King Philip Blanks Feehan To Earn Spot In D1 Final Four

King Philip softball Libby Walsh
King Philip senior Libby Walsh celebrates her two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Warriors the lead. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 PLAINVILLE, Mass. – Strong pitching, flawless defense, and timely hitting turned out to be the perfect recipe for success for the King Philip softball team on Sunday afternoon.

The second-seeded Warriors used all three in a Division 1 state quarterfinal showdown with #7 Bishop Feehan and it resulted in a 4-0 shutout win, completing a three-game season sweep of the Shamrocks and earning KP a berth in the state semifinals for the first time in 2016.

“We’re in the nitty-gritty right now,” said King Philip head coach Kate Fallon-Comeau. “This is the end [of the season], there’s only four teams left now. You need to put up that good defense and [have] timely hitting.

“They are always playing together and they are always supporting one another. It’s not always the same person that gets it done, it’s someone different each time.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Senior Libby Walsh clubbed two home runs – a two-run shot in the fourth and a solo blast in the sixth – and sophomore Liv Petrillo added a solo shot in the sixth to pace the offense.

Freshman McCoy Walsh tossed a complete game shutout, scattering just two hits – a two-out single in the first and a leadoff single in the fifth – and issued just two walks. She worked around four hit batters to toss a complete game shutout win.

And maybe the biggest play of the game came in the top of the fifth. With the Warriors hanging onto a 2-0 lead, Feehan senior Trinidy Tavares had a lead-off single, and junior Sarah Dupre drew a two-out walk; a passed ball sent pushed the runners forward, putting the tying run at second.

A hard-hit grounder from sophomore Maddie Coupal looked destined to get through on the right side of the infield but Petrillo made a terrific diving play to her left and fired a toss from her knees, getting the runner at first – on a nice grab from junior Taylor Regan – for the third out and preventing a pair of runs from crossing.

“We kind of live to make those big plays,” said Libby Walsh. “[Petrillo’s] a shortstop playing second base and we’re very lucky to have such a great infield. I knew she had that play, I was kind of running off the field already.”

McCoy Walsh had to work around an early threat in the first inning after two reached with two outs after a hit by pitch and a single, but Walsh got the second of her 10 strikeouts to end the first. Tavares was hit by a pitch in the second but Walsh got a strikeout and catcher Maddie Paschke quickly fired to second and caught the runner for the third out.

“The defense today…I’m just so proud of them,” Fallon-Comeau said. “That diving play that Liv makes, throws her out by a half step at first. I think the outfield made all of their catches. They were solid today and had McCoy’s back. [Bishop Feehan] fouled off a lot of pitches, they had some great at-bats but McCoy battled through every at-bat right up to the end.”

Meanwhile, Feehan starter Mylee Ramer had kept KPs bats quiet for the first three innings. She retired the side in order on strikes, set the Warriors down in order in the second, and got three straight outs in the third with the help of left fielder Breslin Findlen, who made a terrific catch at the fence in left to take away a hit from KP junior Jordan Bennett.

Freshman Ali Gill was KP’s first base runner of the game when she was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth. After falling behind 0-2, Libby Walsh smashed an off-speed pitch deep over the fence in left-center for a two-run home run, giving the Warriors a 2-0 edge.

KP had a chance to add some insurance in the fifth inning but left two on base. Paschke had a single to left and Regan followed with a single to center, but Ramer got a big strikeout and induced a pair of popups to escape further damage.

In the bottom of the sixth, Walsh got ahold of another one and sent a high fly ball over the fence in center field to extend the lead to 3-0. Ramer got two outs but Petrillo drilled the first pitch she saw to right center to make it 4-0.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“They’ve been up for every single game and all of them have been very competitive,” Fallon-Comeau said. “We couldn’t ask for better competition throughout the tournament, and it’s only going to get tougher from here.”

The Shamrocks put a runner on with two outs in the top of the seventh but McCoy Walsh put an end to the game with her 10th strikeout to secure the win.

The win sets up a Division 1 state semifinal matchup with Hockomock League rival Taunton. The Warriors and Tigers split the regular season, each team winning at home. The two state powerhouses will face off at 5:00 on Wednesday at UMass Dartmouth.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/07/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Division 1

#17 Walpole, 2 @ #1 Franklin, 5 – FinalA four-run fifth inning helped Franklin land a comeback win over an upset-minded Walpole team. The visitors built a two-run lead by scoring once in each the second and third innings, and kept Franklin in check for the first four innings. Eisig Chin reached on an error in the fourth inning to score Ryan Gerety (single), and Henry Digiorgio did the same to bring Jase Lyons (fielder’s choice) home to make it 2-2. An RBI single from Ben Jarosz brought Chin home for the go-ahead run and Luke Sidwell’s squeeze bunt plated Digiorgio to make it 4-2. Chin added a sac fly in the sixth to score Rex Cinelli (single) to add an insurance run for Franklin. Austin Campbell impressed in six innings of work, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out six for the win. Dillon Cashin needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in order in the seventh to get the save. #1 Franklin will host #9 Bridgewater-Raynham on Saturday at 6:00.

#11 Milford, 1 @ #6 St. John’s Shrewsbury, 2 – Final

Division 2
#19 North Attleboro, 3 @ #3 King Philip, 4 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

#15 Mansfield, 6 @ #2 Leominster, 2 – FinalMansfield jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never trailed to earn an upset of second-seed Leominster on the road. A leadoff double from senior Conner Zukowski followed by an RBI double from junior Jake Maydak set the tone for the Hornets, who jumped out to a lead just two at-bats into the game. Two batters later, junior Matt DeShiro smacked a two-run home run to right and just like that the Hornets had a 3-0 lead. Leominster got on the board with a solo home run in the second but a two-out RBI single from sophomore Luke Rogan brought Drew Urban home to restore the three-run lead. Senior Aiden Jones delivered a huge double in the sixth inning to plate a pair of runs (Wyatt Bolduc, Urban) to extend the lead to 6-1. Leominster got one back in the sixth and had two runners on in the seventh by Maydak finished the complete game by inducing an infield grounder. Maydak struck out three, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks for the win. #15 Mansfield will be on the road against #10 St. Mary’s on a date and time to be announced.








Softball
Division 1

#19 Franklin, 0 @ #3 Taunton, 3 – Final A three-run fourth inning proved to be plenty of offense for Taunton junior Sam Lincoln, who tossed a complete game shutout to lift the Tigers over league rival Franklin in a playoff showdown. Kaysie Demoura led off the fourth with a single and came home to score after a bunt from Hayley Krockta and an infield error. Brooke Aldrich, who was hit by a pitch, and Morgan Fitzgerald (fielder’s choice) also scored in the inning after a Franklin error. Bella Bourque and Ava Venturelli each had a pair of hits for the Tigers; Lincoln scattered three hits and didn’t issue a walk while striking out 12 batters for the win. Kiera Kotwicki, Katy Liberman, and Dana Stott each had a hit for Franklin. Kotwicki was strong in the circle, allowing two runs (one earned) one five hits and no walks; freshman Sophia Sacramone gave up just one unearned run on one hit and one walk, striking out one in three innings. #3 Taunton will host #11 Woburn on Friday night at 7:00.

#10 Attleboro, 4 @ #7 Bishop Feehan, 7 – Final

#15 Chelmsford, 0 @ #2 King Philip, 3 – FinalKing Philip freshman Ali Gill launched a two-run home run in the first inning and freshman pitcher McCoy Walsh had another stellar showing in the circle as the Warriors blanked Chelmsford. Walsh, who finished with a dozen strikeouts, retired three in a row in strikes after a leadoff walk in the first inning and in the bottom half, senior Sarah Cullen led off with a single and Gill followed with a bomb to right field for an early 2-0 lead. A two-out single from Charlotte Raymond kept the third inning going, Ava Kelley followed with a base hit, and Liv Petrillo drove one up the middle to bring Raymond home to make it 3-0. Chelmsford threatened in the fourth when the fitst three batters reached to load the base with no outs but Walsh induced a grounder to third and Kelley fired home for the force out. After a strikeout, Walsh got another infield grounder for the third out. #2 King Philip will host #7 Bishop Feehan on Friday night at 7:00.

Division 2
#12 Nashoba, 1 @ #5 North Attleboro, 4 – FinalBehind another stellar performance from Kelley Colleran, North advanced to the Div. 2 quarterfinal for the second consecutive year. Colleran struck out 18 and allowed four hits and one run. Just like in the first round, North got off to a quick start at the plate. In the first, Colleran and Maryellen Charette drew walks (Grace Forman running for the catcher). A passed ball moved them both into scoring position and Emma Hanwell doubled to make it 2-0. In the third, Molly Willey singled with two outs and Charette drew another free pass. Hanwell also walked and Lucy Palmer came up with a clutch single to score a pair.




Boys Lacrosse
Division 2

#9 Mansfield, 6 @ #8 Walpole, 14 – FinalIn a tough, physical game, the Hornets couldn’t overcome six penalties and fell to the Timberwolves. Freshman Andrew DeGirolamo had a big game offensively with three goals and two assists. Andrew Burnham and freshmen Tommy Vallett and Nico Smith all scored once, with Smith adding a pair of assists. Cody Gordon set up one of the goals. Ryan DeGirolamo finished with 16 saves in the loss.

