Cooper Johnson celebrates after sliding into third. He would come home on a groundout, scoring the first run in Attleboro’s tournament win over Doherty. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – For the second time in two innings, Attleboro saw a one-run slip away. In the top of the fifth of Thursday afternoon’s Div. 1 preliminary round game at Drummond St. Field, Doherty responded to the Bombardiers going in front by scoring immediately. With two outs and the go-ahead run just 90 feet away, Attleboro’s Jonny Pagano struck out Ryan Flanagan for the second time to escape the jam.
It proved to be a momentum-shifting moment. With the game still tied, Attleboro came up in the bottom half of the inning and scored three times to take control of the game. The Bombardiers would add another in the sixth to pull out a 6-2 victory. Pagano spun a gem, going 6-1/3 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out seven.
“He pitched great, the kids fought, we got some bunts down, we did the little things that we needed to do, and just had a great game all around,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Jonny got us out of a couple of situations where we had the lead and then they fought back and there were guys in scoring position and he really just got tough and was able to get us out of those innings.”
Pagano came out firing for the hosts, striking out the first two batters he faced. Although he hit Cameron Early to put a runner on, Pagano induced a pop up to Cooper Johnson at short to end the first. Brody McKenna went on a long run to grab a pop up in foul territory and Andrew Gorman snared a hard-hit liner at first to make quick work of the second as well.
In the bottom of the second, the Bombardiers struck first. Johnson hit a high fly to right that wasn’t handled, turning into a three-base error and the leadoff runner at third. After a scary moment, when catcher Aiden Hochwarter was hit in the face by a pitch (Owen Parker came in as a courtesy runner but Hochwarter remained in the game), Danny Johnson hustled to beat out a double play and allow the run to score.
Jack Hale stole momentum back with a lead-off, ground-rule double to left to start the third. A sac bunt moved Hale to third and he scored on a pitch that got away and went to the backstop. With a runner in scoring position, Pagano got a fly ball to right and a grounder to third, with Gorman making sure of the final out with a nice pick at first.
After Pagano breezed through the top of the fourth with a pair of strikeouts, Attleboro regained the lead. Matt Harvie smacked one past the bag at third and, with aggressive base-running, turned it into a double. He continued his aggression by taking third on a fly ball to left-center. With two outs Hochwarter was hit by a pitch again. Parker and Harvie executed a double steal and the Bombardiers went in front 2-1.
With one out in the fifth, Hale was nearly caught stealing at second but the ball came loose before the tag. Nigel Cross followed with Doherty’s second hit, lacing a single to center that brought in the run. Boris Valdez reached on a fielder’s choice, when Cross was caught in a rundown between second and third, and stole two bases to get to third, but Pagano came up with a big pitch to end the threat.
Gorman gave Attleboro a lift at the plate, lining a single to left to start the bottom half of the inning. With the pinch runner on second, Jacob Bettencourt pushed a bunt down the first base line and was able to get to the uncovered bag to put two runners on. McKenna put the hosts back in front with a sac fly to center.
Attleboro continued to come through with two outs. First Harvie and then Cooper Johnson followed with singles to bring in two more runs and make it 5-2.
Dunlea joked, We tend to wait around a little bit and then we score later in the game. It keeps the fans interested.” He praised his team’s ability to produce with two outs (four of the six runs), “There were a lot of times early in the season where we were leaving a lot of guys on base, so to even with two outs get those guys across the plate is huge.”
Pagano made sure not to give any life back to Doherty with a clean top of the sixth, including his sixth strikeout. Hochwarter, who not only got hit by a pitch twice but was also stung by a foul ball, opened the bottom half by beating out a grounder deep in the hole at short and advancing to second on a wild pitch.
“He’s the iron man,” Dunlea said when asked about Hochwarter. “There’s only two innings he hasn’t caught this season and he’s got a bloody lip and bruises all over his leg, sweating up a storm, but he loves it. He was born to be a catcher.”
Danny Johnson got on behind Hochwarter and both moved up on a sac bunt by Gorman. With two outs, freshman Ryan Landry went to the opposite field, serving a single out to shallow left to bring in an insurance run for the Bombardiers.
Pagano came back out for the seventh and promptly got his seventh strikeout of the day before Dunlea turned to his bullpen.
“He was mad at me when I took him out at the end but it’s 100 [degrees] on the turf,” Dunlea said about Pagano. “He’s come around as a big game pitcher for us. The moment doesn’t seem to faze him, he’s just staying calm and doing what he needs to do. I’m really impressed with his learning how to pitch.”
Jackson Huntington had to pitch around a couple of defensive miscues that put two on for the visitors, but he got off the mound well on a slow roller up the line to finish off Doherty and send Attleboro to the Round of 32.
“This team really fought this season,” Dunlea said when asked about what it meant for the Bombardiers to have an opportunity to play in the state tournament, after narrowly missing out last spring. “The kids halfway through the season realized, ‘Hey, we’re a good team,’ and that’s huge. Once you have the confidence, then you can go from there.”
Attleboro (10-11) will face No. 4 Central Catholic in the next round. The game will be Sunday afternoon at Northern Essex Community College.
