Tag: Jack Moynihan

Taunton’s Comeback Comes Up Short Against Durfee

Taunton Tyler Medeiros delivers a pitch against Durfee. (Cameron Merritt/HockomockSports.com)
By Cameron Merritt, HockomockSports.com Contributor

TAUNTON, Mass. – For the 11th-seeded Durfee Hilltoppers, the third time was the charm.

The team from Fall River defeated #6 Taunton Tigers, 7-6, in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 South tournament on Thursday, after the Tigers had taken the two regular season meeting games against their non-league rivals this year.

“Today was one of those days where we tried to pick up each other, we came together as a team, we fought, but they were just the better team today,” said Taunton coach Blair Bourque. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We came to play and left everything on the field, [we] just came up a little short today.”

The Hilltoppers put up three runs in the third and four in the fourth to forge their path to victory. The visitors saw important offensive contributions from several players, including second baseman Nate Ladeira, who went 3-for-3 with three singles, two runs, a walk and an RBI. Right fielder Remy Dumont also impressed for the visitors, going 2-for-3 with a run, a walk and a stolen base.

On the mound, starter Tommy Lambert took the win, going 5.2 innings giving up nine hits, six runs, and two walks while striking out five. In relief, third baseman Ethan Ferreira moved over to the mound and tossed 1.1 innings giving up a hit and a walk while striking out two.

For the Tigers, a handful of players impressed at the plate, starting with the leadoff batter, center fielder Trevor Pietrzyk, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk, and two stolen bases. Designated hitter turned pitcher Tyler Medeiros also went 2-for-3 with two runs, in addition to a double and two RBI while left fielder Logan Lawrence went 2-for-4 with a three RBIs, a run, and a home run.

For the Taunton pitchers, starter Jack Moynihan gave up three runs, four hits and a pair of walks while striking out three for the no decision. The loss was charged to reliever Josh Lajoie.

Medeiros finished the game for Taunton, giving up three hits, a run (unearned) and a walk while striking out three in 3.2 innings.

The game began fairly the same for both teams, as they both lead off the first with hits only to see themselves come out of the inning scoreless as the pitchers battled back.

Durfee put themselves on the board in the top of the third inning as Ladeira walked, Dumont singled and left fielder Lucas Sousa was hit by a pitch to load up the bases for the Hilltoppers. In that scenario, first baseman Curtis Perry delivered a double that scored the first two, and a wide throw to the plate by Lawrence that went out of bounds allowed Sousa to cross the plate and gave the visitors a 3-0 lead.

The Tigers, however, were quick to respond.

Right fielder Evan Melo and Pietrzyk hit back-to-back singles, and an overthrow on a steal attempt allowed Melo to come home, and Medeiros drove in Pietrzyk a batter later to make it 3-2.

On the next at-bat, a double deep to right by Lawrence some Medieros come home all the way from first, tying the game back up at 3-3 as the third inning came to a close.

Lajoie took over on the mound in the fourth inning but ran into some early trouble, hitting the first two batters he faced and gave up an RBI single to the third, Ladeira, to give Durfee a lead they would never relinquish.

A wild pitch advanced both designated hitter Brett Fonseca and Ladeira into scoring position, in time for Dumont to send them both home off a deep single to the left center gap, making it 6-3.

After the hit, Medeiros took the mound in relief. An infield single bunt by Lambert plated Dumont, and the Hilltoppers came out of the inning with a 7-3 lead over their hosts.

The Tigers still were hungry, and not ready to go down without a fight.

In the bottom of the fifth Pietrzyk drew a one-out walk and stole second to put himself in scoring position. A hard-hit double by Medeiros drove the outfielder in, and he himself would cross home as Lawrence sent a deep shot over the left field fence by the foul pole for a two-run home run, leaving the Tigers trailing the Hilltoppers by just a run.

That run, however, would never come for the hosts. After threatening with second baseman Griffin Tomaszycki on third, Durfee swapped their starter for Ferreira, who closed out the inning and kept the Taunton mostly at bay for the next couple of innings.

For the Tigers, Medeiros was able to get himself into a groove, including striking out three out of four batters he faced during one strand.

The Hilltoppers nearly added another run in the top of the seventh as Ferreira tried tagging up to home on a Fonseca pop out to left, but Lawrence had different plans as he sent a strong, accurate throw to catcher Andrew Gomes at the plate to beat the runner and turn a routine fly into a double play.

Durfee moves on now to the MIAA D1 South Quarter Finals, where the #11 Hilltoppers will be challenged with a trip to #3 Wellesley on Monday.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/31/18


Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Mansfield, 6 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Mansfield scored in each of the first four innings on its way to a win over King Philip, clinching the Kelley-Rex division title with the result. The Hornets scored two runs in the first and third innings while tacking on single runs in the second and fourth. Tyler Dalton earned the win on the mound, allowing just three hits and one unearned run in the seventh inning, and struck out 12. Dalton helped his cause at the place by going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs. Cullin Anastasia added two hits and an RBI for Mansfield.

North Attleboro, 7 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – North Attleboro plated four runs in the third inning, including what turned out to be the winning run, to conclude the regular season with a victory on the road at Taunton. Brendan McHugh (three runs) started the third with a leadoff walk and scored on a double from Zach DeMattio (2-for-4). DeMattio scored on a two-out double from Jeff Gale, and Nick Raneri (HBP) scored on an errant throw. Gale came in to score on a base hit from Nolan Buckley. Taunton scored two in the fifth behind three straight singles from Jack Moynihan, Evan Melo, and Tyler Pietrzyk, and then a sacrifice fly from Jacob Crawford. But North put the game away with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Shawn Watters (double) scored on a triple from McHugh, and McHugh came home on a sacrifice fly from Nick Sinacola.

Softball
North Attleboro, 7 @ Milford, 4 – Final (9 inn.) – North Attleboro struck for three runs in the top of the ninth inning, all with two outs, to hand Milford its second straight loss. Olivia Capobianco drove in Katherine Munley and came around to score herself on a base hit from Abby Gallagher. Gallagher scored on a hit from Ashley Cangiano. Annabelle Hebard had two doubles and scored a run for North. Bella Erti struck out five in the win.

Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 7 vs. Walpole, 18 – Final

Girls Tennis
Sharon vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 3:45

Boys Volleyball
#5 Milford, 3 vs. #12 Burncoat, 1 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.


Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/14/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames scored two runs in the second, added another in the third and stranded 13 Attleboro base runners to earn a win on the road. CJ Deveau had a two-RBI hit in the second inning to give Oliver Ames the lead while Chris Pearsons (double), Jake Erlich, and Matt Muir each scored for the Tigers. Tom Parker earned the with five scoreless innings of work while Muir got the save, striking out two in the seventh. Ryan Morry allowed five hits and two walks, striking out three in a complete game effort for the Bombardiers.

Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Sharon tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the seventh but Canton came back with the game-winning run in the bottom half, walking off with a win over the Eagles. Mike Konzal led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and scored on a base hit down the first base line from Nate Quan for the win. The Dogs took the lead in the fourth off when Matt Casamento (double) scored on a passed ball. Sharon’s Ben Stamm singled in the top of the seventh to tie it. Robbie Wilkinson tossed a complete game for Canton, striking out six and walking four with just three hits allowed. Sharon’s Max Tarlin also threw a complete game, striking out six with three walks and seven hits allowed.

Foxboro, 7 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Foxboro senior Devin Hassett allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings of work and sophomore Anthony Mollica didn’t allow any hits in 3.1 innings of relief to lead the Warriors to a win on the road. Milford took a 1-0 lead (Aidan Wilde three walks, run) into the sixth inning but Foxboro exploded for seven runs in the frame to take the lead. Joe Freitas (1-for-3) had two RBI while Joe Cavaleri and JT Burke each had two hits and an RBI in the win. Matt Rongione and Hassett each added a hit and an RBI for the Warriors.

Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final –Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Taunton, 11 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Taunton’s offense had its best showing of the season, scoring two runs in each the third, fourth, fifth innings and then putting the game out of reach with a five-run sixth inning. Jacob Crawford led the Tigers with three hits while Jack Moynihan (two RBI), Jakob Roberts, and Tyler Medeiros each had two hits. Tyler Pietrzyk had a team-high three RBI for the Tigers. Moynihan tossed five scoreless innings for the win, striking out three.

Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – North Attleboro rallied with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a walk off win over visiting Stoughton. Brendan McHugh got things going with a two-out single and then stole second to get into scoring position. Nick Raneri delivered the big hit with a single to right center to bring McHugh (1-for-2, walk, two stolen bases) home for the win. North took the lead in the fifth inning when Nick Sinacola had a one-out single, pinch-runner Jackson Billingkoff moved to third on a single from Zach DeMattio, and Billingkoff scored on a squeeze dropped by McHugh. Stoughton kept the game alive with a run in the top of the seventh behind a leadoff single from Zak Paquette. Pinch runner Jack Brown stole second and took third on an infield hit from Ruben Gonzalez. Brown then scored on a sacrifice fly from Evan Gibb. Stoughton had Gonzalez in scoring position with just one out but Nick Sinacola (CG, 8 H, 1 BB, 8 K) got two strikeouts to keep the game level. Nate Pearce added two doubles and a walk in the win for North.

Softball
Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames freshman Emma Varella struck out four in a complete game effort but the Tigers fell just short against Attleboro. Katie Abreu was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored. Abbi Holmes had an RBI and Lexie Campbell scored the other run for the Tigers.

Canton, 11 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Canton sophomore Caroline Hughes went 4-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and three RBI while freshman Liz Bickett also was 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI to lead the Bulldogs to a big win on the road. Hughes also pitched four scoreless innings to earn the win. Sarah Kelly added a double, Torie Anglin chipped in with a triple, and Ally Chin had a pair of singles for the Bulldogs.

Milford, 19 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Milford’s offense exploded for 22 hits, earning a big win on the road at Foxboro. Shannon Cormier (double, two runs, two RBI), Sabrina Haarstick (RBI), and Maddie Bonvino (double, two RBI) each had three hits to lead the Hawks’ offense. Emily Hartman (four RBI, two doubles), Jess Tomaso (three runs, RBI), and Emily Piergustavo (triple, three runs, RBI) added two hits apiece. Kelley Reichert struck out three while allowing three hits in four innings pitched.

Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 9 – Final – Franklin’s offense continued to roll, plating nine runs to sweep the season series against Mansfield. Franklin scored runs in all but two innings, plating three in each the second and fourth innings. Jackie Cherry tossed a one-hitter, striking out nine to earn the win in the circle. Maddy White (two doubles, run, three RBI) had three hits for the Panthers while Gabby Colace (two runs, RBI), Anna Balkus (three runs, three stolen bases, two RBI) and Meg Caron chipped in with two hits apiece. Megan Letendre had the lone hit of the game for the Hornets, doubling in the fourth inning to score Kara Bendanillo, who had reached on a walk.

King Philip, 3 @ Taunton, 4 – Final –Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Andrea Miceli had a two-out single to drive in a run in the fifth and Olivia Capobianco broke the game open with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Bella Erti picked up the win, striking out five and allowing four hits, and helped her own cause with a pair of hits and an RBI. Abby Gallagher and Katherine Munley each had three hits for the Rocketeers, while Ashley Cangiano (two RBI) and Katy Daby both had two hits. Stoughton’s Karly Estremera was 1-for-3 with a triple, scoring both of the Black Knights’ runs. Jordan Lyons was 2-for-3 at the plate and played an outstanding game at shortstop. Haley Stone, Sarah McGrath, and Taylor Levine each had a single for the Knights.

Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 7 @ Attleboro, 10 – Final

Canton, 11 vs. Scituate, 10 – Final (OT) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip @ Falmouth, 5:00

Sharon @ Mansfield, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 19 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Steve Heino registered a shutout in his second career varsity start. The Tigers’ offense was balanced with 11 different goal scorers, led by four from Owen Gallagher and three from Colin Bourne.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 14 vs. Brookline, 13 – Final – Vicki Revanche made 21 saves to help Canton earn a one-goal victory on senior night. Canton coach Laurie Chabot said, “We controlled the game with quick transition, great defense and great shots on goal.” Leah McClellan sparked the Bulldogs offensively with four goals and six assists, while Maggie Connolly added two goals and two assists. Senior Molly Colburn chipped in with a hat trick in the win.

Franklin, 8 vs. Walpole, 9 – Final (OT) – Sophomore Gianna Cameron made 15 saves to keep the Panthers in the game, helping send the game against unbeaten Walpole to overtime, but the Rebels netted the winner to prevail with the win. Annie Walsh had three goals and an assist, Erin Walsh scored once and had an assist, and Kate Jones finished with two goals for the Panthers.

King Philip @ Bishop Feehan, 3:45

Mansfield, 8 @ Sharon, 12 – Final – Rose Wald had a big game for the Eagles, making 15 saves in the win. Sabrina Robbins led the Sharon attack with three goals and an assist, while Emma Eberhardt added two goals and two assists. Lydia Chase and Maeve Barbera each scored twice for the Eagles and Jenna Goldstein, Abbi Solomon, and Cass Barbera each had one goal apiece.

North Attleboro @ Braintree, 4:00

Taunton, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final – Taunton freshman Alana Tavares scored six goals, including the 100th of her career in the loss.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final

Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon didn’t lose a single game in four of the five matches to earn a convincing win on the road at Canton. Fred Bondar (first singles), Andre Olivei (second), Arie Chinnappan (third), and Max Brody and Russell Rapaport (first doubles) all won 6-0, 6-0. The team of Alex Aspel and Eric Zhang earned Sharon’s fifth point with a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final

Mansfield, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin picked up two wins in singles play and another in doubles to slip past the Hornets in a close match. Liam Marr picked up a big point with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win at second singles, Saketh Saipalli didn’t lose a game at third singles, and the team of Tony Calderone and Dan Angermeier won 6-3, 6-1 at second doubles. Mansfield’s Luke Nickerson won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles and the team of Jalaj Singh and Sethu Odayappan won 6-7 (6), 6-2, 10-6 at first doubles.

King Philip, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Taunton’s Francois Hennaux saved six match points at first singles en route to a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 win but King Philip won the other four matches to get the victory. Nick Putney won 6-3, 6-2 at second singles, Jack Cannon earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at third singles, the team of Nate Ihley and Sean Desroches rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles, and Nick Ihley and Aidan Ignatius won 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro won all five matches in straight sets to get a sweep on the road. Richard Bermudez won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles, freshman Jonah Manso earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, and sophomore Alex Pfeffer notched a 6-2, 6-0 win at third singles for Big Red. The team of Vikram Senthilakumaran and Ben Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles and Alex Rinaldi and Sam Gallagher notched a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Sarah Barron won a third set tiebreaker and the team of Olivia Groebe and Rachel Stryke rallied back from a one-set deficit to highlight the Tigers’ sweep of Attleboro. Barron won 7-5, 3-5, 10-4 at third singles while Tate Hadges (first singles) won 6-3, 6-4 and Maura Kiernan (second singles) earned a 6-3, 6-2 win. Groebe and Stryke rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Emily Yu and Eva Belanger took a 6-2, 7-5 decision at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Sharon won all five matches in straight sets to earn a win on the road over Canton. Nupur Shukla won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, Lulu Yuan earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and Emily Win prevailed 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein won 7-5, 6-4 at first doubles and Ellie Romantz and Makaila Cheung picked up a 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the road Warriors, winning all five matches in straight sets. Sophia Prinos (first singles) and Pamela Nelson (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Kayla Prag earned a 6-1, 6-1 decision at third singles. Foxboro’s first doubles team of Sarah Prag and Julia Muise won 6-0, 6-1 while the team of Olivia Dantona and Kendall Milender picked up a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second doubles.

Franklin, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – The Hornets defended home court by winning two singles matches and sweeping doubles play against visiting Franklin. Sarah Doyle picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles and Elizabeth Elsner followed suit with a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles. The team of Tessa Garufi and Hannah Podolske dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at first doubles, and Samantha Sternburg and Aryana Khosravani won 7-5, 6-3 at second doubles. Franklin’s Lucia Kehoe won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles.

Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro punched its ticket to the state tournament with a sweep of visiting Stoughton. Jordan Willis (first singles) and Emily Chiasson (second) each won 6-0, 6-0 while junior Mae McLoughlin earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles for Big Red. Azka Siddiq and Katie Ovoian won 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles while Shurobhi Nani and Brototi Nandi picked up a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 @ Xaverian, 0 – Final

Taunton, 3 vs. North Quincy, 0 – Final – After beating North Quincy on the road in five sets earlier this season, the undefeated Tigers flexed their muscles on home with a clean sweep (25-22, 25-15, 25-20). Lance Law paced the attack with 14 kills and an ace, Lens Esquil added 10 kills and five blocks, and Collin Hunter chipped in with three kills, three blocks, and three aces.


Dalton, Mansfield Earn Revenge Against Taunton

Mansfield baseball
Mansfield’s Tyler Dalton (right) slides under Taunton catcher Andrew Gomes for a run. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – Mansfield senior Tyler Dalton found himself in an unusual spot on Monday afternoon, looking to bounce back after a tough outing in his last start.

Dalton allowed nine runs – six earned – in his previous start on the road at Oliver Ames. But with a chance to bounce back, Dalton was at his best. The senior right-hander allowed just two hits — only one out of the infield — while striking out 10 and walking just one in a complete game effort, helping the Hornets pull out a 7-2 win over Taunton.

“After his bullpen, the only thing he said to me was ‘We’re not losing today,’ and I could see the look on his face, you just knew he was going to go out and deal,” said Mansfield head coach Joe Breen. “He knew what he was up against with Taunton being a good team and [Jack] Moynihan being one of best pitchers in the league. He had his work cut out for him, but he certainly met the challenge, that’s for sure.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Dalton limited Taunton to one hit in the third and one in the fourth, the two innings the Tigers scored single runs. Beyond that, he faced the minimum in the first, second, fifth, sixth, and seventh. Taunton had a runner in the second (HBP), but he was erased by catcher Cullin Anastasia trying to steal second.

He also recorded at least one strike out in every inning, getting a pair of Ks in each the second, third, and sixth innings.

After a pair of scoreless innings, Taunton finally broke through in the bottom of the third. Griffin Tomaszycki battled back from down 0-2 in the count to lead off with a walk. He then took second on a ground out from Andrew Gomes and came around on a sharp grounder down the first base line from Josh Lajoie to make it 1-0.

Mansfield got its first two hits of the game in the top of the fourth with Dan Saraceno and Dalton both singling. Dalton and Kevin Dow (reached on fielder’s choice) got to second and third with two outs but Taunton starter Jack Moynihan got the final out to prevent any damage.

Taunton added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Jacob Crawford reached after an infield error and took second when he beat the throw on Tyler Medeiros’ ground ball. With two outs, Tomaszycki hit a hard ball to the left side of the infield for a single, but the throw was off which allowed Crawford to come home from third to make it 2-0.


But the lead didn’t last too long as Mansfield responded in the top of the fifth, with a little help from the Tigers’ defense. Justin Pena’s single was followed by Chris Jenkins’ grounder, which resulted in a fielding error and then a throwing error. Pena moved all the way to third and Jenkins to second.

Mike Hargadon drove Pena in with an RBI ground out, and a couple of pitches later Jenkins took third on a passed ball and scored on a two-out single from Sam Nugent to make it 2-2.

