Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/11/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 8 @ Taunton, 3 – FinalAttleboro exploded for six runs in the top of the first and never looked back, securing their first win of the season with an 8-3 decision over Taunton. Senior Jake Gorman, junior Evan Houle, and sophomore Owen Taber each had two hits for the Bombardiers while senior Bailey Camacho drove in a pair of runs. Junior Billy Saltmarsh picked up the win with five strong innings of work on the mound while sophomore Danny Johnson pitched well in two innings of relief.

Canton, 6 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalCanton junior Andrew Middleton dazzled on the mound for the second straight start, tossing his second straight shutout. After a perfect game in his first start, Middleton allowed just one hit — a bunt — in a complete-game effort, striking out 16 for the second straight contest. He walked just two batters while throwing 65 of his 94 pitches for strikes. Offensively, senior Cam Sanchez set the tone from the leadoff spot with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI, sophomore Matt Chafin drove in two runs on two hits, and Steven Burbank and Middleton each had an RBI.

Foxboro, 4 @ Sharon, 1 – FinalFoxboro got the bats going early with three runs in the second inning and Dylan Quinn was solid on the mound from start to finish as the Warriors picked up their first win of the season. Quinn allowed one run on three hits and two walks, striking out two in five innings of work. Sophomore Sean O’Leary pitched two scoreless innings in relief with one strikeout for the save. Sophomore Ryan LeClair (run) and junior Jack Watts (run) each had a pair of hits for Foxboro, which totaled 10 as a team. Liam Mulkern and Quinn reach drove in a run in the win.

Franklin, 4 @ Milford, 2 – FinalAfter Milford tied the game with a run in the bottom half of the sixth, Franklin regained the lead with two runs in the top of the seventh to sweep the series with the Hawks. Jacob Jette’s pinch-hit RBI single drove in Jack Marino for what proved to be the game-winning run, and Jette scored the insurance run on contact from Ryan Gerety. Ethan Voellmicke picked up the win in a relief appearance, tossing two innings with three strikeouts while James Kuczmiec earned the save, stranding the tying run at first. Jake Fitzgibbons was the starter for the Panthers, allowing one run on three hits in four innings of work with three strikeouts. Nate Cooke added a hit, a walk, and two RBI for the Panthers. For Milford, Wes Solomon tossed a complete game with four runs allowed (three earned) on four hits, striking out two while Mario Lee had a hit and a run scored.

King Philip, 5 @ Mansfield, 6 – FinalKing Philip rallied to erase a five-run deficit but Mansfield jumped back ahead with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Chris Potts drew a bases-loaded walk to push across the go-ahead run as Mansfield moved to 2-0 on the season. The Hornets plated four runs in the top of the first and added one more in the second but KP responded with two in the third and three in the fifth to tie the game. Potts’ walk was one of nine drawn by the Hornets on the day, who had just five hits total. Juniors Anthony Sacchetti and Aaron Blinn each had a hit and an RBI for Mansfield. Freshman Jake Maydak earned the win in relief, striking out three with just one walk allowed in 2.1 scoreless innings of work. For KP, Shawn Legere went 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored, and Conor Cooke recorded a pair of hits, runs, and RBI.

Oliver Ames, 8 @ North Attleboro, 6 – FinalOliver Ames rallied from a four-run deficit, scoring four runs in the top of the sixth inning to secure a win on the road against North Attleboro. Jadon Ricci had the big two-run hit in the sixth and added a run himself on a passed ball. Jake Waxman added a hit and an RBI and Derek Milliken had two hits, including a double, and an RBI to pace the Tigers’ offense. Kosta Spiliakos pitched five innings for OA with two strikeouts and two walks while Nick Clark threw two innings of hitless relief, striking out the last four batters to earn the save.










Softball
Taunton, 13 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final (6 inn.)Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Hanna Aldrich hit a pair of homers and drive in five runs and freshman Sam Lincoln struck out 10 over five innings to earn a win in her first career start, as Taunton swept its home-and-home series with Attleboro. Taunton wasted little time getting its offense into gear. Angie Lynch and Kyleah Plumb had back-to-back singles and then Aldrich drilled a homer to left center. Although one of the runners was ruled out for not touching third, Taunton got its third run when McKenzie McAloon crushed a solo homer to left field. The Tigers added one in the fourth when Hayley Krockta’s base hit skipped past the left fielder and she came all the way around to make it 4-0. The floodgates opened in the fifth, as Taunton scored six times on four hits and a couple of costly Attleboro miscues in the field. Aldrich and Kelsey White each plated a run with singles and Skyler Rheaume drove in one with a sac fly. Taunton scored five unearned runs off Attleboro starter Lindsey Perry in the game. Lincoln dominated the first five innings, allowing only three base runners, two hits, and one ball out of the infield (a single to right by Rylie Camacho). Lincoln struck out the side in both the third and fourth innings. Aldrich tacked on two more with her second homer of the day in the sixth and White scored on a passed ball to end the scoring. White, who struck out 16 on Monday, came in to pitch in the sixth and struck out the side to seal the win.