Baseball
Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 11 – Final – Attleboro earned its second win in as many days, plating four runs in each the third and fourth innings to pull away from Sharon. Senior Sean O’Hara was masterful on the mound, delivering four strong innings with just one run allowed on five hits and no walks while striking out three. Jackson Huntington added two strikeouts in a scoreless inning of relief. Offensively, freshman Ryan Landry had a big outing as he smacked an inside-the-park home for his first career hit; he finished the day going 3-for-3 with five RBI and a run scored. Cooper Johnson also had a big day with two hits, including a triple, and two RBI and three runs scored, and Aiden Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, and Jacob Bettencourt each added one RBI. Harry Librot (RBI), Drew Yaffe, Cole Arundale, and Seth Bonner each had a hit for the Eagles.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Taunton, 15 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton exploded out of the gate with six first-inning runs and never looked back to beat Oliver Ames, who was the home team on the Taunton High turf. Dawson Bryce started the scoring with a two-run single, Dwayne Burgo brought in another run with a bae hit, and Sean Murphy cleared the bases with a three-run triple to hand Taunton a 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Taunton added another run in the second, five more in the third, and three in the fifth. Burgo finished 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs, Murphy (three RBI, one run) and Brayden Cali (two runs) each had two hits, and senior Ryan MacDougall added a double and three RBI. Peter Moor allowed only two hits and one walk, striking out four in four scoreless innings and Brady Morin tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
King Philip @ Canton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
North Attleboro @ Foxboro –Postponed to 5/5 at 4:45.
Franklin @ Mansfield –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 4:30.
Softball
Sharon, 3 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final (5 inn.) – For Sharon, Ally Foulsham had two RBI and Natalie David stole home, and Manasa Josyula had five strikeouts.
Canton @ King Philip –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/17 at 3:45.
Foxboro @ North Attleboro –Postponed to Thursday, 5/25 at 4:00.
Mansfield @ Franklin –Postponed to TBD.
Stoughton @ Milford –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Oliver Ames @ Taunton –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/9 at 7:00.
Boys Tennis
Sharon @ Attleboro –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Canton @ King Philip –Postponed to 5/5 at 3:45.
Foxboro @ North Attleboro –Postponed to TBD.
Mansfield @ Franklin –Postponed to Monday, 5/15 at 3:45.
Stoughton @ Milford –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Oliver Ames @ Taunton –Postponed to Thursday, 5/11 at 3:45.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro @ Sharon –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
King Philip @ Canton –Postponed to 5/5 at 3:45.
North Attleboro @ Foxboro –Postponed to TBD.
Franklin @ Mansfield –Postponed to Monday, 5/15 at 3:45.
Milford @ Stoughton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 4:00.
Taunton @ Oliver Ames –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/9 at 3:45.
Boys Outdoor Track
King Philip @ Attleboro, 3:45
Sharon, 89 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Dan Krasylnykov, Mo Arugollu, and Ruairi Ritson all contributed key points for Canton in a loss to Sharon. Krasylnykov was a double-winner, taking first in both the 400M (52.9) and the 200M (23.7), Arugollo won the 400M hurdles (65.3) and was third in the triple jump, and Ritson added points by winning the shot put (37’4″), finishing second in the discus, and taking third in the 400M hurdles. Sam Vail added a win in the 110M hurdles (18.9) and Mark McDonough had a winning throw of 114’11” in the javelin. Christian Hanlon had a strong showing with second place finishes in both the 100M (11.6) and the long jump (18’4″), and Kareem Porter recorded his varsity points with a third place finish in the shot put.
Mansfield, 63 @ Oliver Ames, 73 – Final
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 4:30
Foxboro @ Stoughton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Franklin @ Milford –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/16 at 4:15.
Girls Outdoor Track
King Philip @ Attleboro, 3:45
Sharon, 54 @ Canton, 82 – Final – Canton dominated the throwing events to score a win over visiting Sharon. The Bulldogs swept the shot put (Emma Massih, Jess Brathwaite, Jocanda Cabral), the javelin (Luran Slotnick, Cabral, Rose Giglio), and the discus (massih, Slotnick, Bridget Feeney) in the win. Katie Oliver was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, taking first in both the long jump (16’10.5″) and the triple jump (33’6″).
Mansfield, 82 @ Oliver Ames, 53 – Final
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 4:30
Foxboro @ Stoughton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Franklin @ Milford –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/16 at 4:15.
Baseball
Foxboro, 6 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final – Attleboro capped a big comeback with a walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh inning to stun visiting Foxboro. After the teams traded runs in the first inning, the Warriors pushed across five runs in a big third inning to take command of the game. The Bombardiers responded with two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to pull level, setting the stage for junior Brody McKenna’s single up the middle to bring the game-winning run home in the bottom of the seventh. Junior Andrew Gorman battled through a tough at bat to lead off with a walk, and pinch runner Jacob Bettencourt moved to second on a single from senior Cooper Johnson. McKenna sent the 1-1 pitch up the middle and Bettencourt raced around third and to home to win the game. Attleboro senior Owen Lombardo was the star of the game with a stellar relief appearance, taking over to start the third inning. He scattered four hits — a pair of singles in the third, a one-out double the fourth, and a two-out triple in the sixth — and didn’t walk a single batter, striking out two in five scoreless innings. Peter DelPozzo, Aiden Hochwarter, and Matt Harvie each added a hit and an RBI for the Bombariders. Foxboro’s Sean O’Leary had two hits and both Louis Carangelo and Mat Sullivan drove in a pair of runs.
Canton @ Franklin – Postponed
Sharon, 2 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – The Warriors did most of their damage offensively in the early innings and juniors Max Robison and TJ Ahern combined for a strong outing on the bump as King Philip took down visiting Sharon. The Eagles scored first after three consecutive singles from Palash Raina, Jake Loomis, and Liam Conway — the latter scoring the former. But the lead didn’t last long as KP scored three times in the bottom of the first and twice more in the bottom of the second to take control of the game. Brendan Sencaj had an RBI single to score Robison to get KP on the