore and will be looking to replicate that on the mound this year. Sophomore Sean O’Leary will likely be a key piece on the mound when fully healthy and the Warriors will look to seniors Dylan Quinn, Mike O’Toole, Ryan Jacobs, and Sebastian Ortiz, as well as juniors Liam Mulkern and Tom Marcucella to provide pitching depth.

Yoest will patrol the outfield when he’s not on the mound and will be a key piece offensively after hitting 0.346 as a sophomore with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI. Yoest will be joined in the outfield by junior Jack Watts, a three-sport athlete who has excelled in golf and hockey, and sophomore Kenny Mello. Marcucella will also see time in the outfield while senior Griffin Morse is a solid depth piece that can play all three spots in the outfield.

Prescott will see time at either third or shortstop when he’s not pitching. Beyond Prescott, the Warriors will have some inexperience around the infield with freshman Tyler Prescott (second base) and sophomore Ryan LeClair (shortstop) impressing early on. Mulkern and O’Toole will provide the infield with some senior leadership from first while Marcucella and Ortiz providing depth. Mulkern will also be an option behind the plate while junior Mike LaVita will step into the starting role at catcher.

“We are excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and compete every day,” head coach Derek Suess said. “Having our top two arms still here is comforting, but we will need contributions from many different guys. We have a good mix of seniors and underclassmen who have bought in to our vision for the season.”

Franklin

2019 Record: 22-3
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Zach Brown

While Franklin won’t be able to make it three straight appearances in the Super 8 with the tournament not happening this year (and possibly for a couple of years), there is something the Panthers can do: defend their Kelley-Rex division title.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Panthers were nearly perfect in league action during the 2019 season (15-1) and will be one of the favorites for the title again this year. But it will be almost an entirely new cast of players doing so. Franklin had 10 seniors on that team plus another seven juniors that graduated last year, meaning just a handful of players from the roster are back. Of that group, just one starter is back in senior Jake Fitzgibbons, who played second base at the time.

Now Fitzgibbons moves behind the plate and will be in charge of handling a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. Having him behind the plate should make it easier for the likes of junior Jacob Jette and sophomore Alfred Mucciarone, who figure to be two of the key components of Franklin’s rotation this season. And when needed, Fitzgibbons will switch out from behind the plate and take the mound himself.

Seniors Nate Cooke and CJ Jette serve as captains alongside Fitzgibbons and will provide leadership both on and off the field. Cooke is slated to start at first base and will bring a big bat to the lineup while Jette will see time both in the outfield and at designated hitter. Seniors Luc Boudreau (outfielder) and Nick Quinn (right-handed pitcher) have impressed early on as well.

“As always the cornerstone of our program is pitching and defense,” said head coach Zach Brown. “We believe we have the right mix of athletes and arms to compete daily this season. Offensively, we believe that our line-up can be pretty athletic. Obviously, we are all in the same boat missing last season so it will be an exciting season to get back out onto the field. I know the players and our coaching staff are really excited for the games to start up.”




King Philip

2019 Record: 8-12
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jeff Plympton

There will be a lot of new faces on the mound, in the field, in the batter’s box, and even on the bench for the King Philip Warriors this season. Looking back at the 2019 season, only one name is back in action for the Warriors this season. And on top of that, there’s a new coach in the dugout in Jeff Plympton.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Both Conor Cooke and Jack Silveria saw plenty of action during their sophomore seasons but Silveria will miss his senior campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That means that Plympton and the rest of the Warriors will lean heavily on Cooke, a three-year starter who will guide KP from behind the plate. Cooke, who is committed to play at Brown University, is a rock behind the plate and that will be important as KP deploys a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. That rotation will feature junior Nick Viscusi and sophomore Rudy Gately, with seniors Jack Mullen, Grayden Lawrence, Harry Brown, and Jake Burns all providing depth.

Cooke will be a key part of the offense as well, slated to hit from the clean up spot. Viscusi will set the tone from the leadoff spot and can cause some damage on the base paths with his speed. Junior Shawn Lagere will start at shortstop and bat third in the lineup, providing the Warriors with some power while Gately will see time at third when he isn’t on the mound. Seniors Ethan Hurwitz and Mikey Malatesta provide outfield depth and Plympton has 10 juniors on the roster to help fill out the lineup.

“Looking forward to getting the season going and watching the team play together,” Plympton said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had high school baseball and most of our guys, like many teams, are new to the varsity level. We have some good talent on our team. Plenty of good throwing arms to get us through the new pitching restrictions. The infield is solid with very dependable fielders around the diamond. The outfield is fast and does a great job tracking fly balls. I believe defense will be our best strength this season. The players have been putting in a lot of hard work during practices.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 18-7
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Chris Hall

Joe Breen had a very successful run at the helm of the Hornets, and his successor is one that the program is very familiar with. Chris Hall, who served as Breen’s assistant, takes over and is aiming to continue the success that Mansfield has had in recent seasons.

Coming off one of their best seasons in program history that culminated in a second straight Super 8 appearance, the Hornets will try to rebuild their lineup with a strong core of seniors. Eric Sullivan will move into the starting role behind the plate and will be a vocal leader both on and off the field for the Hornets. Three-sport athlete Jack Colby is slated to take over at first base, Luke Urban looks to take over at second base, Ben Mintz can slot into a variety of roles, including in the field or on the mound, and Greg Coyle, the lone returner from the 2019 team, will be an option on the mound for the Hornets. Juniors Jared Fraone and Liam Anastasia will help round out the lineup.

Coyle will be joined by juniors Aaron Blinn, Anthony Sacchetti, and Jimmy Gilleran on the Hornets’ staff. That group brings a lot of baseball experience and a range of knowledge, and Hall is hoping all of that will translate to the varsity level. Mintz, Colby Geddis, and Brayden Purtell will look to provide additional innings in relief.

“With two years off due to COVID-19, and few players having varsity experience, I expected tryouts to be exciting,” Hall said. “Our players knew they had to come in and earn everything to gain a spot in the starting lineup. There continues to be daily position battles daily and it pushes players to improve. The talent we have in the program is consistent from top to bottom. The team brings energy and enthusiasm to everything they do and it truly makes the atmosphere on the field second to none. We cannot wait to get out on the field and compete against some of the best competition in the Hockomock League.”

Milford

2019 Record: 11-11
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Alex Dion

Milford will be the new kids on the block this season in their first year apart of the Kelley-Rex division, which features two teams that went to the Super 8 last time out and another that won the D1 State title.

The Hawks are going to rely on their pitching as they compete for the division title. Senior right-hander Mario Lee and classmate Wes Solomon, another righty, both picked up valuable experience as sophomores during the 2019 season and will anchor the Milford pitching rotation. Lee, who is committed to playing both football and baseball at Wesleyan, pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen in 2019 while Solomon appeared in five games with a 2.33 ERA.

Sophomore Evan Cornelius is a “big, physical kid” according to head coach Alex Dion, and he will round out the Hawks’ rotation this season. When he isn’t on the mound, Cornelius will be behind the plate and the same goes for Solomon, who could also see him in the middle infield. Lee will also be in the lineup when he’s not on the mound, playing at either first or third. Senior Carter Scudo burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting 0.352, and will be the catalyst to the offense this year, batting in the leadoff spot. He will anchor the outfield defense from center field.

“I’m excited to start our 2021 season,” Dion said. “It has been great to get back out on Fino Field for the first time since 2019. I have a good group of young men this year with players from all four classes making the varsity roster. This is a great league with quality teams, players, and coaches throughout. We will go out and compete to the best of our ability on a daily basis. I am optimistic about what this group has to offer this year and in the future.”

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 11-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Mike Hart

North Attleboro head coach Mike Hart has the best arm in the Hockomock League in senior Dennis Colleran and the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Jared Penta as the catalyst for the offense so the Rocketeers will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport title this season.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Colleran, who is committed to pitch at Northeastern, has been a member of the Rocketeers since his freshman year, making his first appearance in North’s D2 South Semifinal win over Dartmouth back in 2018. He logged 37.1 innings as a sophomore, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.63 ERA during the 2019 season. Since then, Colleran has honed his skills on the club scene and is poised to lead the Rocketeers this year. Senior Joe Hartnett and junior Danny Curran look to fill out the rotation while the Rocketeers have plenty of depth pieces including Tyler Bannon, Dan Pedro, Derek Maceda, and Aidan Weir.

Penta will hit from the leadoff spot and set the tone for the offense. Weir and classmate Justin Vecchiarelli will anchor the infield Maceda, a sophomore, could be poised for a breakout season at shortstop. Curran will also see time in the outfield when he isn’t pitching while senior Evan Vigorito, and juniors Brody Rosenberg, and Gavin Wells will be in the outfield mix. Bannon and Nik Kojoian will be options behind the dish for the Rocketeers.

“Just like other teams in the league, we are curious how our players will make the jump to varsity baseball,” Hart said. “We will do our best to be fundamentally sound and keep things simple. Our pitching staff has a handful of competitive guys who are looking for an opportunity to help the team. The boys are excited about the season and hope we can bring a consistent approach to all our opportunities this year.”




Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 12-13
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Joe Abarr

After reaching the D2 South Sectional Final in 2018, the Tigers fielded basically an entirely new squad during the 2019 campaign. Two years later, Oliver Ames looks to be in the same boat as there minimal varsity experience on the roaster.

Senior Nate Fulford is one of the few players that did see varsity action two years ago, emerging as a go-to option offensively as a pinch-hitter as a sophomore. Now Fulford will be a key piece in the lineup each game, manning third base and bringing a big bat to the heart of the lineup. Senior Jadon Ricci will take over at shortstop and is slated to hit near the top of the lineup.

Junior Jack Richardson was a part of the Tigers’ varsity squad as a freshman and is now in position to anchor the rotation. He’ll be in the lineup even when he’s not on the mound, patrolling the always tricky outfield at Frothingham Park for the Tigers. When it comes to new faces on the squad this year, junior Jake Waxman brings a big bat to the lineup and can bring some pop to the offense; he will start at first base defensively. Junior Joe Cicchetti has impressed early on in tryouts and the preseason both offensively and defensively, and he is slated to start in center for the Tigers.

“We should have a solid lineup,” said OA head coach Joe Abarr. “We have depth at most positions and decent options on the mound. With so little practice time prior to the first game, there are still a lot of questions to be answered, but we have a great group of guys that are really looking to compete this year.”

Sharon

2019 Record: 2-18
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Andrew Poliferno

The last time the Eagles hit the field, they had one of the youngest teams in the Hockomock League. Now that means there is a lot of returning players back in the dugout this year and Sharon should be one of the most experienced groups in terms of baseball played.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Sharon has a new head coach in alum Andrew Poliferno, who is no stranger to the program after coaching at each level over the past few seasons. Poliferno takes over for Kee Arguimbau, who had been with the program as a coach for nearly 20 years including the last four as head coach. Poliferno has 10 seniors at his disposal this year including two of the most experienced players in JD Rittenberg and Justin Brown, who both started as sophomores in 2019. Playing at second and short, respectively, the Eagles will have solid defense up the middle of the field. Sharon expects strong defense to come with the experience it has.

Junior Dylan Labbe pitched some innings as a freshman so the Eagles will lean on him as one of the anchors of the pitching staff. Senior Justin Nault and junior Ryan Baker will also see time on the mound while freshman Luke Meixel is slated to be a part of the starting rotation right away. Offensively, Rittenberg and Brown will lead the way once again. Baker and classmate Nate Yaffe should slot into the lineup in their first year on varsity, playing third and outfield, respectively. Poliferno is also looking for contributions from Damien Bonner and Daniel Zagoren offensively.

“After a missed season, it’s wonderful to see our players back out on the field,” Poliferno said. “Despite the year off, I was impressed with the growth and progress our players made since they last played high school baseball. It was clear to me we have a program of players who work hard during the off-season and I look forward to seeing their hard work translate to wins this season.”

Stoughton

2019 Record: 14-9
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Armour

Like most schools, Stoughton has a limited number of players with varsity experience on the roster this season. It will be baptism by fire for a lot of new faces as head coach Mike Armour will look to get the most out of his lineup to try and compete for the Davenport division title.

The players that do have any varsity experience will be key, especially early on in the season as the rest of the Black Knights get used to the varsity level. Senior Brady Conlin will anchor the Stoughton staff on the mound this year and also hit in the heart of the lineup. Conlin has experience both pitching and at the plate and could be one of the most dangerous all-around players in the league. Senior captain Kyle Doolin will anchor the infield and is an option to pitch as well. He is slated to hit near the top of the lineup and could also see time behind the plate defensively.

Jake Queeney, another senior captain, will patrol center field for the Black Knights and hit from the leadoff spot. Queeney’s speed has been on display on both the basketball court and football field, so his legs could cause some damage on the base paths. Senior captain Brandon Mantilla-Mercado will take care of the pitching staff this year as the starting catcher and will bring some power to the plate offensively. Junior infielder Anthony Tilton has impressed early and figures to be a top bat in the lineup, juniors Jonah Ly and James Price will both see innings in the infield and on the mound, and junior Brad Franey is slated to take over at second. Seniors Joe McNulty, Colby Andrews, Andrew Scardina, and junior Colin Alessi provide lineup depth. Freshmen Hunter Malkin and Ben Zola will likely make an immediate impact for Stoughton.

“The kids are excited to play baseball,” Armour said. “They have brought a positive attitude and willingness to work to practice, which is all I can ask for as a coach. We are excited to get a little bit better every day, and put ourselves in a position to win some ballgames this season.”

Taunton

2019 Record: 21-7
2019 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship
Coach: Blair Bourque

It seems like just yesterday the Tigers were celebrating their Division 1 State Championship at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. Yet at the same time, it somehow also feels like a lifetime ago.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Tigers are one of the teams that will “what if” when it comes to the 2019 season, as they were set to have eight starters back to try and defend their first-ever state championship. Now for the 2021 season, there is just one Tiger starter back from that regular season. That is senior pitcher/infielder Danny MacDougall, who will anchor the pitching staff and also return to his shortstop position. Ty Cali, who took over for MacDougall after an injury sidelined him for the postseason, is also back to give Taunton a solid 1-2 punch up the middle of the field. Cali can also slide over and play short when MacDougall, who is committed to playing at the University of Hartford next year, is on the mound.

Sophomore Ryan MacDougall is set to finally make his varsity debut this year. A verbal commit to the University of Dayton, Ryan MacDougall was on the playoff roster for the state championship team as an eighth-grader. Not only does he bring a big bat and power to the lineup, head coach Blair Bourque described his plate discipline as “well beyond his years.” If the Tigers want to compete at a high level, Bourque noted the importance of senior pitchers Conor Quinlan, Bretton Heggs, and Matthew Ferrara. In total, Taunton boasts a dozen seniors on the roster.

“My expectation for this season is for us to compete as a team and individually every day as best we can, but ultimately, I will be grateful I get to spend time on the field with my players,” Bourque said. “It is always about the relationships formed with your players throughout the course of a year, you don’t always appreciate how good you have it until it’s gone. Losing last season really made me appreciate my role as the head coach for the Taunton High baseball program.”

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview