Tag: Colby DeCouta
Taunton Rallies Past Franklin, Secures D1 State Title
LOWELL, Mass. – The two teams, which were the top two seeds in Div. 1, were on a collision course all postseason. They split a pair of games during the regular season, both winning on their home fields, and it was only fitting that Saturday night’s rubber match at LeLacheur Park would determine not only who would win the season series but who would win the state championship.
Taunton (22-3) was held without a hit until a leadoff single in the fourth, but scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and got a stellar, complete game effort from Evan Cali to secure a 2-1 victory over league rival Franklin (23-4). The victory earned the Tigers their second D1 title in three seasons.
“They’ve got great hitters one through nine, so for him to come out and only give up one run was more than you could ask for,” Taunton coach Blair Bourque said when asked about Cali’s performance. “I was hoping to get a couple innings out of him and next guy up, and for him to come out and throw a complete game, what a great culmination of his senior year.”
Even before the season started, Taunton was searching for an ace of its staff. The Tigers relied on their full complement of pitchers to work through games, but Cali delivered one of his best performances in the final game of his high school career. He allowed only one infield single after the second inning, allowing just the one run and out-dueling Franklin starter Jacob Jette.
“I don’t think I’ve cried like this in a long time,” Cali said after the game, smiling despite his eyes being wet from tears and shaking in the cold after getting a Gatorade bucket dumped on him by his teammates. “I thought about everyone that’s helped me and it fueled me through that entire game.
When asked what was going through his mind at the final out, Cali admitted with a laugh, “I have no idea. I threw the pitch and I prayed he didn’t get a base hit because if he did I was getting taken out.”
While the final pitching line looked stellar for Cali, things were far from easy in the opening two innings. Jack Marino singled with one out in the first and took second when Cali’s pick-off attempt was wayward. A wild pitch would move him to third and Evan Raider drew a two-out walk. Cali induced a pop up to end the threat.
In the top of the second, a walk and an error put two on for Taunton but Jette got a groundout to keep it scoreless. Franklin would grab the lead in the bottom half.
Jase Lyons got things started with a single and Eisig Chin followed by crushing a ball off the wall in right, narrowly missing a home run. With two runners in scoring position, semifinal hero Ben Jarosz singled to right center to make it 1-0. Chin was held at third and Jarosz would move up to second after almost being picked off.
Cali hit the corner to get a strikeout for the first out of the inning. A pop up in foul ground and a grounder to Dawson Bryce at short would allow the Tigers to escape the second down by only a run. It felt like a win for Taunton.
Jette was cruising for the Panthers. A perfect third dented any momentum that Taunton may have carried to the plate. He gave up a leadoff single to Ryan MacDougall to start the fourth but struck out back-to-back hitters and got a fly ball that Chin caught in foul territory in right to end the inning.
“Jacob Jette has been everything you could ask for,” said Franklin coach Zach Brown. “He’s been so important to our team and our team’s success. You have to go back six games to find a team who scored a run off him before today. He’s an amazing competitor, just a tremendous leader, does everything right, really threw well today, and gave us a chance to win a state title.”
Taunton finally struck in the fifth. Shawn Cali smashed a ball over the head of Ryan Gerety in center for a leadoff triple. After a pair of failed bunt attempts, Evan Cali put the ball in play with a grounder to short. The infield was back and Henry Digorgio’s only option was to go to first to get the out.
“I saw that our team lost for hope for a second,” Cali said about Taunton’s rally. “Once Franklin gets a run, their whole energy turns around. They’re fired up. I noticed that we were down and I talked to my coach and said, we get them in and we do a huddle and we win this game.”
In the top of the sixth, Jette got a liner to Chin in right for the first out and got two strikes on MacDougall, but the Hockomock League MVP turned on an 0-2 fastball. He sent it seemingly off the wall in right, but the ump put up his hand to indicate the ball hit above the yellow line and was a home run, putting the Tigers ahead 2-1 and sending the bench streaming out to home to meet the junior first baseman.
“We as a team, we tend to get on his back and he’s a big boy so he can carry us and he was able to get ahold of one today,” Bourque said about MacDougall. “We knew with Evan pitching we needed to put some good at bats together and fortunately for us Ryan was in the right place at the right time.”
After another perfect inning for Cali, the Tigers had the chance to add to the lead in the seventh. Senior catcher Colby DeCouta ripped a double to left and, after Franklin turned to closer James Kuczmiec, who started off with a wild pitch allowing courtesy runner Xavier Spencer to take third. Kuczmiec then chose the perfect time to attempt a pickoff attempt behind the runner, with Jarosz firing a strike to Joe Tirrell at the plate for the out.
Shawn Cali came right back with a double to center, but Kuczmiec got a hard line drive to first that Raider snagged and quickly fired to Digorgio at second for an inning-ending double play.
Franklin was fired up after getting out of the jam down by just one run. Cali quickly quelled the energy. He got a grounder to third baseman Braden Sullivan and then robbed Tirrell by getting a piece of a bouncing ball up the middle and making the throw to first while sitting on the mound.
Through the disappointment of the result, Brown was proud of his team’s season and the way the team came together this spring, “We hit a little speed bump early in the year and these seniors did a great job just bringing everyone together and staying the course. Twenty straight wins later, we’re sitting here with one game for a state title. Nothing to hang your head on, we wish the outcome was different but that’s baseball.”
Brayden Cali squeezed a pop up at second base for the final out, sparking celebrations and a dog pile on the mound. Taunton had knocked off the top seed and league champions and clinched just the second state title in program history.
“It’s not something that we harp on,” Bourque replied when asked about title aspirations coming into the season. “We can be successful without winning a state championship. Obviously it’s great to win, but we’re looking to develop young men. Seeing these guys in the community and how they represent Taunton baseball, that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Taunton Holds Off CM, Heading Back to Title Game
WORCESTER, Mass. – It hasn’t always been pretty for Taunton this season, but it has almost always been effective. The Tigers use a lot of arms, are aggressive on offense, and find ways to pull out wins. On Tuesday afternoon at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field on the campus of Holy Cross, Taunton showcased its will to win yet again.
Dawson Bryce drove in three runs, Ryan MacDougall and Colin Botelho combined for four scoreless innings of relief, and the Tigers pulled out an 8-4 victory over Catholic Memorial to reach the Div. 1 state title game for the second time in three seasons.
“I don’t think we have that true ace that some other teams that are this deep have,” admitted Taunton coach Blair Bourque, but what we do have is a lot of competitors and guys who compete on the mound, throw strikes, trust our defense, and they showed what they’re capable of tonight.”
He added, “I can’t say enough about the pitching staff, with the way they were swinging it we knew it was going to be a tough battle and they were up for the task.”
Taunton got off to a great start. Shawn Cali threw a perfect top of the first and the Tigers quickly got the bats going in the bottom half. Braden Sullivan lined a one-out single to get it started and MacDougall (2-for-3, two RBI) smashed a double to right to grab the lead. Bryce (3-for-4) reached on an infield hit and Allen Lewis singled to load the bases. Catcher Colby DeCouta would drive in his first run with a grounder to third.
CM responded in the second with clutch two-out hitting. Gabe Malaret led off with a single but Cali got a comebacker and a strikeout to be on the verge of getting out of the inning unscathed. After a walk, pinch hitter Brett Mulligan went the other way to score one and Conor Coulter followed suit to tie it at 2-2. Cali got his second strikeout to end the frame.
The Tigers showed off their two-out chops in the bottom of the second. CM starter Drew Delucia gave up a single to Evan Cali (2-for-3) but the leadoff man was caught trying to stretch the hit into a double. A strikeout followed and it looked like the Knights were going to have a quick inning.
