Tag: Abbie McDonough

Tigers Can’t Cash In Against Feehan In South Semifinal

Taunton softball Kelsey White
Taunton sophomore Kelsey White delivers a pitch in the first inning against Bishop Feehan. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – Sophomore Kelsey White and the Taunton softball team didn’t give third-seeded Bishop Feehan many chances, but the Shamrocks took advantage of the little opportunities they had.

Meanwhile, the Tigers had a handful of opportunities, putting at least one runner in scoring position in five innings, and a runner on base in six of the seven innings, but an uncharacteristic performance from second-seeded Taunton put an end to its season.

Bishop Feehan scored single runs in the first, sixth, and seventh innings while Taunton was limited to just one run, leaving six runners on base in scoring position as the Shamrocks earned a 3-1 win a D1 South Semifinal contest.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We had many chances,” said Taunton head coach Dave Lewry. “It comes down to a game of execution. You have to execute at the plate, in the field, and on the bases, and we picked the wrong game not to execute. It wasn’t a good game for us all around. We didn’t execute. We took too many called strike threes. We played well all year, but the wrong game to play poorly.”

The Shamrocks got off to an ideal start with leadoff hitter Jessica Levesque clubbing a triple to right center field. White (7IP, 6H, 1BB, 3R, 1ER, 3K) induced a ground ball to shortstop and the runner originally held, but after a brief bobble a throwing error allowed Levesque to score and the Feehan runner to get to second.

After a walk, McKenzie McAloon started a double play to get two outs and White got a fly ball to center to strand a runner at third and minimize the damage to just one run.

Taunton had a bevy of chances to tie the game and even take a lead, but couldn’t find the timely hit necessary.

“We had timely hitting,” said Feehan coach Bill Milot. “We did not play a flawless game but fortunately [Taunton] wasn’t able to capitalize on our mistakes and we were able to capitalize on theirs.”

In the bottom of the first, sophomore Hanna Aldrich ripped a two-out double but Feehan pitcher Brooke Scorzinski (7IP, 4H, 4BB, 1ER, 9K) got a pop up in foul territory behind the plate for the third out.

Heads up base running allowed White to get to second on an error in the second with one out, and quickly moved to third on a ground out. But the Tigers couldn’t get the run in as Scorzinski got one of her nine strikeouts to end the frame.

Jaime Brown doubled with one out in the third inning, Alexa White walked, and both advanced on a passed ball to put runners in scoring position with one out. But again Scorzinski got a big strikeout (looking) for the second out. McAloon was hit by the pitch to load the bases but Taunton couldn’t manufacture anything as Scorzinski got a soft line drive back to the circle.

A walk and an error put Kelsey White and Paige Silvia on first and second with no outs but neither runner would advance any further as the Tigers failed on a sac bunt attempt and had three straight fly ball outs.

“I would definitely say it was uncharacteristic,” Lewry said. “Defensively we had a couple of silly little plays, not being aware of the base runners…not being able to get down bunts, that was critical. We tried three or four times and we didn’t get one down. We talked about executing bunts all year, we’ve practiced it all year, we just didn’t do it tonight.

Meanwhile, Kelsey White was cruising on the mound. She retired the side in order in each the second and fourth innings and didn’t let a one-out single past first in the second. A two-out single from Sierra Basara went nowhere in the fifth went nowhere when White got a big strikeout.

“Kelsey had to really battle tonight,” Lewry said. “Some of her pitches weren’t working the way they normally do so we had to go a different way and I thought she did a heck of a job. We could have been out of there allowing one run if we made a couple of plays, it came down to execution and we didn’t get it done.”

The Shamrocks added to their lead with a run in the top of the sixth inning as Caroline Deem blooped a one-out single and took second on a ground ball. Scorzinski sliced a single to right field that Abbie McDonough fielded, firing a throw home but it wasn’t handled at the plate and the runner from second came across.

Taunton finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth but again left runners in scoring position. Silvia had a one-out single and moved to second on a two-out walk from Rylie Murphy. Brown sliced an RBI double to left field to bring a one run in and make it 2-1. With runners on second and third, Scorzinski got the third out with a strikeout.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Feehan tacked on a big insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. Haley Coupal had a one-out single and moved to third on a soft grounder in front of the plate. With two outs, Levesque was able to reach when her grounder was bobbled at first, and Coupal ran all the way from second to home before the Tigers could fire a throw home.

The Tigers brought the heart of their lineup for the seventh inning but Scorzinski retired the side in order for the first time all game.

Taunton softball finishes the season at 22-3 while Bishop Feehan will play Bridgewater-Raynham in the D1 South Final on Sunday.

Taunton Bounces Back With Big Win Over King Philip

Taunton softball
Taunton’s Hanna Aldrich (11) slides in safely for a stolen base as King Philip’s Meghan Gorman awaits the throw. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – No team wants to lose a game, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any benefits from doing so.

Taunton softball dropped just its second game of the season on Friday night, falling behind North Attleboro early and seeing its rally come up short. With one game left to correct things before the state tournament, the Tigers bounced back in a good way.

The defending state champs belted out 12 hits, scoring three runs in each the fourth and fifth innings before exploding for five more in the sixth to earn a 12-0 win over potential playoff foe and league rival King Philip.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The win clinches the Kelley-Rex division title outright for the Tigers, their third ever Hockomock title and second division crown since 2016.

“I don’t take losses very lightly myself but you’d like to think some good can come out of a game like [last night],” said Taunton head coach Dave Lewry. “Cocky is too strong of a word but maybe we were a little overly confident. Hopefully, it let us know we are human, that you have to play the game. Hopefully, we can look back on it and that is the one that propelled us.

“We started the hitting last night and it seemed like it carried over to today. It took us a couple of innings to get going but we started putting the bat on the ball and started looking more like the Tigers that we think we are.”

The hosts took the lead in the bottom of the second inning with a solo run but the offense really got going over the final three innings. Taunton pushed across three runs in the fourth (all with two outs), three more in the fifth, and ended the game via mercy rule with a five-run sixth inning against the Warriors, the two-time defending division champs.

“It’s nice to get the Kelley-Rex, that’s not an easy championship to win,” Lewry said. “There are some really good teams in this league. Franklin had a heck of a year, KP came back and played well…everybody. It feels good to win it. I really didn’t want jackets with co-champs on it.”

Kelsey White got back on track after suffering a loss to the Rocketeers the night before. The sophomore tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits — a two-out grounder up the middle in the first, a bloop single that didn’t reach the outfield in the third, and a dribbler up the third base line in the fourth. She had one walk (in the first inning) and struck out five, retiring the final seven batters in order.

KP had one of its best changes in the opening inning as senior Meghan Gorman drew a two-out walk and Liliana Rolfe singled to put runners on first and second, but White got a chopper back to the circle for the third out.

The Warriors’ biggest threat came in the third when Destiny Goyco hit a bloop single to second. Courtesy runner Kara McWhinnie took second after a nice basket catch from Jaime Brown in foul territory on the third base side and advanced to third on a sac bunt. But White prevented what would have been the tying run from crossing by getting a strikeout for the third out.

“Kelsey pitched much better today, she definitely did,” Lewry said. “She didn’t have all of her good breaking balls but they were good enough and her changeup was excellent tonight, and she was spotting everything. She did a real nice job and she needed that too, she was a little bit shaken by her quick exit last night.”

Taunton took the lead in the bottom of the first inning behind a leadoff walk from Payton Ceglarski. Courtesy runner Kylie Thorpe moved to second on a sac bunt from Kelsey White and came around to score on a two-out bloop single from Alexa White to make it 1-0.

Kelsey White helped her own cause in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out double. Paige Silvia and Alexa White followed suit with back-to-back RBI doubles, and the latter scored on a single from Ava Venturelli up the middle to push the advantage to 4-0.

The Tigers stayed hot in the fifth inning, putting up three more runs. Abbie McDonough showed off her wheels with a leadoff triple and scored on a single from Hanna Aldrich. McKenzie McAloon clubbed an RBI double, Tayah DaCosta advanced the runner with a fly ball, and Kelsey White drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Venturelli got the big sixth inning started with a leadoff walk and pinch hitters Skylar Rheaume and Olyvia Mendonca both walked to load the bases. Aldrich hit a hard ground ball to third and beat the throw at first to bring courtesy runner Haylee Hartung in and keep the bases loaded.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Pinch hitter Kaysie DeMoura brought a run in by drawing a bases-loaded walk and Thorpe, in a pinch-hit situation, drove in two more runs with a hard hit ball through the right side. Kelsey White brought in the final run with a hard hit ball to left that was mishandled, allowing DeMoura to score.

“We swung the bat good, we made good contact,” Lewry said. “We have to hit…we have the pitching and defense but we have to hit to score runs, you’re not going to score many unless you do.”

Both Taunton (14-2 Hockomock, 20-2 overall) and King Philip (11-5, 12-8) will now await seeding for the MIAA D1 South Sectional tournament. The Tigers are likely to be a top four seed while the Warriors could potentially host a preliminary game.

Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/25/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Franklin, 6 vs. Lincoln-Sudbury, 4 – Final – Franklin beat Lincoln-Sudbury to claim the Pedroli tournament championship. The Panthers built a 4-0 lead, and once the Warriors threatened by scoring twice, added two runs of their own and then held off Lincoln-Subdury in the final innings for the win. Senior Jake Macchi had two hits and scored two runs to earn tournament MVP honors. Alex Haba also had two hits with an RBI and two runes scored. Scott Elliott (run), Jack Nally (run, RBI), Joe Lizotte (run), Shane O’Neil (run), Cooper Ross (RBI), and JB Floris (RBI) all contributed for Franklin. Brennan Rivera earned the win, allowing one earned run on four hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work while Liam Dailey fanned the final batter for the save.

Taunton, 8 @ New Bedford, 6 – Final – Taunton erased a five-run deficit, scoring eight straight runs between the fifth and sixth innings to earn a win on the road over the Whalers. The Tigers scored three in the fifth to get within two runs before using a five-run sixth inning to take the lead. Junior Colby Lariviere went 2-for-4 and drove in a team-high four runs, junior Nic Notarangelo added two hits, a run scored and three RBI, and junior Jared Roderick had two hits and scored a run. Junior Logan Lawrence was strong in relief with one unearned run allowed on two hits and one walk in two innings of work, striking out three.

Softball
Taunton, 13 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – In a game continued from earlier in the week, Taunton earned a season sweep of the Bombardiers. Sophomores Hanna Aldrich (walk, RBI, run), McKenzie McAloon (two doubles, three RBI, run) and Kelsey White (home run, double, RBI, run) each belted out three hits for the Tigers while Jaime Brown (three RBI, run), Paige Silvia (two runs), Ava Venturelli (two runs), and Abbie McDonough (three RBI, two runs) each had two hits. White earned her 14th win of the season, allowing two runs on four hits, one walk, one hit batter, and eight strikeouts in six innings of work.

Attleboro, 6 @ Marblehead, 1 – Final – After finishing a game with Taunton in the morning, the Bombardiers hit the road and picked up a win over Marblehead to qualify for the state tournament. Trailing by a run, McKenzie Bergdoll smashed a two-run home run over the fence in center field to put the visitors up for good in the fourth inning. Meghan Gordon and Lindsey Perry each had RBI singles in the fifth to score Kayla Battisti and Hailey Perry to make it 4-1. Attleboro tacked on two big insurance runs in the seventh when Bergdoll and Lora Woyton (double) each drove in a run. Emily Gittle earned the win in the circle, allowing one unearned run on two hits with eight strikeouts, retiring the last 13 betters in a row.

Boys Lacrosse
Franklin, 15 @ Cohasset, 7 – Final – Franklin had one of its best performances of the season, going on the road and beating a good Cohasset team in impressive fashion. The Panthers raced out to a 9-3 lead at halftime and had a 15-4 lead in the fourth quarter. Jacob Alexander won 20-of-25 faceoffs to give the Franklin offense a boost. Matt Lazzaro had four goals and four assists to lead the charge while Jake Davis added four goals and one assist, Ben Greco scored a hat trick and had two assists, and Nitin Chaudhury chipped in with two goals and one helper. Will Davis was solid in net with 12 saves.

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/21/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 8 @ Bishop Feehan, 9 – Final – Attleboro junior Camden Fitzpatrick had a day to remember at the plate but the Bombardiers fell just short on the road at Bishop Feehan. Fitzpatrick went 3-for-4, hitting a grand slam, a solo home run, and an RBI single for Attleboro.

Canton, 3 @ Milford, 7 – Final – Milford scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead and tacked on two runs in each the fifth and sixth innings to beat visiting Canton. Colby Pires was strong on the mound, tossing a complete game with three runs allowed and two strikeouts. Matt Shaver went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while Justin Applebee had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored for the Hawks.

King Philip, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Sharon, 6 @ Holliston, 12 – Final

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 8 – Final – Mansfield broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the third, exploding for six runs and then tacked on two more in the bottom of the fourth to earn a win over visiting Taunton. The Tigers plated two runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 6-2 before Mansfield answered with two runs of its own to make it 8-2. Kyle Moran (two RBI, run), Eric Longley (RBI, two runs), and Jake Gerraughty (run, RBI) each had two hits to pace the Hornets’ offense. John Carney earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks, striking out seven in five innings of work. Matt Scibilia allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk in two innings of relief. Taunton junior Nic Notarangelo went 2-for-3 with two runs scored while sophomore Danny MacDougall went 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Softball
Attleboro, 2 vs. Bishop Feehan, 6 – Final

Milford, 13 @ Canton, 12 – Final – Milford senior Lucy Creedon came through in the clutch with the bases, delivering a two-run single in the top of the seventh to give the Hawks a win on the road in a close, back-and-forth contest with Canton. The Bulldogs built an early 6-0 lead, and led 8-3 after three innings before Milford’s offense roared to life with an eight-run fifth inning to take an 11-8 lead. Canton responded with a four-run sixth inning to go ahead 12-11 before Creedon put the visitors in front for good in the seventh. Milford freshman Gianna Cacciola went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, hitting a home run that sparked the Hawks’ big fifth inning. Freshman Olivia Morelli went 4-for-4 with three runs and a two-run double for Milford. “Our girls never gave up, they never quit, ” said Milford head coach Steve DiVitto.

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Whitman-Hanson, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Colleen Larson had a game to remember, earning the win in the circle and hitting a home run to pace the Tigers to a win on the road. Larson struck out five in a complete game effort and smacked a three-run home run in the seventh inning to give OA the cushion it needed for the win. OA scored in the seven, third, and fifth innings to build a 4-2 lead. Grace Simone (two runs, RBI), Kayla Georgeu (run, RBI), Katie Abreu (two runs) and Abbi Holmes each had two hits for OA.

Taunton, 9 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3 – Final – Taunton scored three runs in the first, tacked on four more in the fifth, and plated two more insurance runs in the sixth to sweep the season series with Dighton-Rehoboth. Kelsey White improved to 12-1 on the season, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits, no walks, and nine strikeouts. White helped her own cause with outstanding defense and drove in three runs offensively. Abbie McDonough went 3-for-3 with an RBI and stolen base while McKenzie McAloon (RBI, SB), Alexa White (two runs), Payton Ceglarski, Jaime Brown, Ava Venturelli (RBI), and Tayah DaCosta (RBI) each had a hit for the Tigers.

Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – In a game continued from Monday, Stoughton scored two runs in the final innings to grab a win over visiting Sharon. The Eagles held a 2-1 lead on Monday before freshman Sydney Menz (3-for-3) singled, took third on a bunt single from Karly Estremera, and scored on an RBI from Jordan Lyons. On Tuesday, Menz was the catalyst for the Black Knights again, smacking a one-out triple to right and scoring on a bunt single from Estremera. Lyons grabbed her second RBI by knocking in Estremera with a single. Nicole Baker grabbed her 12th win of the season, stirking out seven with four hits allowed.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan, 5:15

Franklin, 15 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Franklin raced out to a 5-0 lead after a quarter but Canton chipped away to get within two (9-7) early in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers scored the final six goals to pull away and secure a perfect record in Hockomock League action. Jake Davis had three goals and three assists for Franklin while Owen Palmieri scored five goals, Ben Greco had a goal and four assists, and Jacob Alexander (who had a strong day at the faceoff X) added two goals. Griffin Roach (assist) and Andrew Canto each had three goals for Canton while Tommy Vaughan had one goal and two assists. LSM Nick Mackay had his best all-around game of the season and won some key faceoffs for the Bulldogs.

Milford, 3 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final




Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Bishop Feehan, 3:45

Foxboro, 18 @ Milford, 2 – Final

Sharon, 14 @ Mansfield, 19 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Boys Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton swept all three singles matches and grabbed another win in doubles to beat Milford. Freshman Suraj Ramanathan picked up a 6-0, 7-5 win at first singles, sophomore Minh Duong earned a 7-6 (7-0), 6-0 win at second singles, and sophomore Ethan Nguyen secured a 6-2, 7-5 win at third singles for the Bulldogs. The team of senior Tyler Duffy and junior Justin Luk emerged with a 7-5, 6-4 win at first doubles. Milford’s Ben Johnson and Dylan Wang earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubled.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro went on the road and swept all three singles matches and added a fourth win at second doubles to beat the Warriors. Jonah Manso (first singles) and Sam Gallagher (third singles), both sophomores, won 6-0, 6-0 while junior Alex Pfeffer secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles. The team of Saketh Uppuluri and Justin Strom picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles. Foxboro’s Brian Gardner and Justin Neale won 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles.

King Philip, 4 @ Xaverian, 1 – Final – King Philip went on the road and knocked off Xaverian in a non-league showdown. Marco DiStefano won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, Nick Putney won by the same score at second singles, and Jack Cannon completed the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-0 result at third singles. KP’s first doubles team of Nate Ihley and Zak Ryan earned a 6-0, 6-1 win.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Brockton, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames completed a season sweep of the Boxers with a 3-2 win on the road. The Tigers won all three singles matches to beat Brockton. Senior captain Henry Simone battled to a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) win at first singles, freshman Kylash Ganesh won 6-4, 6-4 at second singles, and junior Yusaf Hameed prevailed 6-4, 6-3 at third singles.

Sharon, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Sharon junior Alberto Olivei prevailed in a tiebreak to win the second set, his match, and the entire match on the road at Bishop Feehan. Olivei won 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) at second singles while freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of senior Max Brody and freshman Max Chen won 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles.

Taunton, 4 @ New Bedford, 1 – Final – For the third straight season, the Taunton boys tennis team is headed to the state tournament. The Tigers qualified by beating New Bedford, sweeping all three singles matches and getting one more win in doubles action. Brett Beaulieu (first singles), Dylan Kullas (third singles), and the team of Barrett Hodgson and Tyler Goddard (second doubles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Charlie Fiske picked up a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.

Girls Tennis
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Franklin swept doubles action and earned one more point with a victory in singles action to beat Attleboro. Krissy Stoyonova earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles, the team of Brynn Jacobs and Ashvika Boopathy won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at first doubles, and Vagmi Kantheti and Tessa Cacioppo teamed up for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles. Attleboro’s Ella Lynch-Bartek won 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at first singles and Bri Aronne picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at second singles.

Canton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – The Bulldogs won all five matches in straight sets to knock off Milford on the road. Rachel Kupferman (first singles) and Natalie Keppler (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Sarah Hernandez pulled out a 6-2, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of Nyah Claiborne and Rose Hazam earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles while Lily Hazam and Kiara Cerruti won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Brockton, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames won both doubles matches but suffered two three-set heartbreakers in singles action and another very tight two-set match at third singles. The team of Eva Belanger and Morgan Vasiliou won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles while Erika Mekler and Kathryn McCarthy secured a 6-3, 6-3 at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 vs. Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final – Sharon defended home court with a dominant win over Bishop Feehan, winning four of the five matches in straight sets. Nupur Shukla (first singles) and Valeria Barajas (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 and Charlie Martinez picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of Sophia Fein and Sachi Bhasin won 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles while Jessie Tarnoff and Lauren Glass earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 5 vs. New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton fended off visiting New Bedford, winning all five matches in straight sets. Jillian Pagliuca (first singles) and Jocelyn Pagliuca (third singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while McKenzie Lucie earned a 6-1, 6-4 decision at second singles. The team of Sam Martin and Brianna Fevrier picked up a 6-2, 7-5 win at first doubles with Ogechi Ariguzo and Kayla Parrett teaming up for a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Norwood, 0 – Final – After nearly two weeks since their last game, King Philip returned to action with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13) sweep over Norwood. Cam Corey dished out 30 assists and had six digs, Kyle Desrochers added 13 service points (one ace), and six digs, and Max Armour chipped in with eight service points and four aces. Eric Altobello paced the offense with 11 kills and two digs, Jimmy Peterson added seven kills and a block, and Mike O’Brien finished with five kills.

Milford, 3 vs. Bellingham, 0 – Final – Milford’s Matt Dague had a team-high five kills while Gabe Brandao added four and the Hawks earned a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-4, 25-10) over Bellingham. Nuno Mestre dished out 13 assists in the win.

Taunton Uses Small Ball To Get Past Panthers

Taunton softball Kelsey White
Taunton’s Kelsey White delivers a pitch in the fourth inning against Franklin. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – The Taunton softball team has been one of the most lethal and dangerous offenses in the state over the past couple of seasons, and with 165 runs scored this year, they are among the best again this year.

While the Tigers can certainly mash and string together hit after hit, one thing that Taunton is focusing on as the state tournament approaches is cashing in when the opportunity arises.

Taunton turned to small ball on Wednesday night at Jack Tripp Field, scoring the first three runs of the game via squeeze plays, earning a 5-0 win over Franklin in a battle of top teams in the Kelley-Rex.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The win avenges the Tigers’ lone loss, which was to the Panthers back in April, a loss that snapped the defending D1 State Champions’ 28-game win streak.

“It’s something that we’ve used in the past and it depends on the situation and the batters,” said Taunton coach Dave Lewry of the small ball approach. “We haven’t been great at bunting this year but we’ve hit so well its kind of been hidden. But tournament time, you have to be able to bunt.”

Taunton scored once in the third inning on a squeeze play and then used back-to-back bunts in the fourth inning to bring in two more runs. Sophomore Kelsey White, who threw a complete game shutout with four hits allowed and eight strikeouts, smashed a two-run home run in the fifth inning for insurance runs.

“Tonight and the other night game against Feehan, a night game between two good teams, a playoff-like atmosphere,” Lewry said. “That’s why we try to have these games towards the end of the year because it helps come tournament time.

“That was a huge win, I thought both teams played very, very well. We have a tough schedule coming up so It’s a lot nicer to have a two-game lead gap than it is to be in a tie, that’s for sure.”

With first place in the Kelley-Rex division up for grabs, both teams had a bit of a nervous start. Franklin’s Ally Shea smacked a single to lead off and Anna Balkus dropped a bunt down to put the first two Panthers on base with no outs. White answered with back-to-back strikeouts and induced a grounder back to the circle for the third out and no damage done.

“We missed our opportunities against an outstanding team, they are a great team without a doubt,” said Franklin coach Kate Fallon-Comeau. We missed our chances, we had a good chance in the first inning getting the first two on, and you can’t do that against a team like that.”

Jaime Brown singled to open for the Tigers and moved to second on a wild pitch but Franklin starter Jackie Cherry (6IP, 7H, 3BB, 5K, 5ER) fanned the next two batters and got a fly ball to center to escape the first.

After a scoreless second, Brown led off the bottom of the third with a walk. Alexa White dropped down a sac bunt and Brown used heads’ up base running to scamper all the way to third. With an emphasis on bringing in the first run, Lewry elected to have sophomore Hanna Aldrich — who leads the league in home runs — drop down a bunt for a squeeze play and Brown sprinted home to make it 1-0.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had Hanna bunt, certainly not this year, I can’t remember before that,” Lewry said. “But you have to get that first run. Hanna is a good bunter too. Payton Cegarlski bunted a few games ago for us. It doesn’t matter who’s at the plate, you have a runner at third with one out or no outs, you have to get in that run.”

Ceglarski drilled a deep single to lead of the fourth and pinch runner Kylie Thorpe moved up to second on a sac bunt from Kelsey White. A wild pitch third strike put runners on the corners and Lewry again called for the squeeze. Eighth-grader Ava Venturelli laid the bunt down and Thorpe was able to score when the ball was mishandled at home.

On the next pitch, Abbie McDonough dropped another bunt and Paige Silvia came sprinting home to make it 3-0. The Tigers loaded the bases but Cherry got a fly ball to center and Balkus gunned a runner at home for a double play to prevent any more runs.

White retired eight straight before Franklin’s Maggie Hobby singled through the left side with two outs in the fifth. After Shea was hit by a pitch, the Panthers had runners on first and second but white got a ground ball to Brown at third for the third out.

In the bottom of the fifth, Aldrich had a leadoff single before Cherry retired the next two batters. After bunting in her previous at-bat, Kelsey White got a hold of a pitch this time and sent it over the center field fence for a two-run home run.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

A two-base error was erased by Kelsey White on a fielder’s choice in the sixth, and then she retired the side in order in the seventh, getting the final two outs on strikes.

“Kelsey was amazing tonight, huh?” Lewry said. “She had everything going, the changeup was probably the best she’s had all year and she got a lot of kids with that nice change. She’s been struggling a little at the plate, I told her yesterday I was thinking about flexing for her and she told me she was ready. She got into that pitch though and hit it pretty darn good.”

Taunton softball (10-1 Hockomock, 14-1) takes sole possession of first place with a game in hand. The Tigers return to action on Saturday night against Attleboro at 7:00. Franklin (9-3, 10-4) returns home for a game against Oliver Ames on Friday afternoon.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/25/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Foxboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 8 – Final – Attleboro’s defense was strong and the offense pounded out 10 hits in a win over Foxboro. Max Amaral (4IP, 2H), Anthony Deyesso (2IP, 2H), and Jacob Gorman (1IP, 0H) combined for the shutout for Attleboro. And with a total of just two strikeouts, Foxboro put pressure on the Bombardiers defense, which did not commit an error, highlighted by nice catches from Alvaro Espinal and Sam Larkin in the outfield. The Bombardiers scored three runs in each the second and fourth innings to build separation. Tim Callahan, Espinal (two RBI), Ryan Morry (RBI), and Troy Van Vliet (RBI) each had two hits for Attleboro.