Girls Lacrosse
Division 1

#10 Concord-Carlisle, 3 @ #7 Franklin, 7 – Final

Boys Tennis
Division 2

#22 Nauset, 0 @ #6 Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon took care of business, dispatching visiting Nauset with a clean sweep — all in straight sets. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky emerged from a hard-fought first singles match with a 7-5, 7-6 (5) win, junior Matthew Lally dominated on his way to a 6-1, 6-0 verdict, and junior Alex Budovalcev rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles. In doubles action, the sophomore tandem of Sava Kassev and Joel Zwicker only dropped a single game in a 6-0, 6-1 win while seniors Hyojae Park and Savir Basil were victorious at second doubles (6-2, 6-2). #6 Sharon will travel to the Winchester Tennis Club on Friday to take on #3 Concord-Carlisle at 4:00.

Girls Tennis
Division 2

#11 North Attleboro, 2 @ #6 Sharon, 3 – FinalIn a battle of Hockomock League division champions, it was the Davenport’s Sharon that edged out the Kelley-Rex’s North Attleboro to advance to the Division 2 Round of 8. The Rocketeer won at first and second singles with Lauren Hunt (6-2, 6-1) and Megan Atwood (5-7, 6-4, 17-15) taking wins, but the Eagles got one victory at third singles and swept doubles to win the match. Senior Ale Aguilar picked up a 6-4, 6-1 third singles victory, the team of seniors Abby Vilk and Sophia Oh landed a 6-2, 6-4 first doubles win, and the team of sophomores Jenny Sand and Olivia Landstein secured a 6-1, 6-1 verdict at second doubles.

Division 3
#15 Foxboro, 0 @ #2 Newburyport, 5 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Division 2

#13 Wayland, 0 @ #4 Milford, 3 – Final

Walsh and Defense Carry KP into Sweet Sixteen

King Philip Softball
Freshman McCoy Walsh is congratulated coming off the field. Walsh struck out 15 in her first playoff game, helping KP beat Needham to advance. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


PLAINVILLE, Mass. – King Philip was in a groove at the end of the regular season. Although the final game was an extra innings loss to Bridgewater-Raynham, the Warriors had won the previous 10, including a title-clinching victory over Taunton, with eight shutouts.

It is hard to carry momentum into the playoffs when you’ve been waiting 10 days between games.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

On Tuesday afternoon at the PAL Fields, KP showed more than a little rust at the plate, but got another stellar pitching performance from freshman McCoy Walsh, allowing two hits and one run while striking out 15, and a couple of solid plays in the field to put away No. 31 Needham and advance to the Div. 1 Sweet Sixteen.

“We do some live pitching obviously at practice for BP and stuff and we do soft toss but there is that game situation piece that you are kind of missing,” KP coach Kate Fallon-Comeau admitted. “We did do postseason scrimmages but you don’t know when you’re going to play and you don’t want to schedule too many and it turned out we sat for quite a while.”

While the KP bats may need a game to warm up, Walsh looked ready to go right from the start. She struck out 10 of the first 11 batters that she faced. Needham hit a fly ball to left to start the second and then got its first hit with two outs in the fourth on a single by Kelsey Pittman. Walsh got Maddie Baker to ground out to second to end the inning.

“It was a little frustrating not to be able to get those insurance runs and you’re used to having that little cushion, but I thought McCoy did great in the circle,” Fallon-Comeau said. “She really stepped up for us.”

The Warriors wasted no time getting in front but wasted a chance to break the game open. Sarah Cullen led off with a single to right and stole second. With one out, Cullen came in to score on a base hit to right by Libby Walsh. Charlotte Raymond followed with a single and the two advanced on a pitch in the dirt.

Ava Kelley reached on a fielder’s choice to the third baseman, who tried to draw Walsh off the bag before throwing across the diamond. Amanda Ferreira got a strikeout and a comebacker to get herself out of the jam.

In the second, Taylor Regan’s long fly to right center found the grass and ended up as a leadoff triple. Again, Ferreira was able to bear down with a runner in scoring position, getting a grounder to second and a hard hit liner right at the shortstop. Freshman Ali Gill came through with two outs, singling to left to make sure KP got the run home for a 2-0 lead.

KP continued to get base runners without looking particularly comfortable or dangerous at the plate. Kelley beat out an infield single in the third but was caught stealing. The following inning, Jordan Bennett was aggressive with two outs, turning a hit in shallow left into a double, but a grounder to second ended the inning.

Fallon-Comeau said, “We were just missing it, hitting it right at people. Kudos to the Needham pitcher, she pitched herself a great game today.”

With two outs in the fifth, KP put together a little two-out rally. Raymond dropped a single into right and then Kelley hustled to get an infield hit, but again Ferreira escaped as Liv Petrillo made solid contact but her deep fly to center stayed in the park.

The Warriors weren’t helping out Walsh offensively, but they were flashing the leather. Raymond made a nice running grab in left center to end the fifth, Walsh helped herself with a diving snag of a popped up bunt in front of home plate with a runner on in the sixth, and Gill tracked a long fly ball to just in front of the warning track to end that inning.

KP added an important insurance run in the sixth. Maddie Paschke ripped one past the shortstop for a leadoff hit. With Ava Lanza in as a courtesy runner for the catcher, she moved to second on a bouncer back to the mound. Bennett stung a liner right at the third baseman, whose attempt to double off Lanza ended up in right field.

With a runner at third, Cullen hit a roller up the first base line that wasn’t fielded cleanly and allowed the run to score.

As the rain rolled in and the temperature dropped, Gill made another great grab to start the seventh, snaring a sinking liner to right. The next batter, Baker, turned on a Walsh pitch and crushed it over the fence in left to cut the lead to two.

Fallon-Comeau explained, “I knew that kid could rake, and I thought whatever, 3-0 lead, seventh inning, throw to her because [McCoy’s] going to have to face good hitters like that a lot, and I think she kind of grooved one there for her and she put it well over the foul pole.”

There was no need to be too concerned about Walsh or the lead, as the rookie struck out the next two Needham hitters to close out the win and send KP to the next round.

“Hopefully we’ve dusted the cobwebs off a little bit and we’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” Fallon-Comeau said. “Not much time in between after sitting for so long, but it is what it is. It’s the playoffs, we’re just happy to be here and hopefully we can take care of business.”

King Philip (21-2) will have a quick turnaround, as the Warriors host No. 15 Chelmsford at the PAL Fields on Wednesday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/27/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 4 vs. Melrose, 2 – FinalAttleboro put the finish touches on the regular season with a 4-2 decision over visiting Melrose. Sean O’Hara tossed a complete game for the win, allowing only two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk, striking out four. Cooper Johnson had a big day offensively for the Bombardiers as he went 3-for-3 with an RBI double in the first and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth. Casey Victorio scored two runs for the hosts, Owen Lombardo had a hit and an RBI, and Peter DelPozzo scored one run and had two walks.

Franklin, 4 vs. Natick, 5 – FinalJase Lyons had another big day at the dish for Franklin but the Panthers suffered their second straight setback after allowing four unearned runs to Natick. Lyons went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Ryan Gerety (run), Ben Jarosz (RBI), and Rex Cinelli also had a hit apiece for Franklin. Alfred Mucciarone was not part of the decision after scattering five hits and four walks, allowing four runs (just one earned) while striking out 10 in 6 innings.

Softball
King Philip, 5 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 6 – Final (8 inn.)King Philip took the lead in extras on a solo home run from Sarah Cullen but the host Trojans rallied in the bottom half to walk off with win. KP built an early lead as Maddie Paschke drove in two in the top of the first and Ali Gill doubled in a run in the top of the second to make it 3-0. After B-R cut the deficit to one, Libby Walsh scampered home after a fielder’s choice to make it 4-2. B-R tied the game in the sixth and could have taken the lead but Charlotte Raymond saved multiple runs with a terrific sliding catch in left. The Warriors left nine runners on base in the loss.

Canton @ Cardinal Spellman, 10:00AM

Boys Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 8 @ Catholic Memorial, 10 – Final

King Philip Outlasts Taunton To Earn Share Of Division Title

King Philip softball Sarah Cullen
King Philip softball celebrate near home plate after Sarah Cullen’s game-winning hit in the 10th inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 WRENTHAM, Mass. – Entering Monday night’s marquee matchup between two of the best teams in all of Massachusetts, Taunton had already clinched at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title.

King Philip wanted its share of the throne, too.

KP senior Sarah Cullen smacked an opposite field line drive to left that found its way to the fence and junior Taylor Regan hustled all the way from first to cross home plate in the bottom of the 10th inning, handing the Warriors a 1-0 walk-off win over the Tigers and a share of the league crown.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Sometimes you just hit a ball, and you just know,” Cullen said. “It could have been anyone on this team though, everyone works so hard. I just happened to be the lucky one to get it done.

“We have all worked so hard for this but we really had to focus on keeping our nerves at a minimum. They are a great team as well. We knew we could do this but we had to carry a lot of energy and confidence into this one.”