“I think the first few games of the season, once we got to two strikes in the count, we were pretty much an automatic ‘K,’” Breen said. “We’ve really changed our approach with two strikes over the last month and the guys are really taking to it. Everyone is up there battling with two strikes, and once we get two strikes, we’re not an easy out anymore. I think that pesky attitude paid off and we put some balls in play.”

Mansfield’s offense continued in the top of the sixth inning. Dalton drew a one-out walk, ending Moynihan’s day on the mound. Dalton took second on a passed ball and scored on a hard hit ball by Anastasia, who took second on the throw to home. With Anastasia taking off, he came around to score on another infield error to make it 4-2.

“You can’t do it, we’re hurting ourselves,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque of his team’s six errors. ”We didn’t leave guys on base too much today, obviously [Dalton] pitched an outstanding game today. But we have to eliminate the mistakes and have to play sound baseball because we’re not that great of an offensive team. Any extra bags or extra outs, they come back to haunt you and it’s killing us right now.”

The Hornets put the game out of reach with three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. Saraceno was hit by a pitch with one out and moved all the way to third on an errant pick off attempt. Dow drove Saraceno in with an RBI single. Another error proved costly for Taunton as Anastasia was able to reach and Dow came all the way around make it 6-2.

Anastasia took third on that error and came home on a line drive single from Pena.

“If you told me we were going to get seven runs today, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Breen said. “I knew we’d have a few baserunners and that we’d have to maximize those guys as much as possible. We knew getting an extra 90 here or there, with a steal or something, would be huge. We have a lot of good athletes with some wheels, so we definitely want to use that as much as possible.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Despite suffering the loss, Moynihan pitched well, allowing just one earned run in 5.1 innings of work, four hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.

“I don’t think he had much on his fastball today, so he did really well for himself to work the off-speed pitch and do as well as he did without necessarily his best fastball,” Bourque said of Moynihan. “He’s learning how to be a pitcher, not just a thrower. In games when you don’t have your best stuff and can still get guys out is something he can be commended for. But we have to help him out and make sure we’re making those plays.”

Mansfield baseball (6-3 Hockomock, 8-3 overall) will try to extend its win streak to five when it hosts Attleboro on Wednesday afternoon. Taunton (5-4, 8-4) will try to bounce back the same day when it hosts Franklin.

“At this point, every game you win is the biggest of the season,” Breen said. “Being able to come on the road and beat a good team, especially with a good pitcher like that…we’ve had this one marked on the calendar for a while especially after the first game and the boys were certainly up for the challenge.”

Tigers Ride Moynihan Gem to Win at Franklin

Taunton baseball
Taunton starter Jack Moynihan (21) tossed a complete game shutout, striking out 15 batters, as Taunton beat Franklin 2-0.

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


FRANKLIN, Mass. – The temperatures may have been hovering around 40 degrees and fans and players alike were bundled up as though it were mid-February rather than the middle of April, but Taunton starting pitcher Jack Moynihan was not bothered by the cold. He came out throwing heat and dominated from the opening pitch of Friday’s early season night game at Franklin.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Moynihan struck out the first five batters he faced and closed the game by striking out five Panthers over the last two innings. He finished with 15 strikeouts on the evening, allowed only three hits, and tossed a complete game shutout, as Taunton walked away with a 2-0 victory to remain unbeaten.

“Phenomenal,” said Taunton coach Blair Bourque of Moynihan’s night. “Getting ahead with his fastball first time around and then mixing it up but getting ahead. He did a great job.”

While striking out the side in the first, Moynihan threw strikes on 10-of-11 pitches. He also retired the first two batters in the second on punch outs before Stephen Luttazi became the first Panther to put the ball in play with a grounder to second. Luttazi injured himself coming out of the batter’s box and was forced to leave the game.

In the third inning, Moynihan struck out a pair before Franklin finally made solid contact, as nine-hole hitter Colby Fitzgibbons broke up the no-hitter with a double to left center. Moynihan came right back with a strikeout of Jack Nally to end the inning.

“We faced him last year and we knew we were in for a really tough test,” said Franklin coach Zach Brown of Moynihan. “He certainly was on, pounding it, and he really threw his breaking ball well for strikes.”

Franklin, which has been struggling at the plate this season with only 10 runs scored in five games, put together its lone rally in the fourth. Scott Elliott took the first pitch to center for a single and Alex Haba lined a twisting drive down the right field line that Griffin Tomaszycki went full stretch to get a glove to but couldn’t haul in. Elliott had to pause in case it was caught and ended up at third on the single.

Haba stole second to put two runners in scoring position and Brown turned to a suicide squeeze with catcher Jake Macchi at the plate. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the sophomore couldn’t get a bunt down and Elliott was easily tagged out by Taunton catcher Ben Joyce. Moynihan ended the threat with a strikeout and a comebacker.

Brown explained, “Today wasn’t going to be the day that we were going to roll out and put up crooked numbers or anything like that, so opportunities to execute and push a run across we knew was going to be big and whoever got that first one was going to be in a good position. Unfortunately, we didn’t get it done.”

The Tigers were not able to turn Moynihan’s dominance into a lead thanks to a strong performance from Franklin starter Bryan Woelfel. Using a repertoire of off-speed pitches, he kept the Tigers off-balance and managed to bear down and work himself out of several early jams. He allowed no earned runs and struck out seven in six innings.

“He had that slider going and he was filthy,” said Bourque of Woelfel. “He mixed it up and had our hitters off-balance and he made us look silly sometimes. Just a great game.”

Jacob Crawford drew a walk in the first and advanced all the way to third after a single by Christian Simoes (3-for-4, reached base all four plate appearances) and a stolen base, but Woelfel induced a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Tyler Medeiros to emerge unscathed. Taunton put two runners in scoring position in the third but again Woelfel escaped, this time with a strikeout.

Brown said, “I don’t necessarily know if Bryan had his best stuff today but one thing we don’t have to worry about is whether or not he’ll be ultra-competitive and he certainly was today. Very different styles, very different pitchers, but both competing hard and it was certainly a pitcher’s duel.”

A breakthrough finally came in the sixth inning. Simoes lined a double to center to leadoff the inning and, after Woelfel fell behind 3-0 in the count, Medeiros was intentionally walked. A wild pitch allowed both runners to move into scoring position, but Woelfel came back with a pair of strikeouts to get on the verge of another big escape.

Tomaszycki hit a slow, bouncing ball on the infield grass that couldn’t be fielded cleanly and allowed the game’s first run to come home. Woelfel limited the damage with another strikeout to end the threat.

The Tigers tacked on an important insurance run in the seventh against Franklin reliever Will Pacheco. With one out, leadoff hitter Trevor Pietrzyk dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line to get on base. After a strikeout and a stolen base, he stood on second with two down. Simoes came through in the clutch with his third hit of the night, driving an RBI-double to right center.

“Christian Simoes, a senior, came up big,” Bourque said. “He’s in that spot for a reason. That insurance run puts a lot less pressure on in the seventh. You get a runner on and your down just one that’s a lot different. Having that cushion allows us to take a breathe and go get the next guy.”

Two runs was more than enough for Moynihan. He struck out the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh, his 14th and 15th of the night, and got a slow roller to third that looked like it might end the game, but instead the throw skipped away to bring the tying run to the plate. Moynihan got slow bouncing ball to Josh Lajoie at second to end the game.

“From start to finish, he pitched so well and I think getting ahead sets the table for his off-speed pitches and he was able to spot and hit corners,” said Bourque of his pitcher. “Hats off to him.”

He added, “Every team in the Hock is really good and Franklin is up there, so we’ll take them when we can get them.”

Taunton (6-0, 3-0) will stay in the division on Monday when it hosts King Philip, while Franklin (3-2, 2-2) will be right back on the field on Saturday with a trip to Bishop Feehan.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/18/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Mansfield, 9 @ Attleboro 2 – Final – Mansfield struck for five runs in the top of the third inning and never looked back on the road at Attleboro. Senior Tyler Dalton earned the win on the mound, striking out six in five innings of work with three hits and two runs allowed. Jake Gerraughty and Justin Pena each pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Kyle Moran (RBI), Dan Saraceno, and Kevin Dow (three RBI) each had two hits apiece to pace the Mansfield offense.

Canton, 7 @ Norwood, 9 – Final

Foxboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Stoughton edged Foxboro in a pitchers duel between Zak Paquette (S) and Steve McLaughlin (F). Paquette allowed just one run on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts in a complete game effort. McLaughlin allowed two runs in over five innings of work for the Warriors. George Currier (2-for-3) came up with the big hit for Stoughton, connecting on a two-strike, two-out, two-RBI single in the first inning.

Franklin, 1 @ Walpole, 0 – Final – Franklin senior Jake Noviello dazzled in a complete game effort, helping the Panthers pick up a 1-0 win. Noviello blanked the Rebels through seven innings, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out six. Franklin’s lone run came off the bat of James Leofanti, scoring classmate Steve Luttazi (2-for-3) on a sacrifice fly. Jake Macchi and Jack Nally also had two hits for the Panthers.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – North Attleboro turned a pitchers’ duel into an impressive with behind a big fifth inning. The Rocketeers pushed eight runs across in the fifth inning, all with two outs. Big Red loaded the bases (Nick Sinacola single, Zach DeMattio walk, Nate Pearce walk) to get things started. Nolan Buckley had a two-run single, Aidan Harding (4-for-4) knocked in a run with an infield single, Sinacola (4-for-5) got back up and plated two with a single and Jeff Gale capped the scoring with a two-run single. Sinacola got the win on the mound, throwing a complete game with 10 strikeouts and just two walks. He had a no-hitter through four innings of play.

Sharon, 1 vs. Archbishop Williams, 6 – Final

Taunton, 6 vs. Durfee, 5 – Final – Taunton scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to knot the score at five and scored the game-winning run an inning later to stay unbeaten so far this season. Christian Simoes (two RBI), Tyler Medeiros (two hits), and Jack Moynihan (two hits) all had RBIs in the fifth inning to tie the game. Trevor Pietrzyk (two hits) drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Medeiros earned the win on the mound, striking out five with six hits allowed in six innings. Josh Lajoie pitched a scoreless seventh inning to record the save.

Milford, 2 vs. Concord-Carlisle, 3 – Final

Softball
Foxboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 15 – Final (5 inn.) – Foxboro opened the game with two runs in the top of the first inning but Stoughton answered with four runs in the bottom half to take the lead and never look back. The Black Knights added single runs in each the second, third, and fourth innings and then exploded for eight runs in the fifth to get the win. Gina Carafa (three doubles) and Nikki Cappola (two doubles) each finished with four hits and three RBI to pace the Stoughton offense. Lexi Baptista and Bri Ferrandiz each had two RBI as well. Hannah Davis had two hits for Foxboro, including the 100th of her career. Carafa got the win in the circle, striking out eight with three hits and two walks allowed in five innings of work.

Franklin, 1 @ Taunton, 14 – Final (5 inn.) – The Tigers scored in four of the five innings of play in a big win over visiting Franklin. Jaime Brown (three runs), Liana Duarte (three RBI), Mackenzie Handrahan (two RBI) and Kelsey White (two runs) each recorded two hits for Taunton while Payton Ceglarski chipped in with a pinch-hit two-run home run and Rylie Murphy had a pinch-hit two-run single. Jaylin Couto struck out three with four hits allowed in four innings of work. Alexis White recorded three strikeouts in one inning of relief. Ally Shea went 2-for-3 for the Panthers. Kylie Bouzan knocked in courtesy runner Maggie Hobby in the fourth inning for Franklin’s run.

King Philip, 16 @ Bishop Feehan, 6 – Final – King Philip’s offense roared to life, belting out 16 hits in a big win on the road at Bishop Feehan. Hailey McCasland and Jessica Bonner (three RBI) each had three hits for the Warriors while Marjorie Guerrier, Meghan Gorman (three RBI), Brooke Taute, and Sydney Phillips each had two hits. Bonner put the Warriors ahead, 8-6, with a hit in the top of the sixth inning. Faith Turnese allows just one hit in three innings of relief work to earn the win.

Milford, 11 vs. Hopkinton, 2 – Final – Milford’s offense continued to roll, putting up 11 runs against neighboring Hopkinton. Jess Tomaso had a big day at the plate with three hits, including a home run and a double, whiling knocking in four runs and scoring once. Kelley Reichert went 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and earned the win in the circle, striking out six without allowing an earned run in five innings of work. Kate Irwin (double, stolen base), Emily Piergustavo (RBI, run), Emily Hartman (double), and Shannon Cormier (double, two runs) each had two hits for the Hawks.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Kayla Georgeu was 2-3 with a single and an RBI double while Abbi Holmes and Colleen Larson both had RBIs as well. Lexie Campbell (1-4), Caroline Mahoney (1-3) and Katie Mills (1-2) all scored runs for OA.

Mansfield 13, @ Needham, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Sarah Cahill struck out seven and allowed only one hit as the Hornets starter and Felicity McMullin struck out one in relief. Mansfield started well with a run in the first before breaking the game open by scoring five runs in each of the second and third innings and adding a pair in the fourth. Caty DeMassi went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and Kerran Holmes went 2-for-2 with an RBI. The Hornets also got hits from Kara Bendanillo, Megan Letendre, Mady Bendanillo, Grace Benton, and Mary Muldoon.

Boys Lacrosse
Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 16 – Final – Canton jumped out to a quick start, building an 11-1 lead by halftime. The Bulldogs had nine different scorers including first-career goals from senior Brian Ghostlaw and sophomore Tommy Ghostlaw. Freshman Dylan Coyne had a shutout in net in the fourth quarter for Canton.

Milford, 16 @ Northbridge, 5 – Final – Milford freshman Jack LeBlanc was impressive at the face off X in his first varsity game, winning 8-of-13 attempts to help the Hawks pick up the win. Brendan White (five goals) and Andrew Gallagher (two goals, four assists) paced the offense while Ryan Hazard had a strong all-around game with four goals and five ground balls.

Oliver Ames, 20 @ Milton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames received strong defensive efforts from Shane Murphy, Matt Saba, and Mark Vasapollo to help goalie Nick Gillis record a shutout on the road against Milton. Owen Gallagher paced the offense with six goals while Eric LeBlanc added three tallies.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final – Emalyn Duvall, Chloe Kilkelly, Ella Hogan, Olivia Piazza and Sofia Masciarelli all tallied points for OA while Ariana Waldorf had a strong game in net. Maggie Connolly scored four goals for the Bulldogs and Vicki Revenge stepped in as the back-up goalie to make 11 saves in the loss.

Mansfield vs. Watertown, 12:00

Milford vs. Ashland, 12:30

Sharon, 8 @ Hopkinton, 13 – Final – Sabrina Robbins scored four goals and grabbed five ground balls for Sharon and Emma Eberhardt added a hat trick of goals, four assists, and six draw controls. Jenna Goldstein scored Sharon’s other goal and Bridget McManus led the Eagles defense with an interception and three ground balls.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final

Girls Tennis
Mansfield, 3 vs. Norton, 2 – Final – Mansfield notched two wins in singles play and one in doubles to pick up a non-league win over Norton. The team of juniors Tessa Garufi and Hannah Podolske had the game of the match, earning a 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (8-6) win at first doubles for the Hornets. Senior Sarah Doyle won 6-3, 6-3 at first singles while junior Elizabeth Elsner recorded a 6-4, 6-3 decision at second singles.

Milford, 0 vs. Hopedale, 5 – Final

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/11/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 6 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Attleboro senior James Weir shined on the mound, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts in a complete game effort. Weir earned the win with just one earned run allowed. Eoin Kelleher (double) and Dakota Kirby each had a pair of hits for the Bombardiers along with an RBI each. Jon Candiales added a pair of hits and three runs scored for Attleboro.

Foxboro, 3 @ Sharon, 8 – Final – Sharon junior Noah Kamens tossed a complete game without allowing an earned run to help the Eagles pick up their first win of the season. Kamens stuck out four while walking three in the win. Senior Drew Naisuler went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI while junior Jared Reef added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.

Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro broke open a tie game with three runs in the top of the fourth and then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to earn a win over Canton. In his varsity debut, senior Ben Arrighi came on with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and induced a ground ball to get out of the inning. Arrighi then escaped another bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh to earn the save (2.1 IP, 0 R). Jeff Gale went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, including a triple, and had an RBI single in the sixth inning to put Big Red up 6-2. Nick Sinacola added two hits while Peter Cohen earned the win on the mound. Canton’s Matt Casamento had a two-run home run in the third that tied the game 2-2.

Franklin, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final (8 inn.) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield took the lead in the bottom of the first inning but Taunton answered with three runs in the top of the second to earn the win. Jack Moynihan earned the win on the bump, scattering five hits with five strikeouts and just on unearned run allowed. Josh Lajoie didn’t allow a hit in two innings of relief, striking out four to earn the save. Offensively, Trevor Pietrzyk (2-for-4) knocked in one run and Jacob Crawford had two RBI. Moynihan also had a hit and scored a run. For Mansfield, Sam Nugent went 2-for-3 and Tyler Dalton had an RBI single. Sophomore John Carney struck out five without allowing a hit in 3.2 innings of relief.

Stoughton, 10 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Stoughton’s offense exploded for seven runs in the top of the eighth inning to pick up a victory on the road. Sophomore James Genest went 3-for-5 (double, run, RBI), while Ruben Gonzalez (double, run), Robbie Seaman (double, two runs), and George Currier (run, RBI, SB) each had two hits. Sophomore Michael Nazzaro chipped in with a two-run double.  Zak Paquette started for Stoughton and went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs (1 earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts. Junior Evan Gibb got the win pitching 2.2 scoreless innings allowing just one hit.

Softball
King Philip, 7 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip’s Elise Pereira allowed just four singles and one run while striking out 12 batters to lead the Warriors to a win on the road. Brianna Lacy paced the offense with three hits, including a home run. Faith Turnese added two hits and Sydney Phillips had two RBI in the win.

North Attleboro, 20 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Bella Erti (three innings, one hit allowed) and Jaclyn Buckley (two innings and two hits allowed) combined for the shutout for North, which has scored at least 20 runs in each of its two games this season. Ashley Cangiano and Olivia Capobianco each went 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBI, while Abby Warren went 3-for-3 with two triples and six RBI. Erti also went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in a pair and Emily Nardelli had one RBI and three runs scored. North coach Bill Wallace said Andrea Miceli had a great game in the field.

Sharon, 7 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final – Foxboro seniors Hannah Davis and Mandy Ryan, and freshman Nicole Theriault each had three hits to pace the Warriors to a big win at home. Junior Emma Rohan recorded 10 strikeouts for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Franklin, 15 – Final (6 inn.) – Franklin scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back to secure its first win of the season. The Panthers tacked on four more in the second, five more in the fourth and a single run in the sixth inning. Kylie Bouzan and Meg Caron finished with two RBI apiece while Emily Valentino earned the win, striking out four while scattering six hits. For Oliver Ames, Marissa Guarino was 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored, Kayla Georgeu added a double, and Katie Abreu scored a run.

Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton sophomore Jaylin Couto allowed just one earned run on four hits in four innings of work. Couto also struck out four while Kelsey White finished with three innings of no-hit ball with three strikeouts. McKenzie McAloon (3-4, two doubles, three RBI), Hanna Aldrich (2-3, two doubles, three RBI), Jaime Brown (2-3, double), Kya Enos (1-2, two RBI), and Kelsey White (triple, two RBI) paced the Tigers’ offense. Grace Benton went 2-for-3 on the game for the Hornets, recording half of the team’s hits on the day.