Canton, 1 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield scored a pair of runs in each the first and second innings while starting pitcher Kyle Moran was strong on the mound in the Hornets’ win over Canton. Moran allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks, striking out nine in six innings of work. Offensively, John Carney went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Dan Saraceno (run), Mike Hargadon (RBI), and Nick Dumouchel (run) each had a pair of hits for Mansfield. Chris Rota had two hits for the Bulldogs.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin scored once in each the first, third, and sixth innings and junior Liam Dailey tossed a complete game with just one unearned run allowed as the Panthers beat North Attleboro to claim “The Cup” – the first year the trophy has been awarded since 1909. Alex Haba was the catalyst for two of those runs, drawing a two-out walk in the first, stealing second, and taking the next two bases on wild pitches. In the sixth, Haba tripled to right center and scored on a base hit from Jake Macchi. In the third, Joe Lizotte singled, took second on a pickoff attempt and scored on an RBI single from junior Jack Nally. Dailey scattered six hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Jared Penta and Jake Carroll each had two hits for North. Sophomore Dennis Colleran allowed three hits, issues three walks, allowed two runs and struck out four in five innings of work.

Stoughton, 5 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Stoughton junior Jacob Kaplan and senior Zak Paquette came through with clutch hits in the top fo the sixth inning to lead the Black Knights to a win on the road. With the game tied 1-1 and the bases loaded, Kaplan had RBI single to put the Knights ahead 2-1. Paquette then delivered a two-out, two-run single to extend Stoughton’s advantage to 4-1. Stoughton added an insurance run in the seventh when junior George Currier had a two-out single to knock in Robbie Seaman (three hits, two runs), who singled and stole both second and third. Paquette earned the win on the mound, limiting KP to one unearned run on four hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Catcher Michael Nazzaro had another strong game behind the plate defensively, throwing out a pair of runners.

Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Chris Pearsons launched a two-run home run to center field at Frothingham Park to lift the Tigers to a win over the visiting Eagles. Pearsons (save), Tyler Avery, and Jack Richardson were solid in relief for Oliver Ames. Senior Sean O’Brien made a terrific catch on a ball in the gap in the seventh inning, turning it into a double play to help OA secure the win. Jake Erlich added a double for OA and threw a runner out attempting to steal early in the game. Sharon starter Noah Martinez allowed just five hits in six innings of work, striking out seven. Justin Brown had an RBI single to score Max LeBlanc (double) to put Sharon up 1-0 in the fourth.

Milford, 7 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton’s offense had its best performance of the season, scoring a season-high 13 runs in a win over Milford. Sophomore Danny MacDougall paced the Tigers with two hits, three RBI and three runs scored. Joseph Crawford added three hits and Lucas Martins had three hits, three RBI and two runs scored.

Softball
Attleboro, 10 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Brenna Morse launched a three-run home run, McKenzie Bergdoll had a two-run home run, and Makenzie Killough had a solo shot to lead Attleboro to a win on the road at Foxboro. Jenna Gittle earned the win in the circle for Attleboro.

Canton, 2 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Canton twice took a one-run lead but Mansfield answered each time, the second time pulling ahead for the win. The Bulldogs went up 1-0 in the fourth but Mansfield answered with a run in the fifth. After Canton went up 2-0 in the sixth, the Hornets rallied for five runs in the bottom half. Casey Moussette led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, Sarah Cahill reached on a fielders choice, Kara Benanillo singled to score a run, and Megan Letendre singled to load the bases. Mady Benanillo singled to score a run, Caty DeMassi knocked in a pair of runs with a single, and Ella Verheggen singled to bring a run home to make it 6-2. Sarah Cahill was strong in the circle for the Hornets, giving up five hits and striking out 13.

Franklin, 5 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Franklin notched seven of its eight total hits in the sixth inning, resulting in five runs and a win on the road at North Attleboro. Ally Shea led off with a single, Anna Balkus had a bunt single and both moved up a base on an infield error. Gabby Golace drove in a run with a ground out, Maddy White followed with an RBI single, and back-to-back base hits from Jackie Cherry and Sarah Jackson loaded the bases. Tara Hartnett had a two-run single to make it 4-1 and Kylie Bouzan added an RBI single to plate Jackson to make it 5-1. North Attleboro took the lead in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double from Katie Daby. Cherry earned the win in the circle, allowing just three hits, one walk and one hit batter with three strikeouts.

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames didn’t commit an error, playing excellent defense while senior Colleen Larson earned the win in the circle, allowing two runs on nine hits and one strikeout. The Tigers plated four runs in the top of the seventh inning with two-outs to pull away from the Eagles. Kayla Georgeu (double) and Abbi Holmes each knocked in a pair of runs in the seventh to create the separation. Sophomore Grace Simone had two hits and three runs and senior Katie Mills had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.

King Philip, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final (10 inn.) – King Philip didn’t get its first hit until the seventh inning but that turned into the tying run, and then used a home run in the top of the 10th to escape Stoughton with a win. Stoughton sophomore Nicole Baker kept the Warriors off balance until Meg Gorman led off the seventh with a single, coming home to score the tying run on Faith Turinese’s sacrifice fly. Liliana Rolfe led off the 10th with a home run for the winning run. Turinese allowed a first inning run to Stoughton when Karly Estremera led off with a single and scored on a sac fly from Lexi Baptista, but then prevented the Knights from scoring again over the next nine innings, despite nine total hits from Stoughton. Baker allowed a total of just four hits while striking out 12 and got strong defensive performances from Estremera at third and Baptista in center.

Taunton, 19 @ Milford, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton senior Alexa White scattered four hits and struck out 14, tossing a complete game shutout to lift Taunton to a win. Abbie McDonough (two RBI), McKenzie McAloon (RBI), Ava Venturelli (RBI), Skylar Rheaume (triple, two RBI), and Rylie Murphy each had two hits for the Tigers.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 12 @ Plymouth South, 5 – Final – Canton built a five-goal lead by halftime and held a 9-2 lead by the end of the third quarter on its way to a win over Plymouth South. Nick Mackay was strong defensively and sparked the Bulldogs at the faceoff X. Dylan Coyne had a terrific game in net with 26 saves, turning away a strong Plymouth South attack. Tommy Vaughan (four goals, two assists) and Griffin Coach (three goals, three assists) each had six points for the Bulldogs while Dan Cohen scored twice.

Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final – Foxboro extended its win streak to seven with a win over the visiting Black Knights. Freshman Tom Sharkey netted a pair of goals, Jack Avery and Matt Collins each scored once and had one assist, and Dylan Kerrigan scored once for the Warriors.

Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 5 @ Attleboro, 8 – Final – Trailing 3-2 at halftime, Attleboro rattled off five straight goals over the first 15 minutes of the second half to pull away with the win. Kyra Lyons paced the offense with four goals and Sydney DiLiddo scored once for the Bombardiers. Holly Kailher netted her first goal of the year while Campbell Compton and Hannah Webster each scored their first career goal for Attleboro.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro continued its unbeaten start to the season, earning a pair of wins in both singles and doubles action to beat Attleboro. Freshman Garrett Spillane won 6-3, 6-1 at first singles and junior Sean McAvoy didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of junior Noah Hicks and senior Brian Gardner notched a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles and the team of sophomore Justin Neale and freshman Max Kornbluth secured a 6-0, 6-3 win at second doubles. Attleboro’s Jared Cooper prevailed 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 at second singles.

Mansfield, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Mansfield went on the road and earned a sweep of the Bulldogs. Luke Nickerson (first singles, 6-2, 6-0), Luke Devine (second singles, 6-2, 4-6, 10-5) and Nilay Pangrekar (third singles, 6-1, 6-2) swept singles action for the Hornets. The team of Sethu Odayappan and Max Bank picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles while Sam Donellan paired with Dheeraj Valluru for a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – For the second straight match, Franklin’s Liam Marr pulled out a big win, this time over North Attleboro’s Jonah Manso, in a battle of top sophomores in the league. Marr won 6-2, 6-2 while Rohan Herur notched a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles. Franklin’s first doubles team of Saketh Saripalli and Vayshnav Malhotra recorded a 6-3, 6-1 win while Saket Gandham and Shoumik Sompally prevailed 6-3, 2-6, 10-6 at second doubles for the Panthers. North Attleboro sophomore Sam Gallagher won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon won all four matches in straight sets, earning a fifth point by default. Freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles, freshman Alex Chen recorded a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and senior Max Brody picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. Senior Alex Aspel and junior Jake Ross teamed up for a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles.

King Philip, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – The Warriors took all five matches in straight sets to record a win over Stoughton. Nick Putney picked up a 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles, Marco DiStefano didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jack Cannon lost just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. KP’s first doubles team of Nate Ihley and Zak Ryan won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles while Jake Mager and Tyler Dowd teamed up for a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.

Girls Tennis
Foxboro, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro dropped just one game in singles action and added a win in three sets at second doubles to beat Attleboro. Sophomore Pam Nelson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, sophomore Sarah Prag recorded a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and senior Julia Muise picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Maggie McAuliffe and Kethry Milne prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 at second doubles. Attleboro’s Lauren Anthony and Nicole Matheson battled to a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 win at first doubles.