The battle between two of the best squads in the state delivered as the game remained scoreless through seven innings, as well as the first two extra innings.

“You couldn’t ask for a better one, it was such a great game,” said King Philip head coach Kate Fallon-Comeau. “We really focus on one at-bat at a time but they were really excited coming off the field each inning, but they were able to really settle in and take it one at-bat at a time in that last inning.

“We knew if we won we’d get a share of the title but it wasn’t the first thing they were focused on. They come into every game and want to win, that’s the mentality they have every time out.”

KP freshman McCoy Walsh escape an early first inning jam and went on to toss one of the best games of her young career, allowing just two hits and three walks, striking out a career-high 17 in 10 scoreless innings of work.

Taunton junior Sam Lincoln was equally impressive, scattering five hits and no walks with 16 strikeouts and no earned runs allowed. Lincoln worked her way out of a couple of jams, including in the 8th inning when she stranded a runner at third after a two-out triple,

“We never want to lose a game but if there’s such thing as a good loss, this is it,” said Taunton head coach Michelle Raposo. “This is a good mental reset for us before the tournament. They wanted it a little more than we did tonight. We didn’t produce offensively through the lineup so we have some things we need to work on but it will prepare us for the postseason.”

The Tigers’ best chance was in the top of the first inning when Kyleah Plumb and Bella Bourque earned back-to-back walks to start the game and Kaysie DeMoura legged out an infield hit on a bunt to load the bases with no outs.

Regan came up with a massive diving catch at first on a bunt attempt for the first out, Walsh induced a grounder back to the circle and got the force out at home, and then picked up her first strikeout to escape unscathed.

“She started off the game with the bases loaded but she just battles, and she battled the entire way,” Fallon-Comeau said. “She has the whole team supporting her. Once she got that strikeout in the first to get out of that jam, I think she settled in and that really propelled her the rest of the game.”

KP’s first threat came in the third when Regan singled to center and took second on a sac bunt from Ava Lanza. Cullen’s first hit of the day put runners on the corners but Lincoln got back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame.

Freshman Ali Gill had a one-out single in the sixth and moved to second when senior Libby Walsh was hit by a pitch but once again Lincoln buckled down, getting a grounder to third for the force and another strikeout to finish the inning.

“We’ve been in that situation a couple of times but they buckle down and can get out of it,” Raposo said. “Whether it’s Sam’s pitching or the relying on our defense…they don’t get nervous and they are very confident defensively. We didn’t have Ava [Venturelli] tonight but our other kids should be able to produce and we just couldn’t string something together.”

“This was two good pitchers going at. Sam pitched a hell of a game and her defense was great. If there was any little error or a mistake, either team is capable to capitalize but there really wasn’t any of that.”

Both teams went quietly in the seventh, sending the game to extras. Taunton’s second hit came on a one-out single from Mia Torres but Walsh responded with consecutive strikeouts to squander the threat.

Gill nearly won the game in the bottom of the 9th when she drilled a shot to right but it hit high off the fence for a triple. Before KP could capitalize, Lincoln got a swinging strikeout to keep the game going.

DeMoura got a hold of one to start the 9th inning with a good hit to center but Cullen tracked back and made a leaping catch at the fence for the out, denying at least a double, potentially more.

“Sarah was like an overdue library book, she was due, she was ready,” Fallon-Comeau said. “She had that great catch in the top of the ninth and I felt really good about her next at-bat. She came back from the tough at-bat before and just ripped that one down the line.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

In the bottom of the 10th, Regan reached after an infield error. Cullen, who had struck out on a check swing in the 8th, laced the first pitch she saw to left for the winning hit.

“Something I really love about this team is that everyone picks each other up really quick,” Cullen said. “After that at-bat [in the 8th], they all picked me up and kept telling me I would get it the next time. When I went up there, I was just ready and had a good feeling about the first strike I saw.”

King Philip softball (15-1 Hockomock, 20-1 overall) finishes the regular season on Saturday with a date against Bridgewater-Raynham on Saturday at 1:00. Taunton (15-1, 18-1) hosts Bishop Feehan on Wednesday at 6:30.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/18/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 8 – FinalSophomore Ryan O’Leary went the distance, striking out 10 and scattering six hits, to pick up his first career win and keep the Warriors even with Mansfield in the win column atop the Davenport division. The game was scoreless to the bottom of the third when Foxboro exploded for seven runs. The Warriors tacked on one more in the sixth. Ryan Leclair sparked the offense with two hits, two runs scored, two RBI, and two stolen bases. Ben Angelini also drove in a pair of runs and scored once. Sean O’Leary had a double and scored and Mike Marcucella added a hit. For Canton, Matt Hart was 2-for-2, while Owen Lane, Matt Chafin, and Hayden Rose added hits.

Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final (10 Inn.)Ben Jarosz had a leadoff single in the top of the 10th inning and eventually came around to score as the Panthers fended off an upset bid from the host Bombardiers. Pinch runner Evan Cournoyer advanced to second after an infield error and went to third on a sacrifice from Ethan DePaolo. Cournoyer beat the throw home on a grounder from Rex Cinelli for the go-ahead run. Attleboro put the tying run on twice in the bottom half, but the first was picked off and the second was stranded at first. Jake Shaughnessy (2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K), Dillon Cashin (2.2 IP, W, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K), and Alfred Mucciarone (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB) all pitched well in relief for the Panthers. Sean O’Hara (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K) and Danny Johnson (5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) both pitched well for Attleboro. Luke Sidwell had two hits and Tyler Bellan had two RBI for Franklin while Ryan Landry went 3-for-5 and Cooper Johnson went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run for the Bombardiers.

King Philip, 3 @ North Attleboro, 1 – FinalSophomore Cameron Hasenfus tossed a gem for King Philip, hurling a one-hitter complete game to lift the Warriors over North Attleboro. Hasenfus allowed a leadoff walk and a one-out single both in the seventh inning while striking out five in the win. KP held a 1-0 lead through the first six innings after an RBI single from Brendan Sencaj in the third inning, but pushed across two key insurance runs in the seventh. Tommy Martorano (single) scored on a squeeze bunt from Hasenfus, and Rudy Gately (single) scored on a sac fly from Max Robison. Dillon Harding was also strong on the mound, allowing three runs on eight hits and no walks, striking out two in a complete game for the Rocketeers.

Mansfield, 16 @ Stoughton, 4 – FinalStoughton staked a 4-1 lead through five innings but Mansfield’s offense exploded for 15 runs in the final two innings to earn a big win. Jeriel Cuello drove in Sean Farley with a single and then scored on a passed ball, and pinch runner Joey McEachern (in for Hunter Malkin, who doubled) came home to score as well to hand Stoughton a 3-1 lead. The Black Knights extended the lead to 4-1 on an RBI from Dom Belle in the fifth inning. The Hornets offense was buzzing in the final two innings, scoring six in the sixth inning and nine more in the seventh. Drew Urban went 2-for-2 with a double, four RBI, and two runs scored, Anthony Saraiva also had two hits, including a double, an RBI, and two runs scored, Jake Maydak went 2-for-5 with four RBI and a run, and Sam Martin was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Malkin pitched well for Stoughton, allowing six runs (none earned) on five hits and two walks, striking out seven in 5.1 innings.

Milford, 2 @ Taunton, 9 – FinalMilford put host Taunton on upset alert when it took the lead in the top of the fourth but the Tigers scored eight unanswered runs in the next three innings to get the win. Back-to-back two-out RBIs from Sean McGee and Joe Butler gave Milford a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Taunton bounced back with two runs in the bottom half on a two-run single from Caden Lindskog and never looked back from there. Sean Murphy had an RBI triple, AJ Lewis followed with an RBI single, and Lindskog singled in another run as Taunton extended its lead to 6-2. Brayden Cali and Ryan MacDougall each tacked on an RBI in the sixth while Jared Spencer scored on a wild pitch. Jack Cali was strong in his return to the mound, allowing one run on three hits, one walk, and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings while Brady Morin (2.1 IP) earned the win in relief, striking out two with one run allowed on four hits and no walks. Charles Rabel and David DaSilva combined for a shutout inning in relief.

Sharon, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final (5 Inn.)Oliver Ames pushed across seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in its second straight big win. Jack Perron had a team-high three hits along with a pair of RBI and three runs scored while Ryan Lemay (RBI, run), Patrick Finnerty (RBI, run), Drew Hall (RBI, run), and Andrew Zagami (RBI, three runs) each had two hits for the Tigers. Finnerty earned the win on the mound, scattering four hits in four innings, walking a pair with two strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Ian Kelly tossed a scoreless inning in relief with three strikeouts and two walks. Palash Raina had a pair of hits (single, triple), an RBI, and a run for Sharon.








Softball
Attleboro, 13 @ Franklin, 8 – Final

Foxboro, 14 @ Canton, 2 – Final

North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 12 – Final (5 Inn.)

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – FinalMansfield scored a pair in the fourth and one more in the fifth while Dani Jameson was strong in the circle to score a win over Stoughton. Consecutive singles from Molly Kucharski, Jill Koppy, Avery Lake (RBI) and Jameson (RBI) resulted in a 2-0 lead for the Hornets, who added another run in the fifth after a fielder’s choice from Liv Madeira. Jameson allowed four hits and struck out seven in the win.

Taunton, 9 @ Milford, 2 – FinalMilford kept pace with the visiting Tigers through five innings, trailing just 4-2, but Taunton plated five runs in the final two innings to pull away for the win. Bella Bourque had another outstanding day at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a double and two triples, driving in three runs and scoring once. Kaysie DeMoura also had three hits, two RBI, and a run for the Tigers. Hayley Krockta launched a two-run homer in the seventh to help Taunton put the game away. Cae Pellegrini had a solo home run for Milford in the third to cut the deficit to 2-1 while Camille Bonina had a two-out single in the fifth to make it 4-2.

Oliver Ames, 10 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game.Oliver Ames clubbed out six doubles and scored nine runs in the first three innings to take a win over Sharon. Katie Melendy (two RBI) and Crystyliah Covel (RBI, three runs) each had two doubles while Devon Morris (3-for-5, three RBI, two runs) and Paige Taylor (RBI, run) each had one. Sophomore Emily Martin went 2-for-4 with two runs for the Tigers. Ally Foulsham had five strikeouts and Manasa Josyula struck out six for the Eagles. Natalie David, Kendra Kodira, and Manasa each had an RBI for Sharon.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Taunton, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 6 vs. Boston Latin, 8 – FinalBen Reardon scored four goals while Ryan Jaco and Alex McAndrew each found the back of the net once for the Tigers. Noah Isleib was strong in the cage, making 14 saves for OA.

Sharon, 7 @ Holliston, 6 – Final




Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 5 @ Attleboro, 17 – FinalEight different Bombardiers found the back of the net in a well-balanced attack and a win over visiting Taunton. Junior Molly Moore (three assists) and freshman Amelia Collins (one assist) led the charge with four goals apiece, senior Jordan Mooney, junior Addison Papagolos, and freshman Makenah Stokes each added a pair of goals, and sophomore Ryann Mooney, sophomore Isabella Cavallini, and freshman Abigail Titmas each chipped in with one. Cali Melo had four goals and one assist for Taunton while Raquel Azevedo added one goal. Mel Jesus made 19 saves in net for the Tigers.

Foxboro, 13 vs. Holliston, 7 – FinalFoxboro notched another impressive non-league win, this time rolling past visiting Holliston. Paige Curran picked up right where she left off from yesterday, potting four goals and three assists to lead the offensive charge while Val Beigel netted a hat trick. Cate Noone (two assists) and Mary Collins (two goals, one assist) both added a pair of goals, and Mya Waryas (three assists) and Grace Riley each chipped in with one goal apiece. Audrey Campbell turned away eight shots in net for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 14 @ Ursuline Academy, 17 – Final

Stoughton @ Hull – Postponed to TBD.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – FinalThe Bombardiers landed a sweep in singles action and added one more in doubles to take down host Franklin. Kyle Neuendorf prevailed from a tough battle at first singles with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win, Tyler Rocchio took a win in straight sets at second singles (6-3, 6-3), and Shashank Shridhar emerged from third singles with a 6-3, 7-6 (5) win. Attleboro’s first doubles team of Luke Hinton and Brody Rosen took a 6-3, 6-0 win. Franklin’s second doubles team of Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy picked up a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory.

Foxboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – FinalFoxboro’s first doubles team of Evan Paluzzi and Ryan Fossella emerged from a hard-fought match with a three-set victory to clinch the win for the Warriors. After splitting the first two sets, Paluzzi and Fossella clamped down a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win. Foxboro also got wins at second doubles and third singles (Luca Meyer, 6-1, 6-1). Canton’s Max Kupferman earned a 6-1, 6-3 win while Bharata Ramanathan came out on top in a well-played second singles match (7-5, 6-3).

North Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – FinalKing Philip’s second doubles team of Leo Manning and Logan Riley rallied from a one-set deficit to take a win, clinching a 3-2 victory for the Warriors. Manning and Riley overcame a loss in the first set for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win, Arjun Kollu added a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second singles, and freshman Luke Bailer landed a 6-4, 6-3 third singles win. North’s Brody Carter picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win at first singles while the team of Brody Gaulin and Carson Dameron prevailed from first doubles with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 victory.

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – FinalMansfield bounced back from a tough loss to Sharon by earning the season sweep of Stoughton. The Hornets swept the three singles matches, loing only two games in the process. Iniyan Karruppusami won his match at first singles 6-0, 6-0 and Nikhil Nain and Jesse Colchamiro each won 6-0, 6-1. The doubles team of Justin Lim and Liam Lasbury-Casey won their match 6-1, 6-2. Stoughton got its lone point in doubles, as the team of Hadid Khond and Anthony Maylock won 6-3, 6-4.

Taunton, 2 @ Milford, 3 – FinalBehind two singles wins and one more at doubles, Milford notched a 3-2 win over Taunton a match played in pro sets. Senior Tyler Andreotti (10-5) and sophomore Corey Rattray (10-4) had wins at first and third singles, respectively, for the Hawks while the team of sophomores Todd Ostertog and Luke Fabry (10-6) added a second doubles win. Taunton’s Martin Frankinet landed a 10-3 second singles win while Derek Desseault and Collin Lofgren rolled to a 10-0 win at first doubles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalSharon took all five matches in straight sets to fend off visiting Oliver Ames. Jacob Slavsky lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 first singles win, Matthew Lally added a 6-1, 6-3 second singles win, and Alex Budovalcev completed the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles. Sava Kassev and Joey Zwicker were victorious at first doubles (6-1, 6-1) while the Eagles’ second doubles team of Henry Chen and Andrew Xin landed a 6-3, 6-4 win.




Girls Tennis
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – The Panthers picked up wins at second singles, third singles, and first doubles to edge host Attleboro. Junior Chloe Essam had a strong showing at second singles (6-0, 6-2) while junior Brooke Taylor only dropped one game at third singles (6-1, 6-0). Sophomores Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen continued their impressive campaign at first doubles with a comeback win, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Attleboro junior Maddie Fuscaldo recorded a 6-4, 6-2 win at first singles and the second doubles tandem of Julia Leonardo and Bree Paulette notched a 6-4, 7-6 (9) victory.

Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – FinalFoxboro found wins at first and second singles as well as both doubles matches to take down visiting Canton. Hailey Kornbluth (6-3, 6-0) and Makayla Peck (6-1, 6-1) won at singles for the Warriors, Analisa Tia and Audrey Paulino (6-2, 6-0) notched a first doubles win, and Emily Stow and Katelynn Dineen (6-1, 6-4) prevailed at second doubles for Foxboro. Canton’s Katherine Powers rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 win at third singles.

King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalA singles sweep, highlighted by a comeback at second singles, lifted North Attleboro to a 3-2 win over visiting King Philip. Sophomore Megan Atwood bounced back from dropping the first set to secure a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win at second doubles in a three-hour long match to clinch the win. Junior Lauren Hunt (6-4, 6-1) and senior Grace Noreck (6-0, 6-1) won at first and third singles, respectively, for North. KP won both doubles matches with Priya Riar and Carlie Burns taking a 6-4, 6-3 decision at first doubles, and Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang securing a second doubles win.

Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – FinalMansfield earned its second win of the season and spit the series with Stoughton. Caroline Guravage got an important point for the Hornets at third singles, winning 6-2, 6-1. Mansfield sealed the win by sweeping doubles. Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey won 6-1, 6-3 and Rachel Goldman and Anushka Srivastava won 6-4, 6-0. Stoughton won at first and second singles. Ally Lada took her match 6-1, 6-1 and Nadia Prokopiuk won 6-3, 6-3.

Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – FinalTaunton earned a clean sweep, taking all five matches in pro sets due to time constraints. Brooke Bell (8-5), Ava Alves (8-3), and Morgan Smith (8-3) all won in singles action, while the team of Janelle Garcia and Courtney Martin (8-3), and the duo of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett (9-8 (8-6)) swept doubles play.

Sharon, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – FinalBehind a pair of wins from both singles and doubles action, Sharon returned from Easton with a 4-1 win over Oliver Ames. Navya Shukla (6-1, 6-1) and Ale Aguilar (6-1, 6-0) had impressive wins at second and third singles, respectively for the Eagles. The team of Jenny Sand and Olivia Landstein earned a straight set win (6-1, 6-2) at first doubles, while the team of Grace Zhang and Zeina Cheima prevailed in a super tiebreaker (4-6, 6-2, 10-8) at second doubles. OA’s Hannah Farber played well in a 7-5, 6-3 win at first singles.

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/09/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Softball
Canton, 8 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Taunton, 9 – Final

King Philip, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalKing Philip’s offense was kept in check but freshman McCoy Walsh tossed her first career no-hitter to held the Warriors edge out Attleboro. The Warriors pushed a pair of runs across the plate in the first inning and that was all Walsh needed, recording 12 strikeouts and five walks in a complete game shutout. Senior Sarah Cullen drew a leadoff walk, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball, and scampered home on a wild pitch to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. Freshman Ali Gill singled, stole both second and third, and came in to score on an RBI ground out by Charlotte Raymond to extend the lead to 2-0. Walsh worked around a one-out walk in the first, induced an inning ending double play in the second, retired the side in order in the third, stranded a runner at second after a walk in the fourth, escaped a two-walk fifth without any damage, and retired the side in order in the sixth. The Bombardiers threatened in the bottom of the seventh, getting two base runners on a pair of errors but got a grounder to short for the final out. Lily Routhier pitched well for Attleboro, scattering five hits and one walk, allowing two runs with four strikeouts in a complete game.

Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 21 @ Milddleboro, 11 – Final

Boys Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalFranklin took a pair of wins from both singles and doubles, all in straight sets, to secure a 4-1 win over visiting Milford. Junior Jay Gorgas took a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles and senior Tyler Fitzpatrick added a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles for the Panthers. The team of Eric Tomaino and Ahan Shetty added a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles for Franklin, and the Panthers’ second doubles team of Andrew Amante and Pritam Sompally finished victorious at 6-0, 6-4. Milford sophomore Corey Rattray dropped only one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles.

Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final

Taunton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery from this matchTaunton swept both doubles matches and added two more victories from singles action to return home from Easton with a 4-1 win over Oliver Ames. The junior tandem of Janelle Garcia and Courtney Martin emerged from a hard-fought battle at first doubles with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win while Taunton’s second doubles team of juniors Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parett earned a 6-0, 6-3 win. Junior Ava Alves added a 6-2, 7-5 win at second singles and junior Morgan Smith earned a 6-3, 6-2 verdict at third singles. OA sophomore Hannah Farber battled to a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles.

Franklin, 4 @ Milford, 1 – FinalFranklin swept singles action and added a straight-set victory at second doubles to pick up a win over Milford on the road. Izzy Trull (6-0, 6-3), Chloe Essam (3-6, 6-2, 6-1), and Brooke Taylor (6-2, 6-1) were all victorious in singles action for the Panthers, and the second doubles team of Shriya Rajesh and Tanvi Shah earned a 6-2, 6-1 win for Franklin. Milford’s first doubles tandem of Ava Merrill and Lily Bogonis emerged from a tight battle with a 7-5, 7-5 win.

Mansfield, 1 @ Canton, 4 – FinalCanton swept the doubles matches and won two of the three singles to earn it second straight victory. Camile Cutter (6-3, 6-2) and freshman Charlotte Powers (6-2, 6-2) won at first and third singles respectively. The doubles teams of Kelli Woodworth and Grace Powers (6-4, 6-2) and Panayiota Michaelidis and Liv McCloskey (6-4, 6-4) followed suit with straight set wins. At second singles, Mansfield’s Claire Copp prevailed in three sets against Olivia Durham to pick up the lone point for the Hornets. After Copp won the first set 7-5, Durham came back to win the second by the same score. Copp would win the third-set tiebreaker 10-6 to get the point.

Boys Outdoor Track
Taunton, 51 @ Attleboro, 85 – Final

Oliver Ames, 94 @ Canton, 42 – FinalFor Canton, Mo Arugollu was a double-winner in the long jump and the triple jump and added a second place finish in the 400M. Ruairi Ritson added a win in the discus (104′), freshman JJ Faulk nabbed second in both the 100M (11.2) and the long jump (18’4″), and Canton’s 4×400 relay team (Ritson, Arugollu, Dan Krasylnykov, and Dan Glemaud) ran a season-best time of 3:46 to win.

Foxboro @ Sharon, 5:30

North Attleboro @ Franklin, 3:45

Milford @ King Philip, 3:45

Stoughton, 49 @ Mansfield, 87 – FinalMansfield’s Nate Kablik and Myles Brown went first and second in a pair of events and the Hornets swept four other events to take down visiting Stoughton. Kablik won both the 100M (10.9) and the 200M (23.2) with Brown finishing second in both for key points. Evan Rawlings anchored a sweep in the 400M followed by teammates Jack Reed and Tino Marrese, John Sylvain won the 1 Mile in 4:56.8 with Sam Taylor and Sean Higgins rounding out the top three, Talon Johnson crossed first in the 800M (2:02) and Marco Geminiani and Troy Penney took second and third, respectively, and Colby Quersher’s time of 11:01 was good for first in the 2 Mile; Shaddy Makram and Ben Cain completed the sweep for the Hornets. Ayden Agbasi added a win in the discus (107’8.5″) and the Hornets took first in both the 4×100 (Jack Reed, Matt Breitenstein, Sirius Li, Nolan Clarke – 44.9) and the 4×400 relay (Kyle Dickinson, Tommy Giudicianni, Geminiani, Johnson – 3:38.5).

Girls Outdoor Track
Taunton, 70 @ Attleboro, 66 – Final

Oliver Ames, 70 @ Canton, 66 – FinalCanton’s 4×400 relay team (Alyssa Wong, Brianna Rosebrugh, Chloe Duibosson, Lianna Camille) clocked a season-best time of 4:21.9 to take first, Katie Oliver was a triple winner by taking the top spot in the long jump (17’1″), the triple jump (34’9″), the 100M hurdles (17.0), Emma Massih was a double-winner in the shot put (32’3″) and the discus (89’11”), and Luran Slotnick set a new PR with a javelin toss of 91’9″.

Foxboro @ Sharon, 5:30

North Attleboro @ Franklin, 3:45

Milford @ King Philip, 3:45

Stoughton, 46 @ Mansfield, 90 – FinalAnna Moore and Abby Scott each won a pair of races and the Hornets swept both the triple jump and the long jump on their way to a victory over Stoughton. Moore took first in both the 1 Mile and the 2 Mile races, and Scott added a pair of close wins in the 100M and the 200M; freshman Gwen Pare grabbed third in the 1 Mile, and senior Carmella Simonelli was second in the 2 Mile for the Hornets. In the triple jump, Frankie Spagna set a new PR with a winning leap of 37’3.5″ and Elsie Roberts also set a new PR (33’0″) for second place. Chloe Guthrie (16’0) anchored a sweep in the long jump, Katie Garrahy (90’10”) and Lily Roche (PR, 75’11) went 1-2 in the discus, Norah Puleo (2:31) and Taylor Palinski took first and third, respectively, in the 800M, Sydney DiVasta ran a divisional qualifying time and set a new PR for second in the 400M, and Celia Botelho took third with a new PR in the javelin (85’0″). Mansfield’s 4×100 relay team (Liv Barry, Meg Driscoll, Danni Cuzzi, Gurthie) clocked in at 50.8 for the win.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/08/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 5 @ Attleboro, 9 – FinalAttleboro’s offense kicked into gear early in the game, scoring three in the first, two in the second, three in the third, and one more in the fourth, to bounce back with a win over Canton. Matt Harvie had a big day at the dish, with three hits, a run scored, and three RBI. Brody McKenna also drove in three and had a triple, while Peter Delpozzo had two hits (including a triple), scored twice, and drove in one. Cooper Johnson drove in a pair and Joey Castro scored a pair for the Bombardiers. Jonny Pagano picked up the win, throwing five shutout innings with three strikeouts. Canton rallied late, scoring once in the sixth and four times in the seventh, but could only cut the lead to four. Kyle Redquest and Nick Gillis each drove in one and Matt Chafin (two walks and a hit-by-pitch) reached base three times and scored twice.

Foxboro, 2 @ Taunton, 1 – FinalFoxboro sophomore Tommy Watts had his best start of the season and the Warriors pushed two runs across in the top of the sixth to earn an upset win on the road over the Tigers. Watts only allowed one hit and four walks, resulting in one unearned run in the fifth inning. He also struck out a pair in five innings of work. Sean O’Leary came in in the bottom of the sixth and allowed just one hit, striking out two in two scoreless innings for the save. Jared Spencer reached and advanced to third on an error to lead off the fifth and scored the first run of the game after Jesse Chaves brought him home on a fielder’s choice. Sophomore Mike Marcucella gunned a runner out at third and Watts got a fly ball to end the inning, and Foxboro cashed in on its momentum in the top half of the sixth. Tyler Prescott led off with a base hit and moved to third on a single from O’Leary. Louis Carangelo followed with an RBI bunt single and Ben Angelini smacked a single to center and the Warriors grabbed a 2-1 lead.

Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 7 – FinalSenior Ryan Gerety led off the bottom of the first inning and the Panthers never looked back in a “Senior Night” victory over the visiting Black Knights. Gerety finished 3-for-3, adding a double, a walk, and two runs while senior Jase Lyons added two hits, two runs, and an RBI in the win. Senior Derek Terlwilling went 2-for-2 with an RBI, senior Luke Sidwell had a hit and a run scored, senior Koen Bonetti added an RBI and a run scored, and senior Evan Cournoyer had a single in the win. Junior Henry Digiorgio went 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, and a run scored. Junior Matt Miller earned the win, tossing four scoreless innings, scattering three hits and a walk, striking out five. Seniors Zach Ramaswamy, Dillon Cashin, and Eisig Chin combined for three innings in relief and five strikeouts. Hunter Malkin went 2-for-3 for Stoughton while Sean Farley tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, striking out two.

Mansfield, 9 @ King Philip, 7 – FinalBrendan Sencaj’s solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning put the Warriors ahead with just three outs left but Mansfield rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to stun KP. The teams went back-and-forth all game, tied 3-3 after three, KP up 5-3 after four, and then tied again 6-6 after five after the Hornets plated three runs in the inning; Sencaj led off the bottom of the sixth with a homer to make it 7-6. Mansfield loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh as Wyatt Bolduc singled and Drew Urban and Connor Curtis drew back-to-back walks. Aiden Jones brought Bolduc home with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-7. In just his second game back from injury, Mansfield senior Connor Zukowski recorded his first hit of the season to bring in two runs and hand the Hornets a 9-7 lead. KP got the tying run on base after Tommy McLeish (two hits, two runs, one RBI) led off with a single, and Sencaj (three hits, two RBI, run) had a two-out single, bringing the winning run to the plate but Matt DeShiro (2IP, 1ER, 5H,) induced a ground ball for the final out. Jake Maydak had a team-high three hits for the Hornets while Sam Martin (two RBI, run), DeShiro (home run, three RBI, run), and Bolduc each had a pair of hits. Aiden Astorino went 3-for-4 with two runs for the Warriors, and Matt Kelley (RBI, run) and Tommy Martorano (run) added two hits for KP.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Milford, 11 – FinalMilford scored in every inning except the third, and Anthony LaPierre had another strong outing on the mound to help the Hawks land a crossover win over the visiting Tigers. Keith Lee (RBI) and Joey McGee (RBI, two runs) each had a pair of hits while seven other Hawks recorded one hit: Nick Koch (RBI, two runs), Damien Carter (triple, three runs), Evan Cornelius (RBI, run), Sean McGee (RBI, run), Ian Carter (run), and Brady Butler (run). LaPierre allowed two runs (one earned) while scattering six hits and two walks, striking out seven in six innings to get the win while Tyler Caldon tossed a scoreless inning in relief. Ryan Lemay and Jack Perron each had an RBI for OA.

Sharon, 1 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final North Attleboro senior Derek Maceda shined on the mound and the Rocketeers came through with some late insurance offense to land a 7-1 victory over Sharon. Maceda gave up just a pair of hits (an RBI single in the second, and a one-out single in the third) and five walks for one run, striking out eight in six innings; Gio Martello struck out the side in the top of the seventh for a scoreless inning of relief. Offensively, Dillon Harding went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Jordan Paradis (run), Nate Kelly (two RBI), Ayden Delaney (RBI), Adam Racine (RBI), and Chris Hanewich, each had a hit. Cole Arundale and Soham Kulkarni (RBI) each had a hit for the Eagles; Zach Loomis tossed a scoreless inning in relief for the Eagles.








Softball
Attleboro @ Canton, 6:00

Taunton, 24 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final (5 Inn.)Taunton eighth-grader Bella Bourque went 4-for-5 and connected for her first career home run to lead the Tigers to a big win. Bourque also had a pair of doubles and a pair of triples in a terrific showing, driving in five runs and scoring four times. Sophomore Brooke Aldrich added a double and three RBI in the win. Sophomore Cate Larson picked up the win, striking out eight in five scoreless innings.

Franklin, 10 @ Stoughton, 6 – FinalThe Panthers overcame a four-run deficit as its offense roared to life late to earn a key win over Stoughton. The Black Knights pushed five runs across the plate in the bottom of the third to make it 5-1 but Franklin answered with six runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to secure a win on the road. Carly Johnson-Pellegri went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored and Sarah Boozang went 3-for-5 with a triple, two RBI, and three runs to lead the way offensively. Reece Allen chipped in with a pair of hits and a pair of RBI in the win. Freshman Sophia Sacramone came in and just the door for the Panthers, tossing two scoreless innings in relief with no hits or walks allowed and five strikeouts. Jill Powers (run), Anna Hobbs (two hits, two runs), and Alyssa Edwards each had two RBI for the Black Knights while Julia Monaghan had two hits and a run scored.

King Philip, 15 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final (5 inn.)King Philip pounded out 14 hits and did most of its damage between the third, fourth, and fifth innings in a win on the road at Mansfield. Libby Walsh went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs to lead the way while Charlotte Griffin (RBI, run), Maddie Paschke (RBI, run), and Taylor Regan (RBI) each had two hits. Freshman Ali Gill added a home run in the win. Jordan Bennett earned the win in the circle, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and three walks, fanning 11 batters in five innings of work. Molly Kucharski had a triple and scored on an RBI from Jill Koppy, and Liv Madeira came home to score on a squeeze from Molly Crowley.

Milford, 14 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – FinalMilford came out of the gate swinging, plating five runs in the first and six more in the second on its way to a win on the road at Oliver Ames. Junior Camille Bonina had a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored; the junior launched a three-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI double in the second. Maeve Driscoll (one run) and Jianna Fernandes (RBI, three runs) each had two hits for the Hawks. Maddie Homer (RBI, run) and Katie Melendy (RBI, run) each had two hits for the Tigers while Caitlin Miller recorded two RBI.

North Attleboro, 13 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 Inn.)Kelly Colleran was perfect through five innings, retiring 12 of the 15 batters she faced by strikeout, as North earned its second consecutive shutout. Colleran also added two hits and two runs scored. Arianna McDavitt, Grace Forman, and Maddie Bailey also had two hits apiece. Forman scored three times and Bailey drove in three. Julia Forman also had a hit and three runs scored, and Emma Hanwell and Maryellen Charette both had hits and RBI. Grace Simmons had a hit and scored a run for North.




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ King Philip, 14 – Final King Philip had four players register five or more points and James Boldy was once again solid in net as the Warriors knocked off visiting Attleboro. Donovan DeVellis’ eight points (six goals, two assists) highlighted KP’s attack while Noah Minkwitz (five goals, one assist) had six points, and both Mason Thompson (two goals, three assists) and Tommy Kilroy (five assists) had five points. Hayden Schmitz scored once, Cullen McCarthy chipped in with one helper, and Boldy finished with 13 saves and one assist in the win.

Canton, 11 @ Sharon, 9 – FinalCanton erased an early deficit to take the lead by halftime and held on throughout the second half to snap a brief two-game skid with a key 11-9 win over Davenport division rival Sharon. The Eagles led 3-2 after the first quarter but the Bulldogs bounced back in the second to stake a 7-5 advantage by the break. Michael Thomas (four goals), Jeff Chaput (four goals), and Brendan Tourgee (three goals) led the way offensively for the visitors and Pat Drury made 10 saves in net in the win.

Foxboro, 3 @ Franklin, 18 – FinalFranklin exploded for 13 goals in the second quarter and never looked back in a win over visiting Foxboro. The Panthers held a 2-0 lead after the first quarter but caught fire in the second and staked a 15-1 lead by halftime. Luke Davis scored all five of his goals in the first half and finished with eight points, Tyler Sacchetti (three assists) and Ravin Chaudhury (one assist) each netted a hat trick, and Jayden Consigli finished with one goal and three helpers. Conor Noone, Jon Sacchetti, and Tony Sulham each scored once for Foxboro.

Mansfield, 13 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – FinalMansfield’s defensive group came through with a solid performance to hold OA to just five goals and maintain the Hornets’ lead at the top of the Davenport division. Nolan Bordieri, Thomas Gormley, Ben Hoopis, Liam Barry, and James DeGirolamo all had strong games for the Mansfield D. The attack was balanced for the Hornets with Tommy Smith (two assists) and Drew Sacco (one assist) each scoring hat tricks. Freshman Andrew DeGirolamo had six points (two goals and four assists), while classmate Tommy Vallett and senior Grady Sullivan each scored twice. Cody Gordon added a goal and Nico Smith had three assists and a strong game on face-offs. Ryan DeGirolamo had 14 saves in the win.

Taunton, 3 @ Milford, 15 – FinalMilford dominated the second half to pull away from visiting Taunton for a 15-3 win. The Tigers kept it close in the first half and trailing just 6-3 at the break but it was all Scarlet Hawks in the second half. Jacob Ligor and Eric Farrell led the way for the hosts with five goals apiece.




Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 16 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalKing Philip erupted for nine goals by halftime and pitched a second half shutout in a win on the road. Emily Campbell made three saves for the shutout while Lauren Obara had a terrific game defensively, grabbing five ground balls. Makenzie McDevitt had seven points to lead the way, Nikki McDonald recorded five points, and Alyssa Legere, Sammy Cloutier, Abby MacDonald, and Kelly Holmes all added three points in the win. Addison Papagolos scored for the Bombardiers on an assist from Makenah Stokes.

Sharon, 5 @ Canton, 17 – FinalBuoyed by nine different goal scorers, Canton rolled to a big win at home over Davenport division foe Sharon. Emily McCabe led the charge offensively for the Bulldogs, finding the back of the net five times along with two assists. Sally Hoban and Nora Giannacopoulos each had a hat trick in the win, Devan Spinale chipped in with a pair of goals and Ashley Balunas made seven saves in net. Sharon freshman goalie Emily Coenen made eight saves, including her 100th of the season.

Franklin, 16 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final

Oliver Ames, 12 @ Mansfield, 14 – FinalAva Adams scored four times and Caitlyn Zajac made nine saves to help the Hornets pull out the division win. Lola Varricchione scored a hat trick, while Ella Palanza and Brooke Butler each scored twice and dished out an assist. Rose Maher and Stella Moore each had a goal and an assist, Tessa Johnson found the back of the net once, and Keira Fitzpatrick dished out one helper for the Hornets.

Milford, 12 @ Taunton, 6 – FinalLocked in a one-goal game at halftime, Milford dominated the second half to record its third straight road win with a 12-6 decision over Taunton. A back-and-forth first half saw the Scarlet Hawks take a tight 5-4 advantage into halftime but the visitors went on to score five consecutive goals to start the second half and never looked back. Sophomore TJ Downing netted a career-high five goals to lead the charge offensively for Milford while Carley Haley added three goals and three assists, Emily Croteau chipped in with a hat trick and two assists, and Erin Michelson finished with three points (one goal, two assists). Alexa Landry, Jordan Douglas, and Yas Martinez each added an assist while Caitlyn Bangert turned away six shots in the second half. Raquel Azevedo paced Taunton with a hat trick, and Caroline Vallarelli, Talia O’Leary, and Maddi Szala (three assists) each had one goal. Mel Jesus had a big game in net with 21 saves.

Stoughton, 11 @ North Attleboro, 17 – FinalFor Stoughton, Morgan Groppi led the charge with nine goals and two draw controls. Amanda Reid (four draw controls) and Casey Groppi (three draw controls) each added a goal for the Black Knights, Nicole Reid had one assist and three draw controls, and Jordan Coleman made three saves in net.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – FinalBehind a pair of straight-set victories in doubles action and one in singles play, Attleboro returned home from Canton with a 3-2 decision. Tyler Rocchio only lost one game in an impressive 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles for the Bombardiers. The first doubles team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton secured a 6-4, 6-4 win while Clay Tyler and Noam Cook earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles for Attleboro. Canton junior Max Kupferman earned yet another impressive win at first singles (6-1, 6-1) while Justin Ngan prevailed in a tough third singles match (7-6 (1), 6-2).

Taunton, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – FinalFoxboro took super tiebreaker wins at second singles and first doubles to complete a 5-0 sweep at home over visiting Taunton. Raj Jetty (6-0, 6-1), Luca Meyer, (4-6, 6-0, 12-10), and Ryan Fossella (6-2, 6-1) earned the singles sweep for the Warriors while the teams of Hajji Glover and Evan Paluzzi (2-6, 6-4, 11-9) and Vizruth Chavalam and Greg Simone (6-2, 6-1) won at first and second doubles, respectively.

Franklin, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final

King Philip, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield took two wins from singles and prevailed in three sets at first doubles to edge visiting King Philip, 3-2. Neema Khosravani only dropped two games in a 6-1, 6-1 victory at first singles while Nikhil Nain rallied from a one-set deficit to take a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles for the Hornets. The team of Jacob Weiner and Josh Weiner emerged victorious in a well-played, tight contest at first doubles (6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-3) to clinch the win. KP picked up wins from Arjun Kollu at third singles (6-1, 6-4) and the team of Leo Manning and Ashrith Epuri (5-7, 6-4, 6-3).

Milford, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final

North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalSharon took all five matches in straight sets, defending home court against the visiting Rocketeers. Junior Matthew Lally shined at second singles, winning in straight sets without dropping a game (6-0, 6-0) while sophomores Jacob Slavsky (7-5, 6-0) and Alex Budovalcev (6-1, 6-3) took wins at first and third singles, respectively. The Eagles also swept doubles action with the first doubles team of Sava Kassev and Hyojae Park taking a 7-5, 6-1 win, and the second doubles pairing of Kevin Li and Joel Zwicker landing a 6-0, 6-1 decision.

Girls Tennis
Canton, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – FinalCanton’s Camila Cutter and Olivia Durham both overcame one-set deficits and emerged victorious in three sets to help the Bulldogs grab a close win on the road at Attleboro. Cutter dropped the first set 1-6 but rallied back to win two in a row to get the first singles victory (1-6, 6-3, 6-0) while Durham dropped the first set in a tiebreaker but bounced back to win two in a row (6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1) at second singles. Canton’s first win came from the first doubles tandem of Kelli Woodworth and Grace Powers (6-2, 6-2). Attleboro’s Aarna Sodhani secured a 6-1, 7-5 win at third singles and the Bombardiers all-sophomore second doubles team of Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos took a 7-6 (4), 6-1 win decision.

Foxboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalFoxboro’s Hailey Kornbluth rolled at first singles and the Warriors swept doubles action to take a 3-2 verdict over host Taunton. Kornbluth didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at first singles, the first doubles team of Audrey Paolino and Analise Tia emerged in a three-set thriller (6-4, 4-6, 6-3), and Sydney Lebow and Katelyn Dineen rallied from a one-set deficit for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at second doubles. Taunton juniors Ava Alves (6-4, 6-1) and Morgan Smith (6-1, 7-5) took wins at second and third singles, respectively.

Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalFranklin won in straight sets at third singles and first doubles and took two more wins in three sets to secure a win over the visiting Black Knight. Brooke Taylor didn’t lose a game in the first set and went on to win 6-0, 6-4 at third singles, and the sophomore tandem of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen didn’t drop a single game in a 6-0, 6-0 blanking at first doubles. Junior Chloe Essam overcame a one-set deficit at second singles to earn a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 win while seniors Allison Bagley and Kelsey Maguire emerged from the second doubles match with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 win. Stoughton junior Ally Lada added another impressive win, taking a 6-4, 7-5 win at first singles.

Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – FinalKP won at first and second singles and swept the doubles to earn its third straight victory and remain in the hunt for the league title. Ahunna James (6-1, 6-0) and Shea Mellman (6-0, 6-0) made quick work of the first two singles matches, dropping just one game between them. Carlie Burns and Priya Riar took the win at first doubles 6-4, 7-6, while Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang took second doubles 6-4, 6-4. Jillian Hanley grabbed the lone point for the Hornets with a 6-0, 7-6 win at third singles.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Milford, 1 – FinalHannah Farber and Stella Zachos each won in singles action and the Tigers swept both doubles matches in a road win at Milford. Farber only dropped two games in a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles and Zachos added a 6-3, 6-0 win at third singles for OA. The team of Ava Barth and Emily Beaulieu prevailed in a competitive first doubles match (6-4, 6-3), and OA’s second doubles pairing of Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski overcame a tiebreaker loss in the first set for a 6-7 (6), 6-4, 10-7 win. Milford’s Kaylee Whitney rallied for a 1-6, 7-5, 10-8 win at second singles.

Sharon, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final In a great battle from all five matches, Sharon edged out North Attleboro on the road with a 3-2 verdict. The Eagles swept doubles with Abby Vilk and Jenny Sand taking a 7-6, 6-0 win at first doubles and the team of Sophia Oh and Olivia Landstein securing a 6-4, 7-5 victory at second doubles. Navya Shukla earned Sharon’s lone singles win, emerging with a 7-5, 6-4 win in a competitive second singles match. North Attleboro junior Lauren Hunt bounced back from dropping the first set to take first singles in a super tiebreaker (6-7 (5), 6-1, 10-8) and Grace Noreck picked up a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at third singles for North.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Bellingham, 6:00

Milford @ Nipmuc, 5:00

Taunton, 1 @ North Quincy, 3 – FinalTaunton kept the match alive with a win in the third set but dropped a close fourth set to fall 3-1 on the road at North Quincy (22-25, 15-25, 25-21, 23-25). Matt Freitas continued to play well at the net (16 kills, two aces) while Bradley Hylander was once again strong defensively for the Tigers with 15 digs. Daniel Freitas notched 19 assists, Ty Ekstrom had 12 assists, Antonios Dimakis chipped in with five kills and five blocks, and Al Morisseau added three kills and six blocks for Taunton.

Venturelli Goes Deep Twice to Power Taunton Past KP

Taunton Softball
Taunton senior Ava Venturelli heads home after her first inning homer that turned out to be the game-winning hit in a 3-1 victory against KP. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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TAUNTON, Mass. – King Philip and Taunton have split the last eight Kelley-Rex titles, with the Warriors winning five and the Tigers winning four (they shared the crown in 2014). Over that same period, Taunton has won three state titles (in the past four seasons) and the Warriors took home one (in 2016). Coming into Wednesday night’s showdown at Jack Tripp Field, the teams were a combined 19-0 this season and had outscored opponents by a combined 227 runs.

It was no surprise that the first meeting of the season between two of the state’s preeminent programs would come down to the final inning with the result still in doubt.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Trailing by three runs, KP loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and got the tying run to second base, but Taunton pulled out a 3-1 win behind solid defense, a strong outing from pitcher Sam Lincoln, and a pair of long home runs from Ava Ventruelli.

“The kids came energized, ready to play,” said first-year Taunton coach Michelle Raposo. “When they’re up, they play well as a team, they pick each other up. Today was a true, entire team overall win. Defensively, offensively, I think they all did great.”

She added, “It was a big win for us, especially against a great, competitive, never-ending KP team that doesn’t give up very easily.”

KP was down 3-0 heading to the seventh and had only one hit in the game and no runners past first, but the Warriors continued to work long at bats and put the ball in play against the Taunton ace. After Liv Petrillo’s sharp grounder down the first base line was knocked down and gathered by Hayley Krockta for the first out, Ava Kelley ripped a single up the middle to bring the visiting bench to life.

Charlotte Raymond followed by driving a double to right center and Taylor Regan took an inside pitch off the elbow to load the bases. For the first time in the game, and first time in several weeks, Lincoln needed to make big pitches in tight games. Maddie Paschke grounded one to short and Brooke Aldrich’s throw was a little high, but Krockta leaped to pull it in, landing on the bag for the second out.

With two outs and the tying run in scoring position, Lincoln came through with several big pitches to record her ninth strikeout and seal the win.

Raposo said, “We buckled down. We need to be in these game situations. Bases loaded, let’s see what we can do. Let’s make sure that our defense is solid and we can come out of these innings. I love how they pick each other up.”

The Tigers wasted no time taking the lead. Kyleah Plumb drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first. Eighth grader Bella Bourque ripped a double that one-hopped the fence in right. Freshman Ali Gill got to the ball quickly and fired a strike to third base to get Plumb for the first out. Momentum was short-lived however, as Venturelli promptly deposited a pitch well past the fence in center to make it 2-0.

Freshman starter McCoy Walsh could’ve let the game slip away against a deep, talented lineup that had scored 129 runs coming into Wednesday. Instead, she settled down, allowing only two more hits (one an infield single) over the next five innings and striking out 10 total.

“Taunton just has a formidable lineup,” KP coach Kate Fallon-Comeau explained. “They’re one through nine and there are probably three on the bench who can come in anytime and hit. I think she settled in nicely as the game went on. She gained momentum as the game went on, she gained confidence.”

Unfortunately for Walsh, the only other Taunton hit was another homer for Venturelli. Bourque started the third with a sinking liner that Sarah Cullen hauled in with a nice sliding grab. Venturelli stepped up and, on a pitch that seemed well out of the zone, crushed a solo shot high up into the trees beyond the left field fence for a three-run advantage.

Fallon-Comeau said, “I don’t think we handled Venturelli’s first at bat, as far as pitch sequence goes, but I got to hand it to that kid because she can hit. I mean, even if we called a pitch four feet over her head she still hit it out.”

Lincoln was making that lead hold up. She struck out the side in the second. Paschke, who reached base all three times, singled to start the third but courtesy runner Olivia Ali was caught stealing by catcher Kaysie DeMoura (and a nice tag by Aldrich). Lincoln ended the inning with a strikeout and a foul pop to DeMoura right in front of the Taunton dugout.

KP wasn’t able to put together any type of rally. Petrillo got hit by a pitch with two outs in the fourth but a groundout ended the inning. After Paschke reached on an error with two outs in the fifth, Lincoln got the strikeout to end the threat. Taunton’s defense was also making every play. Bourque charged a bunt and Mia Fernandes made back-to-back plays to set KP down in order in the sixth.

Walsh was only getting stronger as the game went on. She struck out Venturelli to start the sixth on a close call on the outside edge. After DeMoura drew a walk, reached second on a passed ball, and stole third, Walsh struck out a pair to get out of the jam and keep it a three-run game.

Although the Warriors couldn’t complete the comeback in the seventh, Fallon-Comeau was proud of her team’s resiliency.

“I just love it,” she explained. “I wish every game was tight, 3-1, 3-2, 4-3, tight game where you’re going up against a solid pitcher, one through nine in the lineup, it’s softball. It’s just nice to have these games. The kids need this competition.”

Raposo was similarly impressed by the level of play that the KP rivalry brought out of her team. She said, “Any time we play KP it’s a great game and, at the end of the day, when the score is on our side it’s a great win. This is one of our biggest competitions of the year, but the kids are just taking it one game at a time. We’re focusing on the little things we need to work on.”

Taunton (10-0) will travel to another D1 title contender, Bishop Feehan, on Saturday morning. King Philip (10-1) will host Foxboro on Friday afternoon.

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King Philip Cashes In With Small Ball Against North Attleboro

King Philip softball Libby Walsh Charlotte Raymond
King Philip senior Libby Walsh (left) celebrates with classmate Charlotte Raymond after scoring in the eighth inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. — The King Philip softball team entered Thursday’s showdown with division rival North Attleboro as one of the best offensive teams in the state, but Rocketeer senior pitcher Kelly Colleran stifled the Warriors for seven innings.

Good defense and a strong outing from King Philip freshman pitcher McCoy Walsh (13 strikeouts) kept the hosts off the board too, and after seven innings the teams were deadlocked in a scoreless game that had just one hit — an infield single from North’s Maryellen Charette.

That’s when KP head coach Kate Fallon-Comeau elected to switch up their offensive strategy. The Warriors bunted in five straight at-bats and capitalized on some head’s up base running to score three times to take the first lead of the game.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We hit so many foul balls just straight back so we were just missing, and our bats have been really hot so we wanted to give them a chance at swinging,” Fallon-Comeau said. “We got into that eighth inning and I knew we needed to try something different. Sarah [Cullen] put down that beautiful bunt and beat it out, and we were off from there. We have speed and the personnel to do it, and we were able to take advantage of a couple of pitches to advance and from there it was bunt and steal because it was working.”

After few theatrics throughout the first seven innings, the eighth inning provided even more drama in the bottom half. Colleran led off with a triple and sophomore Arianna McDavitt and freshman Molly Willey drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs. Walsh came through with consecutive strikeouts — one looking, one swinging — and then got a fly ball to Cullen in center to leave them loaded and close out the win.

“We always seem to make things interesting at the end,” Fallon-Comeau said. “We had two conferences, one with me and one with Maddie [Paschke], just to try and refocus her. We just needed her to pitch the game she had been pitching all game long. She’s just a freshman so this was her first big game being in a moment like that. She did a great job today and closing it out.”

North had two hits in the game and also had eight walks but couldn’t get a run across against the Warriors.

“The hard part in the eighth, we had the bases loaded but because we were chasing three runs, there’s only so much you can do,” said North Attleboro head coach Bill Wallace. “I give McCoy a lot of credit, she battled in that eighth inning. I’m thrilled with where we are as a team to be honest. Our younger kids are coming along, and everyone is pulling for one another, and this was a good game to showcase it. I think they are a little ticked off, which is a good thing, but they aren’t down.”

Senior Sarah Cullen dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line and raced down the line for KP’s first hit of the game; before North could get back in position, Cullen sprinted to second to get into scoring position. Freshman Ali Gill also bunted on the first pitch and a throwing error allowed Cullen to scamper home and Gill to take second.

A wild pitch allowed Gill to advance to third and KP’s bunt trend continued as senior Libby Walsh laid one down the first base line and Gill slid into home before the throw. Walsh stole second, took third on a passed ball, and came flying home when sophomore Liv Petrillo pushed a bunt past the charging infield to make it 3-0. A stolen base and a sac bunt from Charlotte Raymond put Petrillo at third but Colleran (15 strikeouts) got a pop-up to second to strand the runner there.

Before the extra inning excitement, the potential play of the game came in the sixth inning. Colleran led off with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt from McDavitt. A walk to Willey preceded the first hit of the game off the bat of Charette, a dribbler to third, and North had the bases loaded with one out. Walsh got a grounder to second that Petrillo fielded cleanly and fired home, getting the force out. Junior catcher Maddie Paschke didn’t hesitate and quickly gunned one to first to get the double play.

“We practice defense as much as we practice hitting, and as much situational stuff that we can,” Fallon-Comeau said. “We’re trying to figure out what we want to do before we actually get into them. We wanted to get that run at the plate and with Maddie’s arm, we knew she was going to make that play at first. I was not surprised she was ready for that moment.”

Both Colleran and Walsh handled business throughout the early innings. Colleran got four strikeouts in the first inning (the third batter reached after a dropped third strike), and had 1-2-3 innings in the second and fourth, striking out a pair in each. Walsh worked around a leadoff error in the first and then struck out the side in the second.

KP’s Taylor Regan was hit by a pitch to lead off the third and moved to second on a sacrifice from Ava Lanza, but Colleran got two straight outs to strand the runner there. A two-out walk got a runner on for North in the bottom half but Paschke threw the runner out trying to steal second to end the inning.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Warriors threatened in the sixth when Cullen and Gill had consecutive one-out walks but a nice play at third from Willey got the force for the second and then an infield pop-up ended the inning.

“Molly at third base had a great game, and there was nothing she could do on that last bunt,” Wallace said. “That’s where the KP poise comes in, they can push a bunt down the first down line, they push a bunt past the charging infield. I give KP credit and I’m really happy with how our team battled.”

King Philip (7-0 Hockomock, 10-0 overall) returns home on Tuesday to host Canton. North Attleboro (5-2, 6-3) will host Foxboro on the same day.