Instead, Brayden Cali reached on an error and the Tigers would turn the mistake into three runs. Sullivan (2-for-4) reached on an infield single and MacDougall followed with an RBI hit. Bryce also drove in a run with a single to right. After Lewis walked to load the bases, DeCouta drew a walk to drive in his second run and put the Tigers up 5-2.
MacDougall took over on the mound to start the third and CM cut the lead to one. A pair of singles kicked off the inning and one run scored on an error, while the second came home on a double steal. MacDougall got a fly ball to right and a strikeout but a pair of walks put runners on every base. A grounder to second would end CM’s biggest threat of the day.
Following the fourth, MacDougall settled down and gave up only one infield single over two more clean innings before turning the ball over to Botelho for the sixth and seventh. It was an important stretch that allowed the game to settle down after the frenetic start.
Bourque said, “MacDougall has been our rock all year, offensively and defensively. He’s the Hock MVP for a reason. We trust him, he throws strikes, and he had a couple big RBI there. He’s a big boy and he puts us on his back.”
In the fifth, Taunton got a key insurance run again with two outs. Evan Cali turned on a pitch and lined a ball into the right field corner. He raced around on his way to third with a triple. The relay to third sailed and bounced into the CM dugout, allowing Cali to come home and double the advantage.
“We’re never out of it,” Bourque said his team’s penchant for rallying with two outs. “They’ve competed from an early age, they’re used to competing, and they’re blue collar kids who work really hard and I’m really proud of them.”
Taunton’s offense kept producing in the sixth. Brayden Cali reached on an error, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch. MacDougall was intentionally walked and Bryce made that decision a moot one by drilling a ball down the line in left, turning it into another triple and bringing in two more runs.
Botelho wouldn’t need the insurance. The senior struck out the side in the sixth and in the seventh, after allowing two runners in scoring position with no outs, he was able to settle down with a strikeout and line out. With two outs, he induced a grounder to MacDougall at first, sealing Taunton’s return to the title game.
“He was lights out today, especially in that sixth inning,” Bourque said of Botelho. “Came out and really shut them down, then we score a couple more runs to really gain the momentum. Obviously that allows a couple guys to get one without having a lot of pressure.”
Taunton (21-3) will face league rival Franklin, who beat Shrewsbury in Tuesday’s nightcap, in the final on Saturday at Lowell’s LeLacheur Park. The two teams split during the regular season, both winning on their home field, and will now get the chance to decide the season series at a neutral venue.
“Same thing we’ve done all year,” Bourque said when asked about how they would approach the final, regardless of who they matched up with. “There’s not many guys who’ve been in this spot before. We know it’s not going to be easy, we just have to go out and compete and leave it all out on the field like we’ve been doing.”
Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/11/22
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Division 1
#9 Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 @ #1 Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin scored all five of its runs between the fourth and fifth innings and senior Jacob Jette tossed a complete game shutout to lead the Panthers to a spot in the Division 1 Final Four. The Panthers had a run on in each of the first three innings before finally cashing in in the fourth inning, sparked by a leadoff single from Evan Raider. Pinch runner Jacob Crisileo moved to second on a ground out and then to third on a single from Jase Lyons. Eisig Chin smacked a two-run double to score the first two runs, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a squeeze bunt from Ben Jarosz. In the fifth, Ryan Gerety led off with a double, took third on a passed ball, and came home to score after a dropped third strike. Chris Goode, who earned a one-out walk and stole second, came in to score on an RBI single from Henry Digiorgio. Jette worked around a bases-loaded situation in the first, getting his second strikeout in the inning to end the frame. After that, he only allowed one hit (one-out single int he fifth) and one walk (lead off in the fourth) while retiring the side in order in the second, third, sixth and seventh innings, finishing with eight strikeouts. Franklin will play #4 Shrewsbury in the D1 Final Four with a date and time to be announced.
#10 Braintree, 0 @ #2 Taunton, 3 – Final – Behind a complete game shutout from Evan Cali and some timely hitting, Taunton blanked Braintree, 3-0, to advance to the Division 1 Final Four. Cali allowed just four hits and one walk, striking out one to deny the visiting Wamps. Offensively, Taunton took the lead with one run in the second inning and then pushed across a pair of runs in the fourth. Dawson Bryce smacked a double and came around to score on a single from AJ Lewis, and then singles from Lewis and Colby DeCouta put a pair of runners on in the the fourth and this time it was Shawn Cali who delivered the big hit, cranking a double to the outfield for two runs and a 3-0 lead. Taunton will play #3 Catholic Memorial in the D1 Final Four with a date and time to be announced.
Division 2
#7 Plymouth South, 3 @ #2 King Philip, 14 – Final – King Philip saw its early lead disappear in the top of the fourth inning, but the Warriors responded in a big way with 10 combined runs over the next two innings in a win over Plymouth South that booked a spot in the Division 2 Final Four against Hock rival Mansfield. KP seized a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-run single from junior Brendan Sencaj, who finished the day with six RBI for the Warriors, but Plymouth South cut the deficit in half with a run in the third and then took its first lead with two runs in the top of the fourth. Eli Reed got things started in the fourth by taking first after being hit with a pitch, and an error on Max Robison’s bunt put two runs on. An RBI double from Matt Kelley brought Reed home to make it 3-3, and after an intentional walk to Shawn Legere loaded the bases, Sencaj blasted a shot well over the center fielder’s head — a likely home run in most parks in the league — that turned into a three-run triple. A single from Rudy Gately added another run and gave KP a 7-3 lead. Gately (6IP, 3H, 3ER, 3BB, 3K) retired the side in the top of the fifth and the Warriors capitalized on the momentum with five more runs in the bottom half. Robison lined an RBI triple, Kelley drove in a run with a single, an error allowed Sencaj to reach and bring a run in, Matt DiFiore drew a bases loaded walk, and a sac fly from Sean Sullivan made it 12-3. Gately capped the scoring with a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth. King Philip will play #3 Mansfield in the D2 Final Four with a date and time to be announced.
#6 Hopkinton, 6 @ #3 Mansfield, 7 – Final – A strong start and a key run in the sixth inning lifted the Hornets to a win over Hopkinton and into the Division 2 Final Four, booking a date against Hock rival King Philip. Mansfield scored twice in the first inning and then added three more in the bottom of the second right after the visiting Hillers had scored twice to tie it. A run in the fourth extended the lead but Hopkinton scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to close within one run. Mansfield answered with what turned out to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth as Cian Goulet drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Conner Zukowski, who had reached on an error. Hopkinton threatened in the seventh with a leadoff single and a walk but the Hornets got a key force out at third on the same play the Hillers scored, and then got a grounder to first to end it. Jimmy Gilleran got the win on the mound, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and six walks, striking out seven while also helping his cause with a big three-run home run in the second inning. Connor Curtis came in and earned the save in 1.1 innings of work. Brian Butler had two hits and scored a run for the Hornets while Jake Maydak drove in a pair of runs with a hit and a walk. Mansfield will play #2 King Philip in the D2 Final Four with a date and time to be announced.
#21 Falmouth, 5 @ #4 North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Boys Lacrosse
Division 1
#10 North Andover, 7 @ #7 Franklin, 12 – Final – A dominant first half paved the way for Franklin in a win over North Andover, earning the Panthers a date with Lincoln-Sudbury in Round of 8. A pair of goals from Luke Davis and one from John Walshe presented the Panthers with a 3-0 lead after a quarter, and Franklin followed with a 6-0 second quarter to seize a 9-0 lead by halftime. A dominant defensive performance kept North Andover in check through three quarters, as Franklin took a 10-2 lead into the final frame. Davis finished with five goals, Jayden Consigli added a pair of goals and three helpers, and Tyler Sacchetti chipped in with a hat trick and an assist. Matt Corvi made 19 saves while Justin Alexander went 18-for-23 at the faceoff X. Franklin will travel to #2 Lincoln-Sudbury on Tuesday at 6:30.
Division 2
#24 Mansfield, 5 @ #8 North Attleboro, 11 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Matt Antonetti scored five goals and Brady Backner had a hat trick, as North earned its second win over Mansfield this season and its second win over a Hock opponent in the tournament to reach the D2 Elite Eight. It was the Hornets, who upset KP in round one, who got off to the quick start, as Grady Sullivan scored and assisted on an Andrew Burnham goal to make it 2-0. North would turn things around with a four-goal burst. Backner and Antonetti each scored twice in that run, with Clayton Billingkoff assisting on both Antonetti goals. Antonetti added his third in transition early in the second (North’s fifth straight goal) but that would be the lone goal of the quarter. Mansfield goalie Ryan DeGirolamo came up big on a pair of North breakaways and had five of his 15 saves in the quarter to keep the Hornets in it going into halftime. Drew Sacco took advantage of a turnover to get Mansfield within two just 20 seconds into the third, but North scored the next three to push the lead back to five. Antonetti again had the answer, first dodging from the X to his left and then getting space to fire in a righty shot. He then teed up Connor Ruppert for a bounce shot that went just under the bar. North kept rolling in the fourth with Jack Regan, Antonetti (from Backner) and Backner getting on the board. Tommy Smith and Sullivan also scored for the Hornets. North advances to the Elite Eight to face the winner of No. 1 Longmeadow and No. 16 Wakefield.
Girls Lacrosse
Division 1
#19 King Philip, 2 @ #3 Lincoln-Sudbury, 15 – Final – King Philip scored the first goal of the game to seize an early lead on the road but couldn’t keep pace with state powerhouse Lincoln-Sudbury. Seniors Julia Marsden, Haley Izydorczak, Lily Brown, Colleen Crowther, Margo Riley, Morgan Cunningham, Ally Peterson and Rachael Anderson all played well.
#22 Lexington, 2 @ #6 Franklin, 19 – Final – The Panthers pumped in a dozen goals in the first half and pitched a second half shutout in a big win over Lexington. Franklin raced out to an 8-2 lead with 10 minutes in the half and then outscored the visitors 4-0 before halftime for a 12-2 lead. Franklin went on to win the second half 7-0. Stella Regan scored five goals, including her the 100th of her career, and added an assist, Kaitlyn Carney also had five goals and one helper, while Katie Peterson (three goals, one assist) and Lindsay Atkinson (one goal, two helpers) also had a part in the attack. Head coach Kristin Guarino praised her defense for a great effort in the second half shutout.
Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/06/22
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Canton, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro took the lead with a run in the bottom of the second but Canton surged ahead with a three-run fourth, tacking on an insurance run in the fifth to take a 4-1 verdict on the road. Owen Taber had a leadoff double in the bottom of the second, moved to third on a groundout from Matt Harvie, and scored on a passed ball to make it 1-0. Canton jumped ahead on a two-run home run from Hayden Rose and Matt Lesser added a two-out RBI double in the same inning as the Bulldogs took a 3-1 edge. Matt Hart added a two-out RBI double to push across an insurance run in the fifth. Rose got the win on the mound, allowing just the one run (unearned) on three hits and two talks, striking out three in a complete game effort.
Foxboro, 1 @ Taunton, 7 – Final – Foxboro pushed across the first run of the game to stake a 1-0 lead through four innings of play but Taunton grabbed the lead away with two runs in the fifth and put the game away with a five-run sixth inning. Louis Carangelo doubled home Ryan LeClair to give the visiting Warriors a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth but a solo home run from Ryan MacDougall and an RBI single from Colby DeCouta in the bottom of the fifth had the hosts ahead. MacDougall added an RBI double to start the fifth, AJ Lewis brought in two runs with a single to left, and DeCouta recorded two more RBI with a base hit to left. Evan Cali earned the win on the mound, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out three in four innings of work. Shawn Cali pitched three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
North Attleboro, 7 @ King Philip, 6 – Final (9 inn.) – North Attleboro rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning to keep the game going, and then used aggressive base running in the ninth inning to score the winning run in a close game against King Philip. North pushed across a single run in each the second and third, but KP answered with two runs in the bottom half each time for a 4-2 lead. Rudy Gately had an RBI ground out in the bottom of the fifth as KP extended its lead to 5-2, which lasted until the final inning. North loaded the bases to start the seventh as Dillon Harding and Gavin Wells each singled and Aidan Conrad with hit by a pitch. Tyler Bannon drew a bases loaded walk and an infield error allowed Derek Maceda to reach and Wells to score to make it a one-run game at 5-4. A fielder’s choice allowed the tying run to come home and Danny Curran put the Rocketeers ahead with a sac fly. Shawn Legere walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh for KP, stole second, and scored after an error to force extra innings.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield senior Jimmy Gilleran capped a big comeback from the Hornets with a walk-off home run to left field in the bottom of the seventh inning. Oliver Ames jumped out to a 4-0 lead after just a half an inning but Gilleran, who also started on the bump, settled in and pitched six scoreless innings after that. The Hornets cut the lead in half with two runs in the third and then pushed two more acrsos in the fifth to tie the game, setting up Gilleran’s heroics in the final inning. Patrick Finnerty brought in two runs after reaching on an error, Joe Cicchetti drew a bases-loaded walk for another run, and Lucas Riley had an infield hit for an RBI to make it 4-0. Both Conner Zukowski (single) and Anthony Sacchetti (walk) came around to score on a pair of passed balls in the third to make it 4-2, and Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak had back-to-back RBI singles in the fifth to tie the game. Gilleran got the win, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks, striking out nine in a complete game effort.
Stoughton, 0 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Milford took the lead with two runs in the first inning and that was enough for junior Evan Cornelius, who tossed a complete game shutout to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a 6-0 win over Stoughton. Cornelius scattered five hits and two talks, striking out eight to get the win. Alex McColl put the hosts ahead with a two-run, two-out double in the bottom of the first, and that 2-0 lead lasted until the fifth inning. Damien Carter extended the advantage with an RBI single and Keith Lee added a two-out RBI double to make it 4-0 in favor of the hosts. Mason Baldic tacked on two key insurance runs with a two-run single in the sixth inning.
Softball
Attleboro, 12 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Riding the combination of timely hitting and good defense early, Attleboro picked up a 12-3 win on the road at Canton. The Bombardiers had 12 hits as a team and the first seven hitters in the lineup came around to score in a big first inning for the visitors. Attleboro tacked on four more runs in the fourth and one more in the seventh. Lauren Eby made her return to the lineup with a splash, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, Sarah Maher (two RBI), Kayla Goldrick (two RBI), and Emily Eby (RBI) each added two hits in the win and Lindsey Perry had one hit, two walks, and two RBI in the win. Lily Routhier picked up her fifth win of the season in the circle, scattering seven hits with four strikeouts for the win.
Taunton, 15 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton got off to a great start with six runs in the top of the first inning and then tacked on nine runs over the final three innings to take down Foxboro. Angie Lynch (five RBI, two runs, home run) and Kylie Thorpe (one RBI, three runs) paced the Tigers offense with three hits apiece, and Hayley Krockta had two hits, including a home run, and three RBI and two runs scored in the win. Liv Mendonca (3.1 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K) and Cate Larson (2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K) combined for the win on the mound for the Tigers.