Canton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Canton earned a clean sweep in singles action to pick up a win on the road at Mansfield. Rachel Kupferman (first singles) and Natalie Keppler (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Sarah Hernandez battled to a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles. Mansfield’s Hannah Podolske and Sam Sternburg recorded a 7-5 (7-6), 1-6, 10-6 win at first doubles while Alex Burnham and Lauren Hobaica picked up a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – North Attleboro went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to get the sweep. Tara Nair won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Mae McLaughlin recorded a 6-2, 6-4 win at second singles, and Olivia Wills picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. North Attleboro’s first doubles team of Sam Martino and Haley Strom won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles while Brototi Nandi and Jayli Carmichael won 6-3, 6-4 at second doubles.

Sharon, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – The Eagles won all three singles matches in straight sets and earned another victory in doubles play to beat Oliver Ames. Nupur Shukla won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Charlize Martinez secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Sophia Fein won 6-1, 6-2 at third singles. The team of Lauren Glass and Jessica Tarnoff won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles for the Eagles. Oliver Ames’ Erika Mekler and Kate McCormick picked up a 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 10-8 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final

Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – The Tigers defended home court, winning all five matches in straight sets to sweep the visiting Scarlet Hawks. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, McKenzie Lucie picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca won 6-2, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Sam Martin and Brianna Fevrier earned a 6-4, 6-1 decision at first doubles and Ogechi Ariguzo teamed up with Kayla Parrett to win 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/18/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
North Attleboro, 5 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final – Attleboro rallied with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to grab the lead and then held on for a non-league win over North. Alvaro Espinal started the rally when he was hit by a pitch and then came around to score on a Mason Houle double. Lorenzo Wilson plated Houle with a single, followed by a base hit from Robert Furtado. With two outs, Eoin Kelleher singled to bring in both runners and put Attleboro in front. Kelleher (seven strikeouts) also grabbed the win on the mound, retiring the final 10 batters he faced after giving up five runs, all in the fourth inning. North took advantage of a walk, two errors, and a catcher’s interference to put together thr fourth-inning rally, with Kyle Bolger providing the big hit on a bases-clearing double.

King Philip, 4 @ Canton, 3 – Final – King Philip earned its third win in the past four games, holding on for a one-run win on the road. The Bulldogs led 3-0 through four innings but the Warriors went ahead with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. David Morganelli went the distance on the hill, striking out three and allowing six hits, one walk, and just one earned run to pick up the win. Zach Zarba and Tim Crowley each had a pair of hits and each drove in a run for the Warriors, while Robbie Jarest had a hit and an RBI. Conor Cooke and Chris Sawyer each had two hits for KP. Canton’s Matt Pigeon went 3-for-3 and senior Paul Corcoran had an RBI for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 9 vs. Milton, 11 – Final – Foxboro jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, and then scored three runs in the sixth to tie the game but Milton prevailed in the championship game of the third annual Steven J. Sullivan tournament. Senior Brian Duncan had a team-high three hits and a run scored, Anthony Mollica (three walks, triple, two runs, two RBI), Kyle McGinnis (two walks, two RBI, run, triple) and Adam Lanctot (run, RBI) each had two hits for the Warrior.

Franklin, 5 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Mansfield, 6 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Mansfield held just a one-run lead through five innings of play before plating four in the sixth and one in the seventh to pull away from the Scarlet Hawks. Jake Gerraughty shined on the mound, allowing just one hit while talking two and striking out three in a complete game effort. Offensively, Dan Saraceno went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Sam Nugent (run), Gerraughty (run), and Mike Hargadon (run, RBI) each had two hits for Mansfield. Milford starter Colby Pires scattered five hits and three walks with just one earned run over five innings of work.

Sharon, 1 @ Weymouth, 5 – Final

Softball
Attleboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Bella Erti struck out eight and walked none to earn the non-league win against Attleboro. Emily Nardelli powered the North offense with three hits, including a double and a two-run homer. Abby Gallagher had a pair of hits, including a solo homer, and Ashley Cangiano and Belle Clarkin also added two hits for the Rocketeers, who used a six-run sixth inning to break the game wide open. Annabelle Hebard, Katy Daby, and Emma Bailey each drove in runs for North. Attleboro’s run came on a solo homer by Makenzie Killough. Jenna Gittle also went 2-for-3 for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 2 @ King Philip, 15 – Final (5 Inn.) – King Philip’s offense came alive, belting out 14 hits in a win over visiting Canton. Meg Gorman led the way, hitting two home runs and a total of three hits, knocking in four runs. Kara McWhinnie added a home run and a double, and Faith Turinese, Paige Berdos and Reagan Simeone each had a pair of hits for the Warriors. Turinese was strong in the circle, allowing only three hits striking out eight and no walks in five innings. Liz Bickett and Steph Trendell each had solo homers for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 16 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final (5 Inn.) – Foxboro scored five runs in the top of the first and never looked back, taking control of the game with an eight-run third. Nicole Theriault had a big day with three hits and three runs scored for the Warriors. Chelsea Gibbons and Camryn Willis also scored three times in the win, while Alexandra Willis had a pair of hits and a pair of runs. Morgan Sylvestre scored twice and Maria Dunn drove in a pair. Grace Simone (RBI), Kayla Georgeu, Abbi Holmes (run) and Kalei Clark (two runs) each had hits for OA. Clark scored 2 runs, Holmes scored a run. Emma Varella added two RBI for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 13 – Final (5 inn.) – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Franklin got off to a strong start, scoring five runs in the first inning and four more in the second to beat Stoughton. Junior Sarah Jackson launched a two-run home run to highlight the Panthers’ big first inning. Ally Shea went 4-for-4 (courtesy runner Molly Collins scored three runs), Gabby Colace had three hits and two RBI, and Maddy White added two hits and two RBI. Jackie Cherry allowed just one run on two hits, walking two and striking out three in four innings of work to get the win. Nikki Coppola had a solo home run in the second inning for the Black Knights.

Milford, 0 @ Mansfield, 18 – Final (5 Inn.) – Sarah Cahill allowed only one hit and struck out eight to earn the five-inning shutout for the Hornets. Mansfield jumped out to a 6-0 lead after one, tacked on a run in the second, four in the third, and then seven in the fourth, while pounding out 11 hits as a team. Megan Letendre and Ashlyn Conley each had a pair of hits and each drove in a pair of runs. Nine Mansfield batters had at least one hit in the game.

Sharon, 0 @ Taunton, 18 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton scored eight runs in the first inning and never looked back in a while over visiting Sharon. Sophomore Hanna Aldrich paced the offense with a pair of home runs and five RBI, sophomore McKenzie McAloon added a pair of hits and two runs scored, sophomore Tayah DaCosta had two hits, scored three runs, and two RBI, junior Abbie McDonough had a double and two RBI, and sophomore Skylar Rheaume added a hit and an RBI. Alexa White earned her second win of the year, allowing just one hit in three innings of work while striking out six. Freshman Olyvia Mendonca did not allow a hit in two scoreless innings of relief.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Bishop Feehan, 10:00

Foxboro, 7 vs. Marshfield, 5 – Final – After falling behind 4-1 at the end of the first quarter, Foxboro’s defense put a lock on the Ram attack. The Warriors shut Marshfield out in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 4-3 at halftime, and then allowed just one second half goal, scoring four of their own to get the victory in Chowda Cup action. The Warriors used a balanced attack with Pete Conley scoring twice and Charlie Baughan (assist), Aidan Stapleton (assist), Bobby Yerardi (assist), Shayne Kerrigan, and Nick Penders each scoring once. Foxboro coach Matt Noone said the Warrior defense played awesome in front of goalie Matt Tully (11 saves).

Franklin, 9 vs. St. John’s Prep, 10 – Final (2 OT) – Franklin had a lead and possession with under a minute to go but St. John’s Prep got the ball back after a save and scored with 16 seconds left and went on to win in double overtime. Owen Palmieri had three goals, Jake Davis added two goals and an assist, and Matt Lazzaro scored once and had two helpers. Will Davis made 17 saves in net for the Panthers while senior Jacob Alexander won 15-of-23 faceoffs.

King Philip, 9 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Colin DeVellis scored four goals and recorded two assists to lead the Warriors to a non-league road win. KP also got two goals and an assist apiece from Andrew Sajdak and Sam Mattson. Robbie Tartaglia scored the other goal, Chris Longobardi won 12-of-17 face-offs, and Andrew McKinney made 12 saves for the Warriors.

Mansfield, 11 vs. Hanover, 10 – Final

Milford vs. Blackstone Valley Tech, 6:00

Oliver Ames, 16 @ Bellingham, 2 – Final – OA had seven different scorers, led by Hunter Costello’s five goals, to stay unbeaten through six games this season. Cullen Gallagher had a strong game defensively in his LSM role and also popped up with a pair of goals on the other end. The Tigers defense was led by Shane Murphy, Matt Saba, and Tyler Campbell, who held Bellingham to just two scores.