Milford, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Milford rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning to escape Stoughton with a win. The Hawks put the bat on the ball but Stoughton played phenomenal defense to keep them off the board for six innings. In the top of the seventh, Emily Hartman (2-for-2, run) led off with a double, Shannon Cormier walked and Maddy Bonvino loaded the bases with a bunt single. Kelley Reichert gave Milford the lead with a two-run single and Sabrina Haarstick gave the Hawks insurance with another two-run single. Antonia Bonina had another strong day offensively, going 3-for-3 while Reichert earned the win, striking out seven with three hits allowed and just one unearned run. Stoughton took the lead when Nikki Coppola led off the bottom of the first with a walk, took second on an error and scored on a ground ball to short from Jordan Lyons. Gina Carafa tossed a complete game for Stoughton, allowing just six hits.

Boys Lacrosse
Franklin, 18 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

Milford, 2 @ Canton, 14 – Final – Canton senior Charlie O’Connor made his season debut and didn’t lose a face off, scoring two goals as well, to help the Bulldogs pick up a win over visiting Milford. The Bulldogs had eight different players score a goal including junior Teddy MacDonald, who notched his first career goal. Freshman goalie Dylan Coyne had a shutout in net in the fourth quarter for Canton.

Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Louis Piccolo recorded six points while Andrew Whalen and Pete Conley each picked up five points as Foxboro improved to 4-0. Piccolo had three goals and three assists, Whalen scored once and had four assists, and Conley scored four times and chipped in with one helper.

Mansfield, 10 @ King Philip, 14 – Final

Oliver Ames, 7 @ North Attleboro, 17 – Final – North Attleboro senior Jason McNeany dominated the face off X (18-for-20) to help the Rocketeers pick up a win at home over OA. Sophomore Andy DeMattio scored five goals, Damien Curtis scored four goals, and McNeany added four points in the win. Nate D’Amico made eight saves in net for the Rocketeers. Eric LeBlanc had three goals for Oliver Ames while Shane Kilkelly found the back of the net twice.

Sharon, 14 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Brothers Brett and Drew Litner each finished with six points to pace the Eagles to a win on the road. Brett had five goals and one assist while Drew had one goal and five assists. Kadin Nestler added three goals for Sharon while Johnny Greenberg posted the shutout.

Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 2 @ Sharon, 15 – Final – Sharon coach Shara Ginthwain called the Eagles’ win a “total team effort,” as eight different players scored goals. Sabrina Robbins had another strong overall game with three goals, three assists, and six ground balls, while Emma Eberhardt also finished with a hat trick and three assists and added 10 draw controls as well. Freshman Jenna Goldstein made it a hat trick of hat tricks for the Eagles and Cass Barbera chipped in with six ground balls. Taunton’s Hannah Moniz and Alana Tavares each scored once while Lorna Li made 11 saves in net.

Attleboro, 3 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Halle Atkinson and Shannon D’Arcangelo each recorded three goals to pace the Panthers to a win at home. Alex Field scored her goal of the season while Victoria Quinn had a strong game in midfield with four draw controls. Grace MacCallum anchored the defense with three ground balls.

Canton, 7 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Maggie Connolly scored a first half hat trick to help the Bulldogs pull out their first win of the season and first under new coach Laurie Chabot.

Foxboro, 10 @ Norwell, 11 – Final

King Philip, 12 @ Mansfield, 8 – Final – KP made it three wins in three games to start the season with six different players finding the back of the net. Katie Crowther and Caroline Klim each scored three goals for the Warriors, while Alli Meehan added two goals and an assist, Dana Truini had a pair of goals, Jess Sullivan had a goal and an assist, and Olivia Tormey scored in the win. Caroline Watson made 13 saves in the win.

North Attleboro, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 10 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Ella Hogan and Olivia Piazza each netted three goals while Chloe Kilkelly and Sofia Masciarelli added two goals apiece.

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip lost a total of three games in singles play on its way to a sweep on the road at Attleboro. Marco DiStefano won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Nick Putney didn’t lose a game in a win at second singles and Jack Cannon took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of Nick Ihley and Nate Ihley registered a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles and Zak Ryan and Jake Mager made their varsity debuts with a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro picked up its third win of the season, sweeping Canton on the road. Senior Richard Bermudez won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and Christian Bermudez won with the same score at second singles. Freshman Jonah Manso won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. The team of Ben Pfeffer and Vikram Senthilkumaran won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Alex Pfeffer and Sam Gallagher teamed up for a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Sharon picked up its third win of the season with a sweep on the road against division foe Foxboro. Fred Bondar notched a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, Andre Olivei picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles and Danujan Thirumavalavan didn’t lose a game at third singles. Junior Max Brody and senior Russell Rapaport won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles while Sharon’s pairing of Ashwin Sreevatsa and Arie Chinnappan, won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin earned a clean sweep, dropping just one game in the five matches. Rohan Herur and Saketh Saripalli each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and third singles, respectively. Liam Marr recorded a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles for the Panthers. The team of Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu (first doubles) and the pairing of Tony Calderone and Dan Angermeier (second doubles) each won 6-0, 6-0.

Mansfield @ Taunton, 3:45

Milford, 0 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Stoughton picked up its first win of the season, sweeping Milford. Freshman Waseem Sablon picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, junior Erik Anderson recorded a 7-5, 6-1 win at second singles and LJ Fernandiz won 6-3, 6-3 at third singles. Stoughton’s team of Hassan Khan and Andrew Chiang won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles and the pairing of sophomores Brendon Buckley and Mike Veliotis won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Taunton, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Taunton won in straight sets in all five matches to notch a victory on the road. Jillian Pagliuca won by default at first singles, senior Vanessa Rosa won 6-1, 6-3 at second singles, and freshman Jocelyn Pagliuca earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of juniors McKenzie Lucie and Sam Martin won 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles for the Tigers and senior Amanda Pugh and junior Brianna Fevrier won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.

Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:30

Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a pair of wins in both singles and both doubles to beat Canton. Senior Jordan Willis won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and senior Katie Ovoian won 6-1, 7-5 at second singles. The team of seniors Leah Marceau and Shurobhi Nandi won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles while juniors Mae McLaughlin and Tara Nair emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles. Canton freshman Rachel Kupferman won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles.

Foxboro, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon emerged with a 3-2 victory in a showdown with division rival Foxboro. The Eagles picked up wins at second singles and both doubles matches. Lulu Yuan won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles, Katie Merport and Emily Wen prevailed with a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles and Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein teamed up for a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles. Foxboro’s Sophia Prinos won 6-2, 7-5 at first singles and freshman Pam Nelson earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles.

Franklin, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames defended its home court with a sweep of visiting Franklin. Sarah Leger won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Tate Hadges took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second singles and Maura Kiernan didn’t lose a game in a win at third singles. The team of Kristin Bloumbas and Emily Yu recorded a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles while Rachel Stryke and Olivia Groebe prevailed 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.

Stoughton, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/09/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 13 – Final – Attleboro overcame a 4-1 deficit, scoring three runs in the fifth inning to tie it, two more in the sixth in the take a lead, and then seven runs in the final inning to put the game to bed. Attleboro senior Drew Pagano earned the win in relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings. James Weir went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two RBI, Troy Gamache had two hits and an RBI and Sam Larkin chipped in with two hits. Sophomore Alvaro Espinel drew five walks, stole three bases and scored three runs while senior Corey McKenna had a two-run double and three stolen bases.

Foxboro, 3 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Foxboro senior Steve McLaughlin tossed a complete game shutout, scatting three hits while striking out three to lead the Warriors to a win over Franklin. Chad Bearce (single) and JT Burke (double) each recorded an RBI as Foxboro scored single runs in each the first, second, and fourth innings. Anthony Mollica and Joe Cavaleri each had a hit for Foxboro. Franklin’s Jake Noviello struck out 11 batters in five innings of work with just two walks and no earned runs allowed.

King Philip, 17 @ Canton, 4 – Final – King Philip’s offense exploded for 17 runs in its season opener to pick up a win on the road. Sophomore Robbie Jarest went 3-for-3 with an RBI while Jeremy Rhines had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Rhines earned the win on the mound with five innings of work, striking out four batters without allowing an earned run. KP head coach Greg Kessler said Collin Cooke and Nolan Bradley had strong games defensively.

Mansfield, 9 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Mansfield broke open a 1-1 game with two runs in the fifth and then added four more in the sixth, and two more in the seventh inning to turn a close game into a big win in both teams’ season opener. Hornets senior Tyler Dalton scattered four hits over four innings of work while striking out four to earn the win. Kevin Dow pitched three scoreless innings of relief. Offensively, Sam Nugent (RBI, run), Mike Hargadon (two RBI, run), Cullin Anastasia (RBI), Eric Longley (run), and Dow (two RBI, run) each had two hits for the Hornets. For Stoughton, Ruben Gonzalez, Mike Nazzaro and Will Eckhart each had a pair of hits. Eckhart allowed three earned runs in five innings of work while striking out four.

Taunton, 5 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Taunton senior Tyler Medeiros allowed just four hits in five-plus innings of work, striking out seven with two runs allowed to earn the win. Taunton scored three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead, added another run in the fifth inning, and tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Josh Lajoie (save), Christian Simoes, and Jacob Crawford each had two hits for Taunton while Jack Moynihan had a two-RBI triple in the fourth inning. For Milford, Danny Corsini allowed just two earned runs in six innings of work with three strikeouts. Colby Pires (RBI) and Matt Shaver (walk, two runs) each had a pair of hits for the Hawks.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro senior Nick Sinacola dazzled in his season debut, striking out 11 batters over six innings of work with five hits and two walks allowed. North scored single runs in the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. OA had a chance to tie the game with the bases loaded in the seventh inning but Peter Cohen came in to get the final out via strikeout. Nick Raneri went 2-for-3 with a double, Zach DeMattio went 2-for-3, and Nolan Buckley had a two-out RBI triple in the fifth for the Rocketeers. Oliver Ames senior Mitch Goulet was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Softball
Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 13 – Final (6 inn.) – Attleboro’s McKenzie Bergdoll had a strong day in the circle and at the plate to help the Bombardiers open the season with a win. Bergdoll struck out eight in four innings of work, allowing just two hits and one unearned run. At the plate, she had two hits and two RBI. Jenna Gittle finished the final two innings in the circle, striking out three while allowing two hits. Makenzie Killough and Ashley Macia each had big days at the play; Killough went 3-for4 with four RBI, including a home run while Macia was 3-for-4 with five RBI and a home run. Jordyn Lako chipped in with three hits and two RBI for Big Blue. “This was a good start with only three practices outside so far,” said AHS coach Mark Homer. “Everyone in the starting lineup contributed offensively.”

Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 25 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip’s Meghan Gorman had four of the Warriors 15 hits, including a two-run home run and a pair of doubles, finishing with five RBI. Brooke Taute contributed three hits, including a triple, and three RBI while Faith Turnese and Hailey McCasland each had multiple hits. Elise Pereira earned the win with a complete game, six strikeouts and just one hit allowed.

Foxboro, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Chelsea Gibbons went 2-for-4 to lead the Warriors, while Hannah Davis and Jill Finn each had an RBI single in the victory. Foxboro’s Emma Rohan went the distance in the circle to get the win.

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final – Mansfield coach Lori Letendre called the opening game of the season “a great team effort,” as the Hornets got a strong start from Sarah Cahill, who allowed only three hits and struck out five, and had six players record at least two hits. Mady Bendanillo and Caty DeMassi both went 3-for-4 with DeMassi just a double away from the cycle. Sydney Woods, Felicity McMullin, Ella Verheggen, and Cahill each went 2-for-4. Every player in the Mansfield lineup had at least a hit or an RBI. Kerran Holmes also made a big play in left, turning a double play after a shoestring grab.

Milford, 8 @ Taunton, 7 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 22 – Final (5 inn.) – Bella Erti struck out six and allowed only three hits in five innings of work, while also registering three hits at the plate. Ashley Cangiano led the offense, going 4-for-4 with a homer and five RBI. Abby Gallagher scored four runs, while Olivia Capobianco scored three times and had a stolen base and Annabelle Hebard and Katy Daby each had triples. All four finished the game with two hits apiece. Lexie Campbell, Kayla Georgeu, and Katie Mills each had a hit for Oliver Ames.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 15 – Final

Canton, 2 @ Foxboro, 13 – Final – Foxboro built a 7-0 lead by halftime and never looked back to earn a league win over division foe Canton. Louis Piccolo collected eight points – three goals and five assists – to pace the Warriors’ offense. Shayne Kerrigan went 15-for-17 at the face-off X and Bobby Yerardi chipped in with three goals.

Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 13 – Final – Franklin junior Jacob Alexander dominated the face-off X, winning 17 of 21 attempts to help give the Panthers the edge in possession. Eric Civetti paced the offense with six goals and assist while Zach Alexander, Jacob Alexander, Jake Davis and Nitin Chaudhury each scored once for the Panthers. Will Davis made five saves in net for Franklin.

Mansfield @ Stoughton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Oliver Ames, 10 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Eric LeBlanc had a hand in over half of the Tigers goals, helping his side earn its first win of the season. LeBlanc scored five goals and had one assist to pace the offense while Shane Kilkelly added two goals and three assists and Frankie Ireland finished with a goal and two assists. Milford freshman goalie Evan Hazard made 15 saves in net while Andrew Gallagher had a team-high five points with two goals and three assists. Mike Demko and Brendan White each scored a pair of goals while Chase Blanchette had a strong game defensively with six ground balls.

Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 12 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 16 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro had eight different goal scorers, as new coach Colleen Carchedi gets her first win on her Rocketeers debut. Kayla Moulin earned the shutout in net. Alana Tavares grabbed two draw controls for the Tigers, while Hannah Moniz and Rosemary McGrath each had three ground balls.

King Philip, 17 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final KP had seven different scorers and improved to 2-0 on the season. Katie Crowther led the way for the Warriors with seven goals and two assists, while Caroline Klim chipped in with three goals and three assists. Alli Meehan and Olivia Tormey each added two goals and an assist, while Dana Truini, Victoria Tormey, and Ali Wilson each scored once in the win. Caroline Watson made eight saves for KP.

Foxboro, 19 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Sophia DiCenso scored three goals and Caroline Boudreau recorded four assists, as Foxboro used 13 different goal scorers to get the division win. Sara Addeche picked up the shutout in goal.

Franklin, 18 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Franklin junior Annie Walsh and sophomore Erin Walsh combined for 15 points to lead the Panthers to a win on the road at Sharon. Annie had seven goals and two assists while Erin finished with four goals and two assists. Katie Jones added two goals and two assists while Nicole Houlihan had two goals and Corinne Lewis had a strong game defensively with two ground balls. Gianna Cameron made seven saves in the win while Kate Morse made her season debut after suffering an ACL injury this past Fall. Sabrina Robbins scored a pair of goals, grabbed four draw controls, and three ground balls, while Emma Eberhardt added a pair of goals and five draw controls for the Eagles. Sharon also got a goal and an assist from Lydia Chase and 13 saves from goalie Rose Wald.

Mansfield, 16 vs. Holliston, 12 – Final

Milford, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 16 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Chloe Kilkelly and Olivia Piazza combined for seven goals and six assists to lead the Tigers to a win.

Boys Tennis
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – It was a clean sweep for Sharon with all five matches ending in straight sets. Fred Bondar won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles, Danujan Thirumavalavan, won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles and Ashwin Sreevatsa won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Max Brody and Russell Rapaport earned a 6-2, 6-0 decision at first doubles while Arie Chinnappan and Alex Aspel won 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles.

Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip’s Marco DiStefano rallied after losing the first game to win the second and take a third set tiebreaker to complete the Warriors sweep. DiStefano won 2-6, 7-6 (5), 10-7 while Nick Putney (6-2, 3-6, 6-1) also went three sets at second singles. Jack Cannon won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles, Aidan Ignatius and Nick Ihley won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Sean Desrochers and Nate Ihley didn’t lose a single game (6-0, 6-0) at second doubles.

Foxboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin swept singles play and took another win at first doubles to beat Foxboro. Rohan Herur (6-1, 6-3), Liam Marr (6-0, 6-1) and Tony Calderone (6-4, 6-3) took care of business in singles action while Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu rallied from one set down to earn a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win. Foxboro’s team of Justin Neale and Brady Gardner earned a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – The Hornets picked up a pair of wins in singles as well as doubles to defend home court against Stoughton. Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles and Peter Lally earned a 6-1, 6-0 decision at third singles. The team of Jalaj Singh and Danny Radev notched a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while Ben Salden and Yash Sakitarkar won by the same score at second doubles. Stoughton’s Erik Anderson won 6-4, 6-4 at second singles.

Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton’s Mike Briggs (third singles) and Alex Pugh and Trevor Hart (second doubles) each won in straight sets without dropping a game to pace the Tigers. Francois Hennaux won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Brett Beaulieu earned a 6-1, 6-0 at second singles and the team of Charlie Fiske and Dylan Kullas notched a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – North Attleboro won all five matches in straight sets without dropping a single game to record a win on the road. Richard Bermudez (first singles), Christian Bermudez (second singles) Jonah Manso (third singles), the team of Ben Pfeffer and Sam Gallagher (first doubles) and Alex Pfeffer and Alex Rinaldi (second doubles) all won 6-0, 6-0.

Girls Tennis
Taunton, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – The Tigers notched a pair of wins in singles play and two more in doubles to take home a win from Milford. Vanessa Rosa won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles and Jocelyn Pagliuca took a 6-2, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of McKenzie Lurie and Sam Martin dropped just one game (6-0, 6-1) at first doubles and Amanda Pugh and Brianna Ferrier did the same (6-1, 6-0) in a win at second doubles. Milford’s Julie Rabinowitz won 6-3, 6-3 at first singles.

Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon dropped a total of three games in singles action and two total in doubles play in a sweep over Attleboro. Nupur Shukla won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Lulu Yuan didn’t lose a game (6-0, 6-0) at second singles and Emily Wen earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Katie Merport and Sophia Fein earned a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles while Rithika Neti and Lauren Glass didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – King Philip won all five matches but some were closer than the score indicates. Erin Regnier won 6-0, 7-5 at first singles, Meghan Sepich earned a 6-1, 6-4 victory at second singles and Caitlin Gonser walked away with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Grace Ely and Mia Valencia squeaked out a win at first doubles (5-7, 6-4, 10-8) while Katarina and Schneider and Lucy Barnard dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Foxboro won three matches without losing a single game in a sweep at home over Franklin. Sophia Prinos (first singles), Pam Nelson (third singles), and the team of Julia Muise and Sarah Prag (first doubles) each won their match 6-0, 6-0. Kayla Prag won 6-0, 6-3 at second singles for the Warriors and Olivia Dantona and Kendall Milender emerged victorious (6-2, 6-3) at second doubles.

Mansfield, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield opened its season with a win, winning all three singles matches in straight sets. Senior Sarah Doyle won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Elizabeth Elsner took a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles and freshman Aryann Khosravani won 6-1, 6-3 at third singles. Junior Tessa Garufi and sophomore Samantha Sternberg won 6-3, 6-1 at first doubles while junior Hannah Podolske and senior Cindy Gu prevailed with a 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro edged out Oliver Ames with a pair of wins in singles play and one win in doubles. Jordan Willis had a convincing 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, senior Katie Ovoian won 6-1, 6-4 at third singles and the team of seniors Leah Marceau and Shurobhi Nandi prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (7-0) at first doubles. For Oliver Ames, Tate Hadges won 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 at second singles and Olivia Groebe and Rachel Stryke notched a 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Brockton, 0 – Final – Taunton picked up a convincing win on the road behind a balanced attack. Malik Charles had a team-high eight kills while Alex Tavares (four blocks), Lens Esquil (three blocks), and Lance Law (four aces) all registered seven kills. Ricardo DaFonseca finished with 32 assists for the Tigers.

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2017 Record: 6-14
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Matt Bosh

After missing out on the postseason a year ago, Attleboro head coach Matt Bosh believes his team’s depth and versatility will help the Bombardiers get back there.

Junior Eoin Kelleher is back to lead the pitching staff after a stellar sophomore season in which he earned HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year honors. Kelleher posted a 1.00 ERA in 35 innings of work, including throwing a no-hitter against rival North. Senior captains Jason Weir and Jon Candiales, senior Drew Pagano along with junior Sam Larkin will all see time on the mound for Big Blue as well.

Candiales and Weir also anchor the offense with the former patrolling shortstop and the latter seeing time in both the outfield and first base. Candiales gives the Bombardiers power from the left side of the plate while Weir is a three-year starter that gives Bosh flexibility in the lineup. Larkin will be in the outfield when he isn’t pitching and can use his speed to hurt teams. Corey McKenna returns as the starting second baseman while senior Dakota Kirby is back behind the dish after a year off. Kirby will add pop to the lineup as he hit 0.425 as a sophomore with 10 RBI.

“The biggest improvement that I see from last year is our team speed and athleticism,” Bosh said. “We have a lot of guys that can play multiple positions and we’re very athletic. We have a high number of kids who can play anywhere.”

Canton

2017 Record: 6-12
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Greg Digirolamo

A strong core of returning players and a good amount of depth will be keys for the 2018 Canton Bulldogs baseball team.

After losing just four players from last year’s team, there is a good mix of experienced players and talented youth for head coach Greg Digirolamo to work with. The Bulldogs will look to three senior captains to the lead the way: Matt Casamento, Robbie Wilkinson, and Tommy DeLello. Casamento is a three-year starter in center field, DeLello will man first base and Wilkinson will try to carry over the momentum from an impressive junior year into 2018. Wilkinson went 3-1 last year with a 1.58 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched.

Wilkinson will be joined in the pitching staff by seniors Austin Maffie, Niko Donovan, and Ryan Hickey, along with juniors Paul Corcoran, Robbie Sullivan, and Kevin McGonigle. Freshman Matt Connolly will also figure into the mix on the mound.

Casamento anchors the defense from the center field spot while junior catcher Matt Pigeon and sophomore shortstop Nate Quan bolster the defense up the middle.

“It’s a good group of kids that like to compete every day, what else can you ask for as a coach?” Digirolamo said. “For us the biggest thing will be seeing live pitching. If we’re to have any success this year we’ll need to do a better job at the plate.”

Foxboro

2017 Record: 7-14
2017 Finish: Reached D3 South First Round
Coach: Derek Suess

New Foxboro head coach Derek Suess sees a little bit of the past in his first team as head coach. Suess, a former Warrior himself, said the 2018 version of Foxboro reminds him of a team that won 15 games during his senior year just over a decade ago.

“This team is hungry to put the program back on the map,” Suess said. “I couldn’t ask for a better senior group to lead us. They remind me of the senior group I was a part of in 2007 in which we won 15 games. With a good mix of underclassmen, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s hard work pay off on the field.”

After losing a painful eight games by just one run a season ago, including a near upset of third-seeded and D3 South Finalist Norton in the playoffs, the Warriors will be looking to turn those losses into wins this time around.

“We need to make more winning plays to put those tallies in the win column,” Suess said.

Junior Anthony Mollica will spearhead the offense after leading the Warriors with a 0.367 batting average a year ago. Senior Chad Bearce and sophomore Joe Cavaleri will bolster the middle of the lineup, freshman Sean Yoest has shown flashes early on at the dish, and seniors Joe Freitas, Matt Rongione, and Jack Franceschelli provide the Warriors with some speed.

Senior Steve McLaughlin returns after an impressive 2017 season. Despite posting an 0-6 record, McLaughlin struck out 24 batters in 32.2 innings of work and posted a 1.73 ERA. McLaughlin will be joined by Cavaleri, Yoest, and junior Guy Quartarone in the rotation while senior Robert Theriault returns behind the dish after getting a year of experience last season.

Franklin

2017 Record: 18-6
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Zach Brown

Focusing on pitching and defense, the Panthers will be looking to get better each and every day as they try to replicate the success from a season ago.

Franklin won the Kelley-Rex division last year, its first league title since 2012. And the mix of pitching and offense put the Panthers in some conversations for Super 8, but the Panthers ended up in the D1 South and bowed out in the quarterfinals after being forced to play on back to back days.

The arms that helped the Panthers have so much success last year as almost all back, starting with staff ace senior Jake Noviello. The Fairfield-commit struck out a Hockomock-best 61 batters a year ago, going 6-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 55.1 innings of work. Noviello is complemented by lefty Jason Ulrickson (7-0, 0.80 ERA, 35 K), Bryan Woelfel (3-2, 0.91 ERA, 4 SV, 31 K) and senior James Leofanti.

The defense will be anchored by a pair of returning starters in junior shortstop Alex Haba (0.360, 12 runs) and junior catcher Jake Macchi.

“While we are returning a number of experienced arms we are also turning over a number of positions last season,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “So, we will be young or inexperienced at a number of positions. Offensively, my hope is that as the season progressing we will be able to develop an identity and find a way to manufacture runs.”

King Philip

2017 Record: 10-11
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Greg Kessler

After just squeaking into the postseason a year ago, first-year KP head coach Greg Kessler is hoping his team will be in contention for a Kelley-Rex division title in 2018.

One reason for that is the senior class and the handful of returning players that have plenty of experience at the varsity level. Ben Furfari returns as a key piece of the Warriors’ outfield and lineup. He hit 0.298 last season and will provide the power on offense. Senior Pat Limerick, committed to play at St. Joseph’s (ME), will set the tone as the leadoff hitter.

On the mound, senior Jeremy Rhines (2-1, 1.45 ERA) and junior David Morganelli will be the main options while hard-throwing senior Liam Rohan will also be in the mix. Nolan Bradley returns behind the plate as one of the top catchers in the league while sophomore Robbie Jarest will step in to take over at shortstop.

“We have a great group of senior this year,” Kessler said. “They have been dedicated to the weight room and leading our underclassmen. They continuously strive to build a team that will compete for the Hock championship. They deserve to have a great year. I guarantee that will be the most vocal and most energetic team in the Hock. We pride ourselves on being positive and enthusiastic every pitch.”

Mansfield

2017 Record: 14-8
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Joe Breen

There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Mansfield baseball program this season. And with the arms they have back, there’s good reason for it.

Senior Tyler Dalton, a UMass Amherst commit, returns after missing the majority of his junior year with an injury. Dalton was tremendous during the 2016 season as a sophomore, posting a 6-2 record while striking out 35 batters and posting a 1.78 ERA. He will be joined on the Hornets’ staff by senior Kevin Dow (UMass Amherst commit, 4-1, 1.93 ERA), junior lefty Connor Sheehan (2.82 ERA, 28 K), and junior Kyle Moran (three saves). Sophomore John Carney will also likely see time on the mound for the Hornets.

Senior catcher Cullin Anastasia returns after being named to the 2017 HockomockSports.com Second Team. Anastasia had 19 hits a year ago, knocking in 10 runs and scoring 10 runs as well. Sam Nugent will give the Hornets a spark in center field and on the base path with his speed, Moran picked up plenty of experience at third base last season, and Eric Longley will provide Mansfield with some pop in the middle of the lineup.

“We will rely heavily on our pitching staff this season to keep us in games and look to make the plays behind them and be aggressive with our offensive and baserunning approach to get those guys a few runs per game,” said Mansfield head coach Joe Breen. “As always, we will turn to our senior class to set the tone and for our underclassmen to blossom under their leadership.”

Milford

2017 Record: 12-10
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Alex Dion

Milford baseball starts a new chapter in its historic history as longtime assistant Alex Dion takes over the reigns of the program.

Dion’s first challenge will be having to overcome the loss of a dozen seniors, including team ace Alex Macek, reliable infielders Zack Tamagni and Anthony Arcudi, and hard-hitting outfielder Ryan Goncalves. However, the good news is that Dion has one of the best players at his disposal in Stonehill-commit Aidan Wilde. Wilde had 59 hits between his freshman and sophomore years and added 21 more in the regular season a year ago. After seeing time as a catcher last season, Wilde will mainly man the corner infield positions in 2018.

Wilde will be complemented by junior Matt Shaver, who picked up some experience a year ago at both shortstop and on the mound. The Hawks will rely on Shaver to anchor the defense from short and give the offense a spark from the leadoff position. Junior Tyler Almeida will step in behind the dish and will provide some offense from the left side of the plate. Sophomores Luke Rosa and Colby Pires look to be in the mix as well as junior Nick Marcolini, who will pitch and patrol the outfield.

“We graduated a strong senior class this past year and are now in a situation where we have a lot of new players who we will look to take advantage of new opportunities,” Dion said. “I am excited about the athleticism that we have on our roster and the energy that these guys bring to practice each day. I think our philosophy is simple, but we preach a team-first mentality to our guys and strive to get quality pitching, play clean defense and get timely hits to win games.”

North Attleboro

2017 Record: 8-10
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Mike Hart

North Attleboro didn’t have to go far to find its new coach. Mike Hart takes over for Paul Tobin and Hart truly bleeds Big Red – a graduate from the school and three-sport coach.

And expectations are high for the Rocketeers after just missing out on the postseason a year ago. Senior captain Nick Sinacola returns after having an MVP-caliber junior season. Big Red will rely on Sinacola on both sides of the plate, leading the offense (he batted 0.415 last year with 15 runs scored) and being the ace of the staff (48.1 IP, 49 K, 2.01 ERA). Senior captain Zach DeMattio is also back after being named to the 2017 HockomockSports.com First Team, batting 0.333 with 15 RBI and three home runs. Big Red also gets senior Nate Pearce (0.371) back after a strong junior year.

Senior Peter Cohen (24 IP, 0.29 ERA) will look to build upon a superb junior year while Nolan Buckley and Jeff Gale bring experience to the outfield. Aidan Harding also has varsity experience and will be in the mix to get innings on the mound along with juniors Matt Wanless, Jake Palmer, Matt Seavey, Nick Raneri, and Ben Arrighi.

“We have a truly industrious group of players,” Hart said. “We’re going to keep moving guys around until we find the lineup that works for us. Some may have to play multiple positions, depending on whose pitching on any given day. We had a decent season last year, with many guys getting some varsity time, but we’re still unproven. We need to continue to improve every day and only worry about the things we can control. Guys will be competing every day all season, which will only make us better. We will approach each day, with a great attitude, high effort, and a steadfast approach.”

Oliver Ames

2017 Record: 14-9
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinals
Coach: Joe Abarr

A lot of the players that helped Joe Abarr have a successful first season as head coach last year are back, which means the Tigers are aiming to replicate that success.

Despite finishing in a tie for third in the Kelley-Rex, the Tigers put together the best playoff run of any Hock team, knocking off #2 Dighton-Rehoboth on the road to reach the sectional semifinals. Junior Matt McCormack is back after earning a spot on varsity late in the season this year, and along with classmate Tom Parker, should give OA a solid 1-2 punch. With a handful of capable arms in the mix, the third spot in the rotation is still up for grabs.

Abarr won’t have to worry much about anything hit to the left side of the infield as the Tigers return third basemen Chris Pearsons and shortstop Matt Muir, two of the top defensive players at their positions. Both are capable hitters as well and will provide some pop to the lineup. Another returning starter is senior Mitch Goulet. Goulet had a breakout junior campaign in center field (0.347, 7 RBI), catching fire in the second half of the year. Abarr is hoping that momentum will carry over to this season.

The Tigers have a battle for the spot behind the plate as both junior Jake Erlich and junior Reid Latham are back, both with experience behind the dish.

“We have a great core of returning players that will be the backbone of the program,” Abarr said. “We have to fill positions in the outfield and at first. If we have some guys step up in that role we should have a decent lineup from top to bottom.”

Sharon

2017 Record: 6-14
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Kee Arguimbau

Sharon is aiming to improve on its six-win season in 2017, and will be looking to ride its senior leadership to do so.

Senior captains Max Tarlin and Drew Naisuler are two of the most experienced players in the league and will be spearheading the Eagles’ offense and defense this year. Tarlin (5-4, 46 K, 1.11 ERA) is the anchor of the pitching staff, picking up five of Sharon’s six wins last season. When he’s not on the mound, expect to see Tarlin patrolling shortstop. Naisuler returns as the team’s No. 4 hitter to provide some pop to the lineup and will be a key defensive piece at both center field and first base.

The Eagles will also rely on senior Ben Schwartz, who will mainly be catching this year as well as being a major offensive contributor. Junior Noah Kamens will be a major piece of the pitching puzzle after impressing during his sophomore year. Similar to Tarlin, Kamens will be a major player in the offensive lineup and will see time off the mound spent in the outfield. Spencer Singer is transitioning to the outfield and will continue to be one of the players the Eagles look at for offensive production.

“I have a lot of guys who are multifaceted baseball players and I can foresee a lot of games being played with straight nine in the lineup,” Arguimbau said. “We have great senior leadership and some very promising sophomores that are going to play a major role in our season’s success.”

Stoughton

2017 Record: 15-6
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Mike Armour

There are a lot of questions to be answered for this year’s Stoughton baseball team, but head coach Mike Armour is excited for his players to rise to the challenge.

The Black Knights graduated nearly their entire team (10 of its 13 rostered players), which won its second straight Davenport division title. So not only will Armour be leaning heavily on his three returning players, he is looking for new faces to seize the opportunity.

“This is an exciting year for our program,” Armour said. “It’s an awesome opportunity for our younger guys. The JV and freshmen teams both over 15 or more games last year, so we’re looking for them to carry that winning attitude into this season. I expect our team to play with heart and execute the fundamentals to make us a competitive team.”

2017 HockomockSports.com First Team selection and senior captain Ruben Gonzalez returns as one of the top players in the league, both defensively at shortstop and offensively at the plate. Senior Matt Hadley and junior Evan Gibb, both captains, are the other two returning players for the Knights. Gibb has plenty of varsity experience behind the plate and Hadley, although he will miss some time with injury, will be key piece in the outfield.

Meanwhile, Armour is looking for sophomores James Genest (first base) and Michael Nazzaro (third base/catcher) to step up and play important roles both offensively and defensively this season. Juniors Kyle Gagnon, Kevin Dixon, and Cian Swierzewski will see time in the outfield and classmate Robbie Seaman will be in the mix for middle infield.

For pitching, Gibb will see time on the mound as well as behind the play. Senior Will Eckhart has some varsity experience and junior Zak Paquette will likely log some meaningful innings for the Knights. Seniors Tim Kellogg, Talyor Atkinson, and Mike Anderson provide infield depth and Jack Brown and Ryan Semler will be in the mix in the outfield.

Taunton

2017 Record: 12-10
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Blair Bourque

There are a lot of good pitchers in the Hockomock League this year, and it looks like the Tigers’ staff could be right near the top of the list.

Taunton returns senior Tyler Medeiros, who had a terrific junior campaign and will get junior Jack Moynihan back on the mound. Moynihan was impressive during his freshman year two seasons ago but an injury limited his action on the mound last season. Medeiros fanned 68 batters in 56.1 innings of work, posting a 1.98 ERA to anchor the staff. Look for senior Trevor Pietrzyk and juniors Griffin Tomaszycki and Josh Lajoie to get some meaningful innings on the mound as well.

“Tyler clearly emerged as our top pitcher last year,” said second-year head coach Blair Bourque. “Fortunately, he’s a big kid and was able to put us on his back and carry us. Hopefully, we’re able to provide more support for him this year.”

Moynihan will also play a big role in Taunton’s offense this year. While patrolling third base, Moynihan will try to provide some pop in the middle of the lineup. The Tigers also get their top two batters back with senior shortstop Jacob Crawford (0.350, 15 runs) and senior Christian Simoes (0.340, 12 RBI).

Taunton will carry nine seniors and eight juniors this season so experience will be key.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/11/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Franklin, 0 @ Catholic Memorial, 15 – Final

King Philip, 5 @ Wellesley, 4 – Final

Mansfield, 5 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Junior Kevin Dow allowed just two runs in five innings of work, striking out five to lead the Hornets to their sixth straight win. Senior Matt Farragher (3-for-4, run) delivered the biggest hit of the game, knocking in three runs with a bases clearing double in the third inning.

Taunton, 3 vs. New Bedford, 2 – Final (9 inn.) – Taunton sophomore Jack Moynihan drove in the game-winning to hand the Tigers a walk-off win over New Bedford. Moynihan launched a double to bring in senior Matt Machado for the game-winning run. Machado and Tyler Medeiros each knocked in a run in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead before New Bedford tied the game with two runs in the sixth. Danny Keogh earned the win, tossing three scoreless innings in relief with just one hit allowed, no walks and two strikeouts. Owen O’Gara went six innings, striking out five with two earned runs allowed on one hit.

Softball
Stoughton, 10 @ Brockton, 0 – Final – Alessandra Loffredo was a single shy of the cycle for the Black Knights who totaled 11 hits on the day. Gina Carafa tossed a three-hit shutout, striking out five to get the win. Megan Eosco drove in the winning run with a first inning double and Jordan Lyons and Bri Ferrandiz each had a pair of hits for Stoughton.

Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield, 6 vs. Barnstable, 11 – Final – Mansfield trailed by just two at halftime, down 5-3 to the Red Raiders but couldn’t rally. Cullen Murphy led the Hornets’ offense with five points, scoring twice with three assists. Sam O’Connell, Joe Cox and Brad Grant each scored once and had an assist and Danny DeGirolamo scored once. Tommy Donnelly had a strong defensive performance in front of goalie Sean Powers (19 saves).

Sharon @ Milford, 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 11 @ Attleboro, 10 – Final

North Attleboro vs. Notre Dame Academy, 4:00

Oliver Ames, 13 vs. Norton, 3 – Final – Eight different players found the back of the net as Oliver Ames cruised to a non-league win at home over Norton. Olivia Piazza led the charge with four goals while Sarah Stevens and Sofia Masciarelli each netted a pair of goals.

Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 0 vs. Brockton, 5 – Final

Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Brockton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames picked up a non-league win on the road, sweeping neighboring Brockton. Sarah Leger won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Claudia Ferrara won 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 12-10 at second singles and Maura Kiernan notched a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles. OA had two strong performances in doubles, with Tori Wyman and Tate Hadges earning a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and Kristin Bloumbas and Olivia Groebe prevailing 6-3, 6-0 at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 2 – Final – Taunton rallied from a two-game deficit to beat Durfee in five (16-25, 23-25, 29-27, 25-21, 15-9). Gage Kingman had a big day for the Tigers with 11 digs, nine kills and one ace and Mike Fernandez had seven kills and four blocks. THS coach Toby Chaperon said Jason Khang and Alex Tavares both provided the Tigers with a spark.