King Philip, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Kelly Colleran set a new school record for strikeouts in a seven-inning game with 19, but the Warriors were able to get the one run of the game to sweep the season series with North. KP pushed across the lone run of the game in the top of the third as Maddie Paschke reached on an error to start the inning. Courtesy runner Liv Ali stole second and moved to third on a bunt single from Ava Lanza, who accounted for half of KP’s six hits on the day. Meg Sherwood then reached on a bunt single to bring in the lone run of the game. The Rocketeers had a chance to tie the game in the seventh with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with two outs but a bang-bang play at first ended things. For KP, sophomore Jordan Bennett tossed a complete game shutout, scattering six hit and a pair of walks while striking out nine. For North, Grace Simmons had a pair of hits and reached base three time, while Ally Levine, Mandi Hanewich, Shaelyn Burns, and Colleran each had one hit.
Mansfield, 12 @ Oliver Ames, 11 – Final – Mansfield pounded out 16 hits as a team and held off a furious OA rally in the final two innings to get the bounce back win on the road. The Hornets took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Callie Lake (five hits) singled and came in to score on a Cat Kipp groundout. Casey Moussette plated two more with a single. OA wasted no time getting back into the game, scoring six runs in their half of the first and making it 6-3. Mansfield closed within one with a pair of two-out runs in the third. Jill Koppy started the rally with a double and scored on a Julia Kelly base hit. Following singles by Olivia DeTrolio and Lake, Alanna Conley would make it 6-5 with a bases loaded walk. The game was tied in the fourth, Conley coming home on a deep sac fly by Molly Kucharski. The Hornets jumped back in front in the fifth. DeTrolio, Lake, and Kipp all reached and Liv Madeira drove in a run with a sac fly and Mansfield added two more to make it 9-6. The lead doubled in the sixth. Koppy (three hits) doubled in a run, Lake singled to score one, and Kipp’s base hit made it 12-6. OA nearly pulled off the comeback, scoring three times in the sixth (RBI double from Katherine Farley and a single from Maddie Homer [3-for-5, two RBI] plated two) and adding two more in the seventh (RBI single from Lexi Galsband and a sac fly from Emily Martin) but Mansfield was able to survive, stranding the tying run at second to take the victory. Katie Melendy had four hits, an RBI and two runs scored for OA.
Milford, 0 @ Stoughton, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Junior Kerry Driscoll tossed a five-inning no hitter for the Black Knights, striking out three to get the win. The defense backed Driscoll up in the circle as just the Hawks had just four base runners on the day. Offensively, Alyssa Edwards got the hosts off to a good start with a two-run home run and Stoughton scored in each of the next four innings. Driscoll and Maddie Hinds each had a pair of hits an an RBI while Sydney Menz (three walks, one HBP) scored three runs for the Knights. Camryn Whitman (triple), Julie Powers (double) and Melody Casna each chipped in with a hit.
Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 12 vs. Hopkinton, 1 – Final – Foxboro had eight players find the back of the net in a balanced scoring attack that led to a dominant win over Hopkinton. Lincoln Moore had a team-high thre goals, Conor Noone scored twice with three assists, and Tommy Sharkey had a multi-point effort with two goals and an assist. Finn Stapleton, Sully Kenneally, Ryan Cotter, Tony Sulham, John Sacchetti all added one goal for the Warriors.
North Attleboro, 7 @ King Philip, 8 – Final
Oliver Ames, 11 @ Middleboro, 6 – Final – Junior Ben Reardon recorded seven points to lead Oliver Ames to a big non-league win on the road at Middleboro. Reardon scored a hat trick and added four assists to pace the offense while Wyatt Fritchman scored four goals and Ryan Jaco scored twice in the win. Noah Isleib made 13 saves in net while defenders Kyle Szumylo, Cam Tower and Adams Becerra had strong games.
Girls Lacrosse
Canton @ Quincy – Postponed to TBD.
Foxboro, 11 @ Hopkinton, 8 – Final – Foxboro went on the road and picked up an impressive victory over Hopkinton as both Mya Waryas (two assists) and Paige Curran each scored three goals apiece. Val Beigel added two goals and two assists in the win while Mary Collins (two assists), Grace Riley, and Kate Collins each scored once. Audrey Campbell made seven saves in net for the Warriors.
King Philip, 19 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – Emily Campbell and Haley Bright combined to make six saves in net as King Philip rolled on the road at North Attleboro. Morgan Cunningham orchestrated the offense with six assists, scoring once as well, while Julia Marsden (two goals three assists) had five points and Julia Marsden added four goals.
Oliver Ames vs. Middleboro, 3:45
Sharon, 3 @ Holliston, 20 – Final – Bailey Garte continued her solid scoring form with a pair of goals for the Eagles and Anna Hertzel added the other. Sharon coach Shara Ginthwaine highlighted the effort of her defense, Serena Bien-Aime, Ava Jacobson, Keira Lydeard, and Lauren McLaughlin, for battling against the Panthers for the full 50 minutes.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Attleboro sophomore Tyler Rocchio overcame a one-set deficit to win two straight, clinching the third point to give Attleboro a 3-2 win over Canton. Rocchio grabbed a 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 win to clinch the victory at third singles. Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen added a 6-2, 6-1 first singles win and the Bombardiers also won in straight sets at second doubles. Max Kupferman (first singles) and Suraj Ramanathan (second singles) continued to roll, both winning in straight sets.
Taunton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final
King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Behind a pair of wins in singles action and one more in doubles, North Attleboro defended home court with a 3-2 win over King Philip. Senior Will Folan captured a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles and junior Brody Carter secured a 6-1, 6-4 win at second singles for the Big Red. Juniors Griffin Rodden and Brody Gaulin added a 6-2, 6-1 win to clinch the win for the hosts. Freshman Jackson Hom won 7-6 (15), 6-2 at third singles for KP and the team of Adam Gousie and Arjun Kollu earned a 6-3, 7-6 (1) win at second doubles.
Milford @ Stoughton, 3:45
Girls Tennis
Canton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro continued to have strong performances in doubles action and added another key win from third singles to knock off visiting Canton. Seniors Tina Lam and Saharla Yusuf continued to impress at first singles, overcoming a one-set deficit to earn a hard-fought 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory while the sophomore tandem of Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles. Attleboro junior Zoe Stanley added a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles to give the Bombardiers the edge. Canton’s Camila Cutter won 6-2, 6-4 at first singles while senior Laura Correal added a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-2 win at second singles.
Foxboro @ Taunton, 3:45
North Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip junior Ahunna James prevailed from a highly contested first singles match that went on for over two hours to help the Warriors claim a 3-2 win over North Attleboro. “Not many unforced errors by both players and the level of intensity was incredibly high,” said longtime KP tennis coach Bob Goldberg. “It was very high level tennis by both players.” James earned a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win for the point. KP also swept doubles play as senior Resha Ajoy and junior Lauren Casper used strong net play to secure a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles, and juniors Carlie Burns and Sammie Taylor played a consistent match for a 6-3, 6-1 verdict at second doubles.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – OA senior Elizabeth O’Brien won a third-set tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets to get the win and complete the sweep on the road for the Tigers. O’Brien prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 10-3 while Hannah Farber added a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and Mia Corradini secured a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles. Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-1, 6-3 victory at first doubles, and the team of Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles for OA.