Sharon, 10 vs. Nipmuc, 8 – Final

Stoughton, 2 @ Dedham, 12 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 vs. Bishop Feehan, 20 – Final

Canton, 13 vs. Quincy, 2 – Final

Foxboro, 9 @ Longmeadow, 16 – Final

Mansfield, 6 @ Hopkinton, 16 – Final – Mansfield fell behind early, trailing 9-1 at halftime, but battled back in a nearly even second half. Hornets coach Lauryn Wilkie said that the score didn’t reflect how well the Mansfield midfield and defense played against a good Hopkinton attack. Melissa Shanteler was highlighted for her marking of Hopkinton’s Lydia Rudden, holding the 200-goal scorer to just one for the game, and Wilkie said that Shealyn Sears also played well in the defense. Katie McCarthy made six saves for the Hornets who got three goals apiece from Katie Garvin and Lauren Whitman. Wilkie added, “The girls are really starting to hit their stride, we just need to find the net more.”

Sharon, 13 @ Oliver Ames, 9 – Final – It was a one-goal game at halftime, but the Eagles used a 7-4 second half to pull out the non-league road win and extend their win streak to five games. Emma Eberhardt scored six times for Sharon and also pulled down 15 draw controls. Mia Lappen scored three goals and Cass Barbera and Bridget McManus each tallied twice in the win. OA had five players score in the game, led by Olivia Piazza, who had four goals and three assists.

King Philip, 3 vs. Walpole, 15 – Final

Milford, 18 vs. Blackstone Valley Tech, 3 – Final – Milford took an early lead and never looked back, cruising to its third win of the season. Senior Sophia Bucal paced the offense with five goals while Emily Haley, Annie Flanagan, Riley Campbell and Elena Bon Tempo each scored three goals apiece. Senior Stella Amour scored her first career goal for the Hawks.

Boys Tennis
Milford, 1 vs. Hopedale, 4 – Final

Girls Tennis
Milford, 0 vs. Hopedale, 5 – Final

Outdoor Track
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 2:00

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Milford earned a 3-0 sweep over King Philip in the first ever meeting between the programs, winning 25-19, 25-17, 25-18. Milford senior Joao Boaventura was terrific all around, pounding down 18 kills, adding six aces, and finishing with 12 digs. Josh Orellana added 28 assists for the Scarlet Hawks. Jimmy Peterson and Max Armour had three kills apiece for King Philip while Kyle Desrochers finished with 10 digs.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/12/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
King Philip, 7 @ Bishop Feehan, 9 – Final – Tim Crowley and Zack Zarba each had a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Warriors but King Philip fell on the road to Feehan.

Mansfield, 3 vs. Braintree, 1 – Final – Mansfield senior Kyle Moran had a no-hitter through 6.2 innings, leading the Hornets to a win over visiting Braintree. Moran (five walks) struck out 10 in a complete game, not allowing the Wamps a hit until the seventh inning. Offensively, the Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh and then added two more in the third. Sam Nugent went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Eric Longley had a pair of RBI doubles, and John Carney added two hits and a run scored.

Milford, 10 @ Hopedale, 0 – Final – Milford’s offense came alive, plating 10 runs in a win over non-league rival Hopedale. Luke Rosa paced the offense with a pair of hits, including a home run, two RBI, two runs, and a walk. Dan Corsini (2-for-3) added an RBI and a run scored and Carter Scudo had a hit, a walk, two stolen bases, and two runs. Colby Pires got the win, tossing four scoreless innings allowing just one hit while striking out three. Sophomore Mario Lee pitched two scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts.

North Attleboro, 6 vs. Natick, 8 – Final – North Attleboro answered each time that Natick scored, but couldn’t keep pace as the RedHawks picked up a win on the road. Natick went ahead with a three-run home run in the top of the first but North got on the board in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from Jake Palmer. Natick extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth but North made it a one-run game by plating three in the bottom half. Ryan Warren (two hits) led off with a hit and scored on another RBI from Palmer, who scored on a fielders’ choice from Dennis Colleran (3 RBI). Kyle Briere scored on a single from Jake Carroll to make it a one-run game. Natick padded its lead with three runs in the top of the seventh. Colleran belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh.

Taunton, 6 vs. New Bedford, 5 – Final – Taunton turned patience at the plate into 10 walks and capitalized on three Whaler errors, eventually walking off with a win. With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, Sean Quinlan reached on an error. Pinch runner Nolan Melo advanced with a single and then came home to score the winning run on a wild pitch. Lucas Martins had two hits, a walk, and an RBI for the Tigers. Josh Lajoie scattered four hits, four walks, and four runs over five innings of work while striking out five. Sophomore Danny MacDougall got the win in relief, allowing just one run on two hits in two innings with three strikeouts.

Softball
Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Walpole, 10 – Final – Oliver Ames kept pace with the Rebels for five innings before the visitors pulled away with six runs over the final two innings. Sophomores Emma Varella (2-for-3, double) and Grace Simone each scored a run for the Tigers while Katie Abreu added a hit.

Stoughton, 13 vs. Milton, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Nicole Baker had another impressive start for the Black Knights, striking out 10 and allowing only three hits to earn the win. She also had a pair of hits at the plate. Karly Estremera led the Stoughton offense with four hits, while Lexi Baptista and Nikki Coppola both added two hits apiece.

Taunton, 15 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton clicked on all cylinders, belting out 17 hits while senior Alexa White got 13 of the 15 outs via strikeout. White allowed just one hit, walked two and didn’t allow a run to earn the shutout victory. Sophomore Kelsey White shined at the plate, hitting two home runs and knocking in four runs. Payton Ceglarski (double, home run, four RBI), Rylie Murphy (two doubles, RBI), Abbie McDonough (two RBI), Alexa White (double, RBI), Hanna Aldrich (two runs), and Jaime Brown each had two hits for Taunton.

Mansfield, 16 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield jumped out to a big lead, with 10 runs in the opening two innings, and never looked back to pick up the road win. The Hornets scored seven runs in the first on seven singles, added three runs in the second inning and then tacked on five more in the fifth. Mansfield finished with 16 hits as a team. Ella Verheggen went 3-for-4 with four RBI, while Kara Bendanillo, Mady Bendanillo, Mary Muldoon, Caty DeMassi, and Sarah Cahill each recorded two hits apiece. Cahill also earned the win in the circle, striking out six and facing just two batters over the minimum.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 9 @ Scituate, 7 – Final – Tied at four apiece at halftime, Canton outscored the Sailors 3-2 in the third to take a lead into the fourth, and the Bulldogs limited Scituate to just one goal in the final frame to get the win. Senior Griffin Roach led the way with three goals and three assists while Dylan Coyne had a strong game in net with seven games. Head coach Bill Bendell noted the strong defensive efforts of Brendan Albert, James Murphy, George Kent, Nick Mackay, Jack Albert, and Carson Campbell.

Mansfield, 8 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 15 – Final

North Attleboro, 9 @ Sharon, 3 – Final

Stoughton, 5 @ Quincy/North Quincy, 12 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 19 @ Hingham, 9 – Final

Sharon, 15 @ North Attleboro, 11 – Final – Emma Eberhardt had seven goals and an assist to lead the Eagles to a non-league win over North. Mia Lappen added three goals and a pair of assists and Cass Barbera and Jenna Goldstein each scored twice in the win. Maxine Gordon also got a goal for Sharon. Eagles coach Shara Ginthwain said, “I’m so impressed with how we played together today, everyone did their job on the field to earn this big win!”

Taunton, 13 @ Plymouth North, 11 – Final

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – King Philip won two matches in singles action and swept both doubles matches to earn a victory over Bishop Feehan. Sophomore Nick Putney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles while junior Jack Cannon secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Nate Ihley and Tyler Dowd picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Jake Mager and Max Goreham rallied for a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
King Philip, 4 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Millis, 0 – Final – King Philip won its fifth straight match with a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-17, 25-15) at home against Millis. Alex Bernhard had a strong day with 13 service points and one ace while Mike O’Brien paced the offense with 10 kills.

Taunton, 3 vs. Quincy, 2 – Final – A shorthanded Taunton team survived a five-set thriller against visiting Quincy. For the second straight match, the Tigers took a 2-0 lead but had to go to a fifth set. After falling to KP on Thursday, Taunton prevailed in five against the Presidents. Damir Santiago stepped up into the setter position and played well for the Tigers. Gage Kingman, Tyler Stewart, and Liam Bunker all played well at the net for Taunton.

White, Aldrich Power Taunton Past KP On The Road

Taunton softball Hanna Aldrich
Taunton sophomore Hanna Aldrich takes a swing against King Philip. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
PLAINVILLE, Mass. – Going on the road and picking up a win against King Philip at the Plainville Athletic League Complex is no easy feat.

In order to accomplish that, the Taunton softball team knew it had to play a complete game.

The Tigers did just that, playing well in all facets of the game to score a 7-0 victory over King Philip in an early-season showdown between two of the top teams in the Hockomock League.

PAL has been a house of horrors for visitors with the Warriors winning 22 contests at home over the past two seasons and a winning streak against league opponents dating back to 2016.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Fittingly, the Tigers were the last team to win a league game at PAL, back in 2016. Taunton was on the verge of a win last season before a seventh inning rally resulted in a walk-off win.

This time, Taunton jumped ahead early, building a 5-0 lead through three innings and that lead was more than enough for sophomore pitcher Kelsey White (CG, 2H, 4K).

“I thought we played a complete game,” said Taunton coach Dave Lewry. “Our pitching was outstanding, Kelsey was really on today. We played good, solid defense, and we hit the ball well, especially early. Hanna [Aldrich] got into a couple, and that’s what you have to do to beat this team. They are solid, they are going to be around come the end of the year.”

Sophomore Hanna Aldrich was the catalyst for the Tiger offense. In her first at-bat, she launched a two-out solo home run over the fence in left field to put the visitors up a run after an inning.

Eighth-grader Ava Venturelli led off the top of the second with a walk for the Tigers and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Alexa White. A double off the wall in right from Paige Silvia put runners on second and third.

Payton Ceglarski brought Venturelli home with a sacrifice fly into right field with Raegan Simeone making a terrific running catch and nearly getting the runner at home with a great throw. Silvia, who moved to third on the sacrifice, came home to score on a passed ball to make it 3-0.

After allowing a two-out single in the bottom of the first inning to KP’s Faith Turinese, Kelsey White retired the side in order in the second, getting a strikeout and two ground balls.

Taunton’s offense was back at it again in the top of the third. Kelsey White reached on a bunt with one out and Aldrich delivered again. This time, Aldrich smashed the second pitch she saw well over the wall in left for a two-run homer and a 5-0 lead on the scoreboard.

“I think it’s every team’s plan, you want to get an early lead and put the pressure on the other team.=,” Lewry said. “For Hanna get that home run in the first inning and give us the lead, and kind of take a little pressure off, that was huge. And then she added another in the third too.”

King Philip’s Grace Kelley reached on an error to start the bottom of the third but White got a pop up to center, erased the lead running with a grounder, and another out to left to prevent any damage.

The sophomore right-hander retired the side in order in the fourth, five, and sixth innings, getting five ground balls for outs.

“That’s the key, you have to play good defense,” Lewry said. “Kelsey was pitching to contact today. She threw a lot of good changes, she got some swings and misses but she got a lot of ground balls which is what we were trying to do in this situation.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Taunton added some insurance in the top of the sixth inning. Sophomore Tayah DeCosta drew a two-out walk, and courtesy runner Kylie Thorpe advanced to third on a single from Rylie Murphy (Abigail McDonough re-entered to run). Senior Jaime Brown knocked both runners in with a double to left field to increase the score to 7-0.

Taunton softball (2-0 Hockomock, 3-0 overall) is back in action on Friday when it visits Foxboro. King Philip (1-2, 1-2) returns to PAL on Tuesday to host Bishop Feehan.

2019 Hockomock League Softball Preview

2019 Hockomock League Softball Preview
Taunton won the D1 state title last spring and comes back as one of the favorites for a league title as another competitive Hockomock softball season kicks off. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Hockomock Softball Preview

Attleboro

2018 Record: 9-12
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Mark Homer

After back-to-back playoff appearances, the expectations are high around the Attleboro program this spring. The Bombardiers return eight of nine starters from last year’s team and the lineup should be loaded with good hitters, as well as multiple players who can step into the circle and produce a good start. With the depth on the roster this season, Attleboro will be eyeing another postseason berth.

Senior McKenzie Bergdoll is one of the top power hitters in the league and will be back for another spring in the heart of the Attleboro lineup. She will be joined by classmates Jordyn Lako and Kayla Battisti as starters. Junior Makenzie Killough will be back at shortstop and also batting cleanup and providing protection for Bergdoll in the order. Sophomore Lora Woyton returns behind the plate, sophomore Autumn O’Connell will be in center and batting second and junior Ashley Macia will be out in left. Sophomore Brenna Morse will be taking over in rightfield. In the circle, Attleboro has plenty of depth with juniors Emily and Jenna Gittle and Bergdoll all able to step in. The Bombardiers will try to take advantage of their overall team speed and head coach Mark Homer said there are a few freshmen who may see playing time right away.

“The bar was set high from last season,” said Homer. “So the girls are onboard to perform well again this season with high hopes of competing in every game they play. They have set some goals to achieve one a\t a time. I am cautiously optimistic with our chances of winning more games this season than we have in the past. Knowing that there are no easy games on our schedule so we have to come to play every night.”

Canton

2018 Record: 8-13
2018 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Dave Bohane

Canton had quite the turnaround in 2018 under second-year head coach Jennifer Robillard, winning eight games, seven more than in 2017, and making a return to the state tournament. Robillard, last season’s HockomockSports.com Coach of the Year, has moved on to a position at Bentley and football coach Dave Bohane has taken over a team that has seen an influx of young talent and has momentum on its side heading into the spring.

Junior pitcher Caroline Hughes is one of the reasons for optimism in the program, as she is looking to build off a strong sophomore season in which she pitched almost every inning. Hughes was also one of the team’s top hitters and she will be at the heart of the lineup along with sophomore outfielder Liz Bickett, who batted .409 last season. Bickett is just one of several sophomores who the Bulldogs will be counting on, including infielders Olivia Lanci and Sarah Kelly, catchers Steph Trendell and Amanda Vrabel. Junior catcher Jackie Howard and seniors Haley Donovan and Ally Chin will provide leadership for this young group to try and get the Bulldogs right back into the state tournament mix.

“I am very excited to be coaching this team,” said Bohane, who has previously served the program as an assistant coach. “They are extremely hard working and devoted to the program. I think they will set the standard for our future players who come through the program. It’s a very tough league, but we will take it one game at a time and try to improve each game”.

Foxboro

2018 Record: 11-12
2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Mark Maguire

Foxboro made a run in the Div. 2 tournament last season, winning a pair of games before being knocked out in the quarterfinals, and the Warriors will hope to build on that exciting finish to 2018 by making a run at the Davenport crown this spring. Even with the loss of catcher Hannah Davis, who was instrumental in the team’s playoff run, Foxboro has a strong returning core and some talented young players stepping in to give head coach Mark Maguire confidence ahead of the new season.

Senior Emma Rohan will be back in the circle for her fourth year as the Foxboro starter and she has the experience of pitching in a number of big games and against the top teams in the league. Senior Cam Willis will play first this season, but can also step in and pitch if needed along with junior Amelia Stowell. The pitchers will have a rookie to throw to, as freshman Allie Willis will be stepping in behind the plate. Sophomore Morgan Sylvestre returns at shortstop after a strong first season on varsity and will be one of the leaders of the infield. Senior Chelsea Gibbons is at third base and freshman Peyton Feldman takes over at second. Sophomore Nicole Theriault will be in centerfield but can play a number of positions, senior Riley Martignetti gives the team pop from the right side of the plate, and senior Jill Finn can play all three outfield positions.

“Preseason is going great as the girls are working very hard to be ready for the season,” said Maguire. “We have a group of girls who work hard. I think team defense should be good with our senior leadership, and the younger players who aggressively look to make plays in the field. I have high expectations for this team, as we look to compete for a Davenport title and gain a state tournament berth.”

Franklin

2018 Record: 9-11
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Kate Fallon

Franklin has consistently been right behind perennial league leaders Taunton and King Philip in the Kelley-Rex division standings but has narrowly missed out on the playoffs by a single win in each of the past two seasons. This year, the Panthers have eight seniors coming back with the goal of getting the team back into the postseason and use a typically tough schedule to prep for a tournament run.

Pitching will be a strength for the Panthers this year with seniors Jackie Cherry and Emily Valentino giving the team depth and different options in the circle. Throwing strikes will be the key for both and limiting opposition base runners. Behind the plate, Franklin has plenty of experience as well with seniors Ally Shea and Maggie Hobby both capable of stepping in and handling the pitchers as well as providing power at the plate. Senior Tara Hartnett will be back at shortstop and provides strong defense up the middle. Junior Anna Balkus will be in centerfield and will set the table for the offense as the lead-off hitter. Junior Maddy White will be at third base and joins Shea and senior Kylie-Jade Bouzan as the team’s primary run producers.

“We are excited to see the Panther players on the field again,” said Franklin coach Kate Fallon-Comeau. “Overall our tough league and non-league schedule will keep us focused for tournament and we will rely on our solid pitching and defense.”

King Philip

2018 Record: 21-4
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South Final
Coach: Norm Beauchemin

Every season King Philip loses important players and every season the Warriors seem to be right back in the mix for the league title. This spring should be no different. KP will have several important players to replace in the lineup, but it expects to challenge for a 12th title in the past 13 seasons and also make another tournament run, following last year’s South final loss to Kelley-Rex rival Taunton.