Sharon, 1 @ Foxboro, 11 – FinalFoxboro eighth-grader Emma Callahan continued to shine during his debut season, getting it done both in the circle and at the plate. Callahan allowed just one hit while striking out 12 in the win. At the plate, she helped her own cause with three hits. Sophomore Ally Foulsham made her pitching debut for the Eagles and struck out five. Trinity Payne accounted for the lone Sharon run with a solo homer.

Milford, 9 @ Franklin, 11 – FinalFranklin prevailed with an 11-9 win in a back-and-forth battle with visiting Franklin to present head coach Katie Holbrook with her first career win. In an offensive battle, senior Gabby Colace clubbed out four hits and scored four runs, driving in three runs and junior Julia White added three hits with two RBI. Senior Lauren Cote (two doubles, two RBI) and freshman Carly Johnson-Pellegri (two doubles, two runs) each added two hits in the win. Milford’s Carly Ferreira went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, three runs, and RBI, Elise Fauerbach went 5-for-5 with two runs, and freshman Maddie Burns had four hits, two RBI, and a run scored.

Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 17 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip’s offense continued its hot start to the season, this time putting up 17 runs at PAL in a win over visiting Mansfield. Charlotte Raymond clubbed four doubles for the Warriors, driving in three runs and crossing home three times as well. Sophomore Libby Walsh added three hits, including a double and a triple, while knocking in four runs, and sophomore Sarah Cullen went 3-for-3, reaching a fourth time after being hit by a pitch, and had a home run, a double, and a single with three RBI. Jordan Bennett, who had two doubles at the plate, tossed a five-inning shutout, allowing two hits while striking out six.

Stoughton, 9 @ Canton, 4 – FinalStoughton sophomore Kerry Driscoll earned her first career win as the Black Knights earned a season sweep of rival Canton. Driscoll threw four innings with one run allowed on four hits and four strikeouts. Nicole Baker came in for three innings of relief for Stoughton. Offensively, freshman Julie Powers led the charge with three hits, including a double and a triple, with two RBI and two runs scored. Mel Casna and Alyssa Edwards each drove in a pair of runs for Stoughton, Sarah McGrath added two hits, and Sydney Menz and Catherine Leal (RBI) each had a hit in the win. Liz Bickett went 4-for-4 and Ellie Bohane went 2-for-3 with a double for the Bulldogs.

North Attleboro, 15 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (5 inn.)Kelly Colleran earned her career win, allowing only one hit and striking out eight Tigers over five innings. She also continued her hot start at the plate, racking up three hits and driving in three. She now has 10 hits in the first three games of her career. Belle Clarkin had two hits and also drove in three for North, while Emily Nardelli had two hits and three runs scored. Mandi Hanewich scored three times and Ally Levine hit a homer and drove in a pair. Caitlin Miller had a hit and scored a run for OA while Emma Varella had three strikeouts in the circle.




Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 5 – FinalAttleboro completed the series sweep of the Tigers, this time taking a 5-0 decision. All three singles players won in straight sets for the Bombardiers with Ethan Johnson winning 6-4, 6-3 at first singles, Evan Sousa winning 6-2, 6-2 at second singles, and Matt Lortos taking a 6-3, 6-2 decision at third singles. The team of Alejandro Jimenez and Kevin Rebelo prevailed 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 at first doubles while Malachi Jefferson and Alex Suarez didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – FinalWaseem Sablon won in straight sets at first singles for Stoughton but Canton took the points in the other four matches to get the victory. Sablon won 6-0, 6-3 at first singles for the Black Knights while Max Kupferman earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles for Canton, and Minh Duong grabbed a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Bulldogs. The team of Ethan Nguyen and Jalen Townsend secured a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles while Elias Jabbour and Charlie Doody picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalSharon went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to sweep the series against Foxboro. Mehul Bhattacharyya didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Max Chen secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at second singles, and Rithrik Neti emerged with a 6-4, 7-5 win at third singles. The team of freshmen Matthew Lally and Alex Budovaloev earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while juniors Mitch Weiss and Deyan Kassev teamed up for a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalFranklin defended its home court, taking care of business with a clean sweep of visiting Milford. Both Liam Marr (first singles) and Vayshnav Malhotra (second singles) won 6-0, 6-0 while Drew Mahoney earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory at third singles. The first doubles team of Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik took home a 6-2, 6-0 win while Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas won at second doubles with a score of 6-0, 6-0.