Stoughton @ Milford, 3:45
Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Agawam, 0 – Final
Taunton @ Durfee, 5:15
Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/02/22
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Sharon, 4 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final (8 inn.) – After seeing its two-run lead disappear, Sharon tacked on two runs in the top of the eighth to get an extra-innings win on the road over Attleboro. The Eagles had a 2-0 lead after an inning of play but the Bombardiers put up one in the third and one in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Nate Yaffe led off with a walk and Ryan Baker reached on a bunt. A sac bunt from Will Hippler moved both runners up and Dan Okstein drove in Yaffe with an RBI single. Baker then came home on a double steal to put the Eagles ahead 4-2. Sophomore Luke Meixel got the win, tossing an eight-inning complete game. He allowed just one earned run on five hits and three walks, striking out four. Sharon took the lead in the first in similar fashion to how they scored in the eighth with Yaffe walking and Baker reaching on a bunt. Hipper had an RBI single and Baker came home to score on an error. Attleboro cut the deficit in half in the third when Cooper Johnson walked and courtesy runner Evan Houle came around to steal home. In the bottom of the seventh, Billy Saltmarsh had a lead off single and pinch runner Ethan Lako stole second, and took the next two bags, each on a passed ball.
Mansfield, 10 @ Canton, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield senior Anthony Sacchetti dazzled on the mound, allowing just one hit and one walk in five shutout innings of work to lead the Hornets to their fourth straight win. The Bulldogs had a two-out walk in the second and Matt Chafin had a leadoff single in the fourth, but Sacchetti retired the side in order in the first, third, and fifth innings and finished with eight strikeouts. Offensively, the Hornets continued to get the offense going early with three runs in the first, three more in the second, and two apiece in the third and fourth innings. Conner Zukowski (two hits, run), Matt DeShiro (two hits, two runs, walk), and Connor Curtis (hit, run) each drove in two runs for the Hornets.
Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final (10 inn.) – Foxboro senior Liam Mulkern had a one-out single with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Warriors walked off with a win over Milford. Jack Watts led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a walk to Louis Carangelo. After a strikeout, Tom Marcucella drew a walk to load the bases and Mulkern hit a 1-1 pitch into left to bring in Watts for the win. Sean O’Leary got the win in relief, tosing 5.1 shutout innings with just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. Matheiu Sullivan got the start for the Warriors, allowing one earned run on three hits and two talks, striking out three in 4.2 innings. Foxboro took the first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth when Kenny Mello tripled and then scored on a wild pitch. Milford answered in the top of the fifth when Grant Scudo walked, was sacrificed over to second by Tyler Lane, and scored on an RBI double from freshman Ian Carter. Junior Tyler Caldon was strong on the mound for the Hawks, allowing just one run in eight innings, with just five hits and two walks along with 11 strikeouts.
Franklin, 8 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Holding a 1-0 lead after four innings, Franklin scored seven runs over the final three innings to pull away for an 8-0 victory on the road at Stoughton. The Panthers had 11 hits as a team with Ryan Gerety (two RBI, run), Jack Marino (RBI, run), and Joe Tirrell each recording two apiece. Jace Lyons recorded three RBI on the day while Marino, Chris Goode, and Evan Raider each drove in one. Jacob Jette earned the win on the mound with six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts for the win. Evan Voellmicke tossed a scoreless inning in relief, walking one and striking out three.
King Philip, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip scored once in the fourth, twice in the sixth, and then exploded for six runs in the seventh to secure a big win on the road at Frothingham. Senior Quin Garstka had the best start of his career, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven for the win. Matt DiFiore drew a two-out bases loaded walk to bring Brendan Sencaj home for the first run of the game in the fourth. The Warriors plated two more two-out runs in the sixth as Max Robison had an RBI double to score Rudy Gately (walk) and Robison eventually came around to score on a wild pitch after back-to-back walks to DiFiore and Eli Reed. KP loaded the bases again in the seventh and Will Astorino was hit by a pitch to bring in a run, Robison drove in a pair with another double, Reed plated two with a double of his own, and Travis Crawford had an RBI triple to left to make it 9-0.
Taunton, 10 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton junior Ryan MacDougall tossed a one-hit six inning shutout while striking out nine and the Tigers used a seven-run sixth inning to put the game away. MacDougall issued just two walks with the lone hit coming with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Offensively, Taunton took a 1-0 lead in the third on a solo home run from Braden Sullivan, and then pushed the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs (MacDougall and Evan Cali RBI). Dawson Bryce cleared the bases with a three-run triple in the top of the sixth, Sullivan brought in two more, Colby DeCouta had an RBI, and AJ Lewis singled in the final run to make it 10-0.
Softball
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 17 – Final (5 inn.)
Canton, 5 @ Mansfield, 17 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield erased a five-run deficit by scoring 11 runs in the fourth inning, all with two outs, to take the win over the visiting Bulldogs. Canton went up 1-0 in the third and tacked on four more in the fourth for a 5-0 lead but the Hornets’ bats came alive to surge ahead. With the bases loaded in the bottom half, Cate Kipp had an RBI single, Callie Lake and Liv Madeira drew back-to-back walks, and Casey Mousette (two hits, three RBI) had a two-run hit. After two walks loaded the bases again, Molly Kucharshi (three hits, four RBI) had a bases-clearing double for a 9-5 lead. Olivia DeTrolio added a two-run single two at-bats later for an 11-5 lead. The Hornets stayed hot in the fifth as well with Mousette, Alanna Conley, Jill Koppy (two RBI), and Kucharski all driving in runs. Amanda Schwarz and Julia Kelly shared pitching duties for the Hornets, allowing seven hits.
Foxboro, 9 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Peyton Feldman shined defensively for the Warriors, setting the tone in a 9-2 win on the road. Feldman put the end to a Milford rally with a terrific diving play up the middle, and also turned a double playe later on with a great catch on a ball destined for the outfield. Emma Callahan got the win in the circle. Milford sophomore Camille Bonina had two hits, including a double, and an RBI for the Scarlet Hawks.
Stoughton, 5 @ Franklin, 11 – Bottom 4th (Delay)
Oliver Ames, 4 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Lexi Galsband blasted a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to put the Tigers ahead 2-1 but KP responded with three runs in the bottom half and three more in the fifth and emerged with a win over a game OA squad. After Galsband’s blast, KP’s Liv Petrillo answered with a two-run double to put the hosts back ahead, and two at-bats later, Sarah Cullen followed with a two-out RBI double for a 4-2 lead. In the fifth, Meg Sherwood sent a leadoff solo shot over the fence in left and two batters later, Taylor Regan drove one just inside the foul poll for another solo shot. Charlotte Raymond singled, stole second, and scored on an RBI ground out from Mia Bennett for a 7-2 lead. OA got one back in the sixth on an RBI single from Emily Martin, and Caitlin Miller drove in a run with a two-out single in the seventh. The Tigers brought the tying run to the plate but Jordan Bennett got a ground out to second for the final out.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 16 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton belted out 15 hits and stole seven bases on its way to a big win over visiting North Attleboro. North took a 1-0 lead after an inning but the Tigers pushed across six run in the seven and scored multiple runs in each of the next five innings. Senior Katelyn Bizarro led the charge with a team-high four hits and scored three runs while Ava Venturelli went 3-for-4, with a home run and two doubles, driving in three and scoring three. Brooke Aldrich, Liv Mendonca, and Cate Larson all drove in a pair of runs in the win as well. Larson got the win on the circle, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and no walks, striking out six in six innings of work. North senior Shaelyn Burns went 3-for-3 on the day, including a double, and drove in three runs.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 11 @ Sharon, 13 – Final – Sharon used a balanced attack with six different goal scorers to earn a close win over visiting Attleboro. Ben Shocket (24-for-28 on faceoffs) and Brady Daylor each had three goals to lead the charge, Sam Rothbaum, Ryan Brown, and Edward Bondar each scored twice, and Matt Harsfield added one goal in the win. Matt Powers made eight saves in net for the Eagles.
Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 8 – Final
King Philip, 12 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – For Foxboro, Conor Noone (three assists) and Tony Sulham each had a hat trick, Lincoln Moore added two goals, and Dylan Kerrigan and Jon Sacchetti each scored once.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 24 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 2 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final – For Sharon, Bailey Garte scored both goals.
Canton, 10 @ Mansfield, 9 – Final – Canton built a four-goal lead at halftime but had a to hold off a pesky Mansfield squad for a one-goal win on the road. The Bulldogs took a 6-2 lead at the break but the Hornets continually came back, making it a one-goal game at 7-6, 8-7, 9-8, and eventually the final score of 10-9. Ella Yeaton led the offense with four goals, Fay Gallery added two goals and two assists, Emily McCabe scored a hat trick, Allie McCabe chipped in with one goal, and Devan Spinale had one helper. Elyse Broderick made five saves in net for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 9 @ King Philip, 10 – Final – King Philip built a four-goal lead at halftime and then held off second half push from Foxboro to secure a key league win. Lily Brown (one assist), Makenzie McDevitt, and Abby MacDonald each scored a pair of goals to lead KP’s balanced attack. Both McDevitt (eight draw controls) and Julia Marsden (five controls, one goal) did well on the draw while Haley Izydorczak (one goal, four assists) helped set the offense in motion. Emily Campbell had a huge game in net for the hosts, making eight saves to help KP hold on for a one-goal win. Foxboro also had a balanced attack with Mya Waryas, Paige Curran (assist), Val Beigel (two assists), and Cate Noone finding the back of the net twice apiece. Mary Collins added one goal and Audrey Campbell had five saves in net for Foxboro.
Franklin, 20 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final
Taunton, 6 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Milford’s Aislinn Bennett scored five goals as the Scarlet Hawks picked up their second straight win at home, this time over visiting Taunton. Emily Croteau added two goals in the win while Carly Haley, Jill Araujo, Jordan Douglas, Erin Michelson (three assists), and Ava Lebel (first career goal) each found the back of the net once. Caitlyn Bangert made six saves in net while junior Molly Hartman had a standout performance defensively. For Taunton, Cali Melo scored a team-high four goals while Maddison Szala and Caroline Vallarelli each scored once for the Tigers.
Boys Tennis
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and took all five matches in straight sets to take down the Bombardiers. Matthew Lally picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at first singles, Alex Budovalcev added a 6-3, 6-0 decision at second singles, and Jacob Slavsky secured a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles. In doubles action, Mitch Weiss and Ruemon Bhattacharyya continued their stellar season with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Savir Basil and Sava Kassev added a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Canton @ Mansfield – Delayed
Foxboro @ Milford, 3:45
Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Behind two wins from singles action and two wins in doubles play, Franklin defended home court against visiting Stoughton. Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 sweep at first singles while sophomore Ahan Shetty added a 6-4, 6-0 win at third singles for the Panthers. At first doubles, the team of seniors Tim O’Keefe and Aidan Karlowicz grabbed a 6-0, 6-4 win while the team of sophomore Jay Gorgas and junior Tyler Fitzpatrick emerged with a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Stoughton senior Anish Sinha prevailed 6-3, 6-0 at second singles.
Oliver Ames @ King Philip, 3:45
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon freshmen Jenny Sand and Grace Zhang rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a win at second doubles, completing the Eagles’ 5-0 sweep of Sharon. Sand and Zhang prevailed 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 while Sharon’s first doubles team of seniors Ritu Sreeram and Sasha Fein secured a 6-0, 6-1 win. Sophomore Navya Shukla earned a hard-fought 6-4, 6-3 win at first singles, junior Ale Aguilar grabbed a 6-4, 6-3 win t second singles, and freshman Judy Song was victorious, 6-1, 6-1, at third singles.
Mansfield, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Mansfield took both doubles matches and added one more win in singles action to grab a 3-2 decision on the road at Canton. Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey grabbed a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles for the Hornets and Alexis O’Keefe and Claire Copp added a 6-2, 6-2 victory at second doubles. Caroline Guralage was the lone Hornet to win in singles action, prevailing 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. Canton’s Camila Cutter earned a 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and Laura Correal added a win at second singles.
Milford @ Foxboro, 3:45
Franklin, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Franklin went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to take down host Stoughton. Izzy Trull (6-0, 6-1), Vedika Vinayak (6-0, 6-1), and Sarah Schiavo (6-4, 6-3) all won in singles action for the Panthers. In doubles action, the team of Chloe Essam and Shriya Rajesh picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while Chloe Fales teamed up with Ava Davies for a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second doubles.
King Philip, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames continued its recipe for success with a sweep of doubles play and another win at third singles to take down visiting King Philip. Seniors Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while the team of juniors Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli took a 6-2, 6-3 decision at second doubles for the Tigers. Elizabeth O’Brien was the lone OA win in singles action, taking a 6-3, 6-4 victory. KP sophomore Shea Mellman earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles. First singles did not finish due to weather.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Norton, 5:00
Milford, 2 @ Natick, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. Barnstable, 5:15
Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/20/22
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Foxboro, 3 vs. Milton, 6 – Final – Foxboro scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to make it a one run game, but Milton pulled away with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sean O’Leary and Tyler Prescott (run) each had two hits for the Warriors, who had 10 total hits as a team. Louis Carangelo drove in two runs while Liam Mulkern added one RBI for Foxboro.
Franklin, 4 vs. Catholic Memorial, 2 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to break open a tie game and tacked on a key insurance run an inning later to take down Catholic Memorial, snapping a three-game skid. Tied 1-1, Joe Tirrell drilled a solo home run to left on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning to put the Panthers back in front. Jack Marino followed with a one-out single, took third on an error, and scored on a single from Evan Raider to put the Panthers ahead 3-1. CM struck with two outs in the next inning to get back within a run but Tirrell reached on a dropped third strike, courtesy runner Luke Sidwell stole second and took third on a passed ball, and scored when Ryan Gerety reach on an error to make it 4-2. Jacob Jette tossed a complete game for the win, allowing two runs (none earned) on five hits and no walks, striking out six.
Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 3 – Final – After surrendering three runs in the top of the second inning, Oliver Ames pushed across four runs in the bottom half and held that lead the rest of the way in a non-league win over Dighton-Rehoboth. Nathan Carpentier (2-for-3) had an RBI single to plate Jake Waxman (leadoff single), Nick Ferrini drew a bases loaded walk to score Jack Muir (HBP), Jack Morley grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring Joe Cicchetti (HBP) home, and courtesy runner Brendan Connolly took home on a double steal to make it 4-3. Nick Clark had a strong outing on the mound, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks, striking out six in six innings of work. Ian Kelly allowed one hit but struck out one to record the save.
King Philip, 2 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and Ryan MacDougall limited the Warriors to their lowest runs scored this season to emerge with the win in a battle of unbeatens. MacDougall tossed a complete game, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out one in the win. KP struck first in the top of the first inning after an RBI single from Shawn Legere scored Travis Crawford (leadoff double). Taunton had an immediate response with three runs in the bottom half. Dawson Bryce (triple) scored on a single from MacDougall, and courtesy runner Brayden Cali came home on a sac fly from Colby DeCouta, and AJ Lewis smacked a two-out RBI double to put Taunton ahead 3-1. In the bottom of the fifth, Braden Sullivan had a two-run single to bring both Bryce (single) and MacDougall (single) in to extend the lead to 5-1. KP got one back in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Brendan Sencaj. The Warriors brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh but MacDougall induced a grounder for the final out.
Sharon, 8 @ Brookline, 3 – Final – Sharon saw a two-run lead vanish in the third inning but responded with two runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to break into the win column with a victory on the road over Brookline. Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, Jack Broughton hit a one-out RBI double to bring in the tying run and Palash Raina put the Eagles ahead with a sac fly to score Dylan Labbe (HBP). Dan Okstein tripled in the first run of the fifth, Ryan Baker followed with an RBI single, Broughton drew a bases loaded walk three at-bats later, and the Eagles tacked on another run with a passed ball. Sophomore Luke Meixel was strong on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and four walked in 5.1 innings, striking out six for the win. Baker tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Natick, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Tyler DeMattio had a pair of hits, including a double, and drove in two runs while Derek Maceda also chipped in with a pair of hits for the Rocketeers.
Softball
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan, 11:00
Franklin, 3 @ Walpole, 6 – Final
Mansfield, 3 vs. Bay Path, 1 – Final – Mansfield earned its first win of the season by handing Bay Path its first loss. Julia Kelly went the distance in the circle, allowing six hits, striking out five, and keeping Bay Path scoreless for the final six innings. The Hornets trailed 1-0 into the fourth. Liv Madeira singled and moved to third on a Casey Moussette base hit. Jill Koppy dropped down a well-placed bunt to bring in the tying run. It stayed 1-1 into the sixth thanks to solid defense from the Hornets. Alanna Conley threw out a runner at the plate in the fifth and Koppy caught a runner stealing second in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half of the inning, Mousette singled and pinch runner Reilley Slaney went from first-to-third on a single by Koppy. Pinch hitter Olivia Bovey came through with the big hit, singling in both runners to put the Hornets up 3-1.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ East Bridgewater, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames overcame an early deficit and Katie Melendy pitched a complete game, shutting out the Vikings over the final six innings for a win on the road. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead (Maddie Homer squeeze bunt to score Caitlin Miller) in the top of the first but the Vikings plated two in the bottom half for the lead. In the top of the third, OA surged back ahead with Miller scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single from Lexi Galsband. Miller came in to score a key insurance run on another wild pitch in the top of the fifth. Melendy allowed the two runs on just five hits and two walks, striking out eight in the win.
Stoughton, 8 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final – Alyssa Edwards continued to swing a hot bat for the Black Knights, going 3-for-3 with a homer, to lead Stoughton to the non-league win. Kerry Driscoll went the distance to pick up her sixth win, allowing six hits and striking out five. Edwards got Stoughton off to a good start with a two-run homer in the first, added an RBI triple, and then led off the sixth with a double. Camryn Whitman had an RBI triple and Driscoll, Sydney Menz, Melody Casna, Julie Powers, and Angie Berry all had hits in the win.
Boys Lacrosse
Sharon, 7 @ Dedham, 5 – Final – Brady Daylor continued his strong start to the season and the Eagles picked up a key non-league win on the road over Dedham. Daylor scored five goals while Ben Shocket (9-for-16 faceoffs) and Jace Nestler each scored once in the win.
Taunton Takes Seesaw Battle With Franklin
TAUNTON, Mass. — In a back-and-forth seesaw battle between two of the top teams in the Hockomock League, the Taunton baseball team emerged with a quality win over visiting Franklin.
Franklin built a pair of leads but Taunton erased both of them, using a three-run fifth inning to take the lead for good in a 7-5 win.
The Panthers seized a 2-0 edge in the top of the second inning only for the Tigers to answer with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Franklin’s offense struck for two runs in the third to tie it and took the lead once again with a single run in the fourth, but Taunton rallied for a second time by plating three runs in the fifth.
Taunton baseball
“We knew we were going to be in for a good one today,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “Franklin is always a perennial powerhouse so we knew what we were getting into. I told them the guys before the game they might get punched in the mouth, and I wanted to see how they’d respond. I was really proud of them for having good, quality at-bats. We were moving guys over, hitting the ball hard, putting pressure on them.
“It’s a great group, really hard working. I can’t say enough about the camaraderie, really happy to be coaching them.”
Trailing 5-4 and down to the final nine outs in the bottom of the fifth, junioe Dawson Bryce hustled down the first base line and slid in head-first for a leadoff infield single. Two pitches later, junior Ryan MacDougall smacked his second single of the day to put the go-ahead run on base.
Senior Colby DeCouta delivered the biggest of the game, driving a double to the outfield to bring in both runs for a 6-5 lead. An error allowed DeCouta to move up to third and two batters later, junior Brady Boucher laid down the squeeze bunt to bring DeCouta home for a key insurance run.
“It’s about piecing things together, and we had some fundamental baseball with some small ball,” Bourque said. “We work on it quite a bit and even though Brady’s hitting the ball pretty well, we felt like we wanted to make sure we get that run across and he did a great job and it was great execution, both Brady’s bunt, and Colby’s read. Having that two-run lead is huge, that’s really important. That comes from doing the little things.
“I give a lot of credit to Colby, he’s the leader on the team right now. He got them together and got them going, making sure we were confident in our ability to come back. I think we have one of the better offensive teams that we’ve had in a while. Colby’s a leader behind the plate, and on the bench, and he deserves a lot of credit for making sure, mentality-wise and confidence-wise, that they could come back.”
MacDougall, who took over in the top of the fourth inning, stranded a runner on third with a strikeout to end the sixth inning. Franklin kept fighting until the end, as Ben Jarosz (walk) and Henry Digiorgio (single) both reached with two outs but MacDougall ended the game with his seventh strikeout.
Taunton baseball
MacDougall finished with just one run allowed, as the first batter he faced — Ryan Gerety — singled and scored on a base hit by Evan Raider. The only other hit he allowed was to Digiorgio just before the final out.
Taunton senior Evan Cali started on the mound and pitched three solid innings, allowing four runs but just two earned while striking out three.
“We don’t really have that number one [pitcher],” Bourque said. “Evan’s a great pitcher, Ryan’s a great pitcher but in years past, we’ve had college-level pitching, we don’t have that this year. So we’re going to have to trust our defense, put the ball in play, and help them out as much as we can. We need the pitchers to throw strikes and they did that today.
“Evan did a great job keeping us in the game early, his pitch count started to get a little high. Ryan came in and did really well. We were able to come back and put a couple runs on the board.”
Jarosz laced a one-out double in the top of the second and came around to score two at-bats later on a double from Joe Tirrell. Gerety followed with a hard hit ball over the right fielder’s head for a triple, scoring speedy courtesy runner Luke Sidwell to make it 2-0.
Taunton baseball
Braden Sullivan led off the bottom half of the inning with a walk and moved to third on a base hit by Shawn Cali, who took second on the throw. A ground ball snuck past third and stayed fair for Boucher, bringing Sullivan home. Jack Gobin followed with a base hit of his own to tie the game, and Andrew Cali reached safely on a bunt.
With the bases loaded, Evan Cali brought a run home on a fielder’s choice with the force out at second. Bryce added another single for the Tigers, bringing Taunton’s fourth run of the inning home.
Franklin chipped away at the lead right away as Raider and Eisig Chin both reached on infield errors by the Tigers. Jase Lyons made them pay with an RBI single to right field to cut the deficit down to one. With runners on the corners and two outs, Digiorgio delivered a single to bring the tying run home to make it 4-4.
Franklin starter Jacob Jette (4.1IP, 9H, 4K, 1BB) retired the side in order in the bottom of the third, sandwiching a pair of fly balls to the outfield around a web gem of a catch from Jarosz at third.
Gerety singled, Jack Marino walked, both runners moved up on a ground out from Chris Goode, and Raider drove one up the middle to bring Gerety home to give Franklin its second lead of the game, 5-4.
“This is always a tough place to come play, they have a great club,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “We knew coming into the game it was going to be back-and-forth, you know that’s real competition. They do good things, we do good things. Unfortunately at the end of the pendulum today, they had the upper hand.
“But what I really liked from our guys is they kept fighting. They could have folded but even down to two outs, we were scrapping and clawing to get the tying run on base with a chance there at the end. It didn’t go our way today but we’ll learn from it and hopefully, it will fuel our desire to continue to work hard during practice and heighten our attention to detail.”
Taunton baseball (3-0 Hockomock, 3-0 overall) will hit the road on Wednesday for a trip to Canton. Franklin (3-1, 3-1) is on the road again on Wednesday with a trip to Community Field to take on North Attleboro on tap.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
By HockomockSports.com Staff
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Attleboro
2021 Record: 5-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.
It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.
Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.
In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.
“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”
Canton
2021 Record: 8-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.
The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.
“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”
Foxboro
2021 Record: 5-10
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.
Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.
Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.
Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.
“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”
Franklin
2021 Record: 16-2
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.
Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.
King Philip
2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.
King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.
Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.
“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”
Mansfield
2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.
The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.
“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”
Milford
2021 Record: 5-9
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.
Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.
The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.
“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”
North Attleboro
2021 Record: 12-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.
Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.
One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”
Oliver Ames
2021 Record: 9-6
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.
A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.
“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”
Sharon
2021 Record: 3-12
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.
It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.
Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”
Stoughton
2021 Record: 4-10
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.
Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.
Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.
“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”
Taunton
2021 Record: 13-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.
The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.
Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.
“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”
Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/23/21
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
D1 South
#8 Norwood, 7 @ #1 Franklin, 11 – Final – Franklin’s offense stayed hot in the postseason as the Panthers pushed across double-digit runs for the second straight game (and sixth time this season) in an 11-7 win over upset-minded Norwood, the #8 seed in the bracket. Franklin built a four-run lead (6-2) through the first four innings but the Mustangs rallied to tie the game with a four-run fifth inning. Franklin responded with five runs in the bottom half and never looked back to book its spot in the D1 South semifinals. Franklin received contributions from up and down the lineup with Nate Cooke (run, RBI) and Jack Marino (run, two RBI) each recording a pair of hits in the win. Chris Goode added two runs on two walks, a hit, and an RBI, Ryan Gerety and Luc Boudreau each scored a pair of runs, Jake Fitzgibbons smacked an RBI double, and Ben Jarosz had an a hit, a walk, and an RBI. James Kuczmiec earned the win in relief, tossing 1.1 innings with one run allowed on one hit and two walks, striking out one. Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone was had a strong start, allowing two runs on four hits over four innings without issuing a walk. Franklin will play #13 seed BC High on Friday at 7:00.
#7 Taunton, 13 @ #2 Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Taunton had one of its best showings of the season, tying a season-high with 13 runs while blanking the #2 seed Bridgewater-Raynham to advance to the D1 South Semifinals. On the mound, senior Danny MacDougall tossed six shutout innings, working around four hits and three walks while striking out three in the win. And offensively, MacDougall had a pair of hits, driving in one run while scoring four times. Sophomore Ryan MacDougall had a big day a the dish for the Tigers, who scored single runs in the first and second innings, twice in the fourth, three times in the sixth, and put the game away for good with six runs in the top of the seventh inning. The younger MacDougall had three hits on the day, driving in five runs — one on an RBI single in the first, two on a base hit in the fourth, and two more in the sixth. Alyjah Marshall recored three RBI and a run, Dawson Bryce had three hits, three runs, and two RBI, Braden Sullivan added two hits and two RBI, and Colby DeCouta scored once and had two hits in the win. Taunton will travel to #3 Xaverian in the D1 South Semifinals on Friday at 4:00.
D2 South
#8 North Attleboro, 17 @ #1 Nauset, 9 – Final (8 Inn.) – Down to its last out in the seventh inning, North Attleboro rallied to tie the game to force extras, where the Rocketeers pulled away to earn a big win over previously undefeated Nauset. In another roller coaster, back-and-forth contest, North scored twice in the final frame to stay alive. Christian Bates was hit by a pitch to lead off, Jared Penta singled to left to move pinch runner Eric Malcolmson to second and sophomore Derek Maceda was intentionally walked to load the bases. Junior Gavin Wells, who had the game-winning hit against OA in the opening round, hit a two-out, two-run single to center to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning. North senior Aidan Weir tossed a scoreless seventh inning to force extras as sophomore Aidan Conrad threw a runner out at second to end the inning. In the top of the eighth, Penta (four hits) plated Tyler Bannon with a single down the third base line to give North a 10-9 advantage. North went on to score seven more runs on four hits, six walks, and two hit batters. In total, the Rocketeers recorded 15 hits, 14 walks and three hit batters, bringing in 16 of the 17 runs on an RBI. North jumped out to an early lead (4-0 on a hit, error, and six walks) but Nauset battled back to tie the game 5-5 after three innings. The Warriors took their first lead in the top of the fifth but Maceda stroked a two-run single to put North back in front, 7-6, in the sixth. Nauset took a 9-7 lead with a three-run home. Weir closed the game out in the bottom of the tenth with a pair of ground outs and a strikeout. North Attleboro will play again on Friday, scheduled for a 4:00 PM start against the winner of #4 Dighton-Rehoboth and #5 Hopkinton.
Softball
D1 South
#9 Walpole, 0 @ #1 Taunton, 9 – Final – Taunton jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs in the first inning and added runs in four of the next five innings to take down the visiting Timberwolves of Walpole. The Tigers scored a pair of runs in each the first, third, fifth and sixth innings, tacking on a single run in the fourth. Meanwhile, senior Kelsey White continued her dominance in the circle with another complete game shutout. In seven innings, White allowed four hits and one walk while striking out 15 batters. Offensively, the Tigers had nine hits with White smacking a pair of home runs, driving in a total of four. Senior Hanna Aldrich had three runs, including a triple and a home run, finishing with three RBI. McKenzie McAloon added a hit and an RBI for Taunton. Taunton will host Hock rival and #4 seed King Philip on Thursday at 7:00.
#5 Plymouth North, 3 @ #4 King Philip, 9 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
#10 Mansfield, 5 @ #7 Silver Lake, 8 – Final – Mansfield tried to mount a seventh inning comeback but was unable to erase a five-run deficit and saw its playoff run come to an end at Silver Lake. The Hornets trailed 8-3 heading to the final inning, but Callie Lake doubled, pinch hitter Olivia Harnden walked, and Jill Koppy singled to bring in a run. With two runners on, Casey Moussette hit a deep fly ball, but it stayed in play for the center fielder. It was Mansfield that got off to a good start to the game, with a pair of two-out runs in the first. Koppy started the rally by getting by a pitch, Moussette singled, and Molly Kucharski brought both runs in with a single. The Hornets pushed the lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a Nicole Kobasa double and an Alanna Conley RBI single. Silver Lake was able to score twice to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning and went ahead with four runs in the fifth.
D2 South
#12 Foxboro, 5 @ #4 Notre Dame Academy, 0 – Final – Emma Callahan struck out six and allowed only two hits to record a shutout and keep Foxboro’s playoff run going. Fiona Dunn had a big hit from the seven-hole, leadoff hitter Peyton Feldman scored a pair of runs, and Morgan Sylvestre had a sac fly with a deep fly to center. Foxboro coach Mark Maguire said, “We took advantage of some mistakes to get some runs and we’re on to the semis.” The Warriors will travel to top seed Middleboro on Thursday at 6:30.
Boys Lacrosse
D1 South
#9 Wellesley, 5 @ #1 Franklin, 10 – Final – Click here for a Recap and a Photo Gallery from this game.
Girls Lacrosse
D1 East
#5 Lincoln-Sudbury, 7 @ #1 Franklin, 10 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Boys Tennis
D1 South
#3 Sharon, 0 @ #2 Brookline, 5 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Central
#6 Wachusett, 0 @ #2 Milford, 3 – Final – Milford will host #9 seed Lincoln-Sudbury in the Central sectional final on Friday at 5:00.