Meghan Gorman is the player to watch for the Warriors this season, as the senior shortstop is one of the top defensive players in the state and also the spark plug at the top of the lineup. Senior Faith Turinese will move from the outfield into the circle and will split time with classmate Heather Nix as the top pitchers for the Warriors. Turinese also batted over .400 last year and will be an important bat in the middle of the order. Junior Destiny Goyco will step in behind the plate, after overcoming an injury from basketball season, and fellow junior Liliana Rolfe will take over at third. Grace Kelley will be at second base and Anna Bradley will be at first. The outfield will be filled with speed, including Kara McWhinnie in left, sophomore Paige Berdos in center, and either Ryan Stagg or junior Reaegan Simeone in right.

“One to nine, everyone hits the ball,” said KP coach Norm Beauchemin. “I’m looking forward to another solid season. The league overall is going to be very competitive, so it should be fun.”

Mansfield

2018 Record: 7-13
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Lori Letendre

Mansfield is looking to bounce back from a tough 2018 season in which the Hornets struggled in the Hockomock (going 4-12 in league play) and missed the playoffs. This year, Mansfield hopes for a quick turnaround and return to the state tournament with an experienced roster that brings back 11 players, seven starters, and seven seniors from last season.

The battery of senior pitcher Sarah Cahill and senior catcher Caty DeMassi is back and should give the Hornets a good foundation on which to build on this season. Seniors Megan Letendre and Kara Bendanillo will hold down the left side of the infield and provide pop in the middle of the lineup, while Mady Bendanillo returns in centerfield to give Mansfield a dynamic defensive player and another strong bat. There is an influx of youth as well with two sophomores and a freshman jumping into varsity and having the chance to contribute right away.

“Our goal is to make it back to the tournament this year and with strong leadership from our captains and our seniors, I think we will have a good shot at it!” said Mansfield coach Lori Letendre.

Milford

2018 Record: 18-3
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Steve DiVitto

The biggest question for Milford is how do the Hawks move on from a group of 10 seniors that won a combined 79 games, four league titles, and the 2017 state championship? Milford has been the team to beat in the Davenport division for six years and a relatively inexperienced group will have to face a season in which the target for every team in the league is squarely on their backs.

Junior Megan Hart is one of the primary options to replace Kelley Reichert in the circle to start the season, with freshman Olivia Morelli showing potential to step in and contribute innings right away. Senior Lucy Creedon can step in at first or in the outfield. Junior April Swain will jump into the outfield along with classmate Taylor Waldrup, while junior Amanda Wenckus can play either position on the left side of the infield and sophomore Carly Ferreira can play either corner infield spot. Sophomore Elise Fauerbach can play behind the plate or in the outfield, while her classmate Natalie Casilli will take an outfield spot. There are a lot of spots to fill this year, but head coach Steve DiVitto is talking about that as an opportunity for a new group of players to step into.

“We understand that lack of experience is something that we will need to combat with, however the bar will continue to be set high!” DiVitto said. “Each year a new page is turned over, and as always the focus is: what’s your legacy going to be? Keeping our awesome team chemistry will be an important part of this season. We’re excited for the challenges of playing in the best league in the state!”

North Attleboro

2018 Record: 16-5
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Bill Wallace

Two seasons ago, North Attleboro was a young team that made a surprise trip to the South semifinal, but this year the Rocketeers will have much higher expectations. North is now the experienced team in the Davenport division and has aspirations of unseating Milford and winning a first league title since 1990 and adding to the league’s recent history of strong tournament performances with another deep run.

Junior pitcher Bella Erti will be one of the league’s top pitchers again this season, after a 15-5 sophomore season in which she struck out 137 batters. She also hit .357. Junior Ashley Cangiano is also back for her third year as a starter and is one of the top catchers in the league. Abby Gallagher returns to the North outfield after hitting .500 last season as a sophomore and senior Olivia Capobianco will be back in centerfield and the middle of the North lineup. Freshman Mandi Hanewich and sophomores Emma Bailey and Belle Clarkin will compete for the third outfield spot after impressive preseasons. Senior Katie Daby is at first, while sophomore Emily Nardelli moves from shortstop to second base. Junior Alex Moulson takes over at short and her classmate Annabelle Hebard will be at third. Emily Bedard and Makenzie Nardelli add to North’s infield depth and Alivia Byrne will give Erti a rest in the circle and is another big bat in the lineup.

“We will need to be more multi-dimensional, as late in the year we couldn’t sustain our offensive start to the season,” said North coach Bill Wallace. “This group really wants to make their mark on the league and they know how much work that is going to take.”

Oliver Ames

2018 Record: 3-17
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Lindsey Allison

Last season was a struggle for the Tigers, with only three wins and head coach Lindsey Allison is hoping that a group of younger players can add to the returning core and make a push to get Oliver Ames back into the state tournament. Allison is confident that the offense will get into the swing of things for the Tigers after scoring only 66 runs last season, second-lowest in the league.

Senior Kayla Georgeu will be back in the circle for OA and in the heart of the lineup. The Tigers will count on sophomore Emma Varella to provide some innings at pitcher, as well as playing in the infield. Senior first baseman Katie Mills is a big bat for the Tigers and junior Katie Abreu can step in at either shortstop or centerfield depending on the game to provide vocal leadership. Sophomore Grace Simone will be behind the plate this season.

“Every spot is open for the taking and there are many young players who are hungry to be on the field,” said Allison. “This group of players seem like a team – not just a group of individuals. They compete with one another for positions, but also support each other. They hold each other accountable and communicate. I am excited to see what hard work can accomplish this season.”

Sharon

2018 Record: 0-20
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Heather Poliferno

It was definitely a rough debut season for Sharon coach Heather Poliferno, but it was also a chance for a number of young players to get experience at the varsity level. This spring, there is renewed enthusiasm with a crop of underclassmen joining the experienced players to give Poliferno and the Eagles confidence for a much better spring.

Freshman Trinity Payne is the player to watch for the Eagles this season as she takes over as the starting pitcher and has already drawn the attention of coaches in the Davenport division. She will be used at a couple of different positions and gives the Eagles versatility in the lineup. Senior Alli Small will be back at shortstop this season, while classmate Jody Goldenberg is back at first, and senior Rebecca Clayman will be the leader of the outfield group. As the program is growing, Sharon is hoping for much different results this season.

“We are very excited for this season!” said Poliferno. “We have many returning players leading our varsity team, as well as the addition of a very talented freshman class. Though we have only had a handful of practices, one of our clear strengths is our desire to be the best on the field.”

Stoughton

2018 Record: 7-13
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Deb Parker

Stoughton struggled to find a groove in 2018 and ended up missing the playoffs under first-year head coach Deb Parker, who had made the switch from Sharon before last season. This year, the Black Knights bring back starters in key positions and once again have the potential to make a run at a state tournament berth and even challenge for the Davenport title.

Seniors Nikki Coppola (second base) and Jordan Lyons (shortstop) give Stoughton a strong combination up the middle and senior Karly Estremera brings plenty of experience at third base. Sophomore pitcher Nicole Baker will take over full-time in the circle this season and Parker is impressed by the work that she put in during the off-season to get ready. Baker will be throwing to an experienced catcher, as senior Brianna Ferrandiz is back behind the plate for the Black Knights. Junior Lexi Baptista will lead the outfield crew in center and could also be one of Stoughton’s top hitters this season. Freshmen Melody Casna and Sydney Menz will give the Black Knights versatility by playing multiple positions.

“This team has come together so quickly, it is a real tribute to the leadership of our captains,” said Parker. “This team knows what they are playing for this year and we have high expectations going into the season. Softball in the Hockomock League is incredibly competitive but if we continue to work hard, we should have a great season.”

Taunton

2018 Record: 26-2
2018 Finish: Won D1 State Championship
Coach: Dave Lewry

How do you follow up a state championship? For Taunton, it just may be to make a run at a repeat. The Tigers lost the second, third, and fourth hitters in the lineup (including league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Kya Enos), who combined for 88 RBI, but there is a ton of talent coming back from last season, all of whom contributed at one point or another during Taunton’s run to the title.

It starts in the circle where sophomore Kelsey White will be the starter again this season after going 16-2 as a freshman and pitching every inning during the playoff run (not to mention batting .418). Her sister Alexa will also see time at pitcher, along with freshman Olyvia Mendonca, but will also play most of the season in centerfield. The infield will be a strength for the Tigers, with all four players back. Senior Jaime Brown (batted .469) is back for her fifth year at third base and is one of the top hitters in the league, sophomore Hanna Aldrich (.385 average with four homers and 30 RBI) is in her third year at shortstop and was this site’s Underclassman of the Year in 2018, sophomore McKenzie McAloon returns at second base for her third season, and junior Paige Silvia is back at first. Silvia and junior Riley Murphy are also in the running to replace Enos behind the plate, while junior Abbie McDonough takes over in left and eighth-grader Ava Venturelli could start the season in right.

“While we lost three outstanding players to graduation, I am excited about the potential of this year’s team,” said Taunton coach Dave Lewry. “We have a good nucleus of returning players looking to defend our D1 state championship.”