Mansfield, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – FinalMansfield went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to sweep the series against King Philip. Kailash Elumelai earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles, Dheeraj Valluru took a 6-1, 6-4 decision at second singles, and Benson Delaney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of seniors Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lanikpalle secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while the team of junior Jonah Fine and senior Adam Elsner picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro made it three straight wins to start the season, taking another 5-0 decision over Oliver Ames. Jonah Manso (first singles) and the team of Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan (second doubles) both won by the score of 6-0, 6-0 for the Rocketeers. Sam Gallagher added a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles, Will Folan picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles, and the team of Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq earned a 6-1, 6-1 decision at first doubles.




Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – FinalAttleboro won a pair of matches in both singles and doubles action to get their second straight win over the Tigers. First singles Ella Lynch-Bartek (6-3, 6-4) and second singles Lauren Anthony (6-1, 6-1) each won in straight sets for the Bombardiers. The first doubles team of Rachel Rainey and Tina Lam won 7-5, 1-6, 10-8 while the pairing of freshmen Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson picked up a 7-5, 6-1 win at second doubles. Taunton’s Cayeesha Charles won 6-0, 6-3 at third singles.

Canton, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – FinalA day after suffering a loss to Canton on the road, Stoughton flipped the script and earned a 3-2 win at home over the Bulldogs. Allie Lada emerged with a three-set win at second singles (6-0, 3-6, 6-4) to secure the winning point for the Black Knights. Lena Allie added a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles, and the team of Nadia Prokopiuk and Stefani Reznikow picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles. Canton’s Rachel Kupferman won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles while Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham teamed up for a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles.

Foxboro, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final For the second straight day, Foxboro won at all three singles matches to get a victory over Sharon. Freshman Athena Li won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Pam Nelson earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Sarah Prag once again won a close set at third singles, this time 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 to help the Warriors earn the victory. The team of Anjali Jha and Julia Zevelinsky emerged with a 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 6-1 win at first doubles while Alice Zaniewski and Sophia Oh picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ Milford, 0 – FinalFranklin won its second straight match, this time going on the road to Milford and getting a sweep. Junior Vedika Vinayek picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at first singles, freshman Hailey Morin earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at second singles, and junior Sarah Schiavo was victorious at third singles with a score of 6-0, 6-0. The team of sophomores Kelsey Maguire and Allison Bagley prevailed at first doubles 5-7, 6-4, 10-7 while the pairing of sophomores Lexi Masters and Tanvi Shah won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles.

King Philip @ Mansfield, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalNorth Attleboro won all three singles matches to defend home court, earning a second straight win over Oliver Ames. Junior Charlotte Moynihan prevailed in a tight battle at first singles, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-3), senior Haley Strom earned a 6-0, 3-6, 6-0 win at second singles, and freshman Lauren Hunt won 6-2, 6-4 at third singles. Oliver Ames’ Kate McLaughlin and Grace Houser picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles while Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper secured a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.




Boys Outdoor Track
Stoughton, 91 @ Canton, 45 – FinalCanton’s Deyontai Dennis broke the school record in the long jump, taking first with a leap of 21’11.5″, while also winning both the 400MH (60.4) and the 110MH (17.0).

Oliver Ames, 88 @ Foxboro, 47 – Final

Sharon @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Taunton, 67 @ King Philip, 69 – Final

Girls Outdoor Track
Stoughton, 62 @ Canton, 74 – FinalCanton’s Maddie Rousseau won four events and broke her school record for the second straight meet. Rousseau set a new Bulldog record in the 100M hurdles, clocking in at 14.9. She also placed first in the 200M (26.2), the triple jump (31’0.5″), and the high jump (4’10”). Kiara Cerruti set a pair of new PRs in the win, taking first in the 1 Mile (5:46.9) and second in the 800M (2:36.2).

Oliver Ames, 75 @ Foxboro, 60 – Final

Sharon @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Taunton @ King Philip, 3:45

Wrestling
Foxboro, 45 @ Taunton, 36 – Final

King Philip, 24 @ Sharon, 48 – Final

North Attleboro, 40 @ Milford, 31 – Final

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

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

Canton

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

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

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

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

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

Foxboro

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

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

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

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

Franklin

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

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

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

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




King Philip

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

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

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

Mansfield

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

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

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

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

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

Milford

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

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

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

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

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

North Attleboro

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

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

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




Oliver Ames

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

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

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

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

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

Sharon

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

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

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

Stoughton

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

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

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

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

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

Taunton

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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

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

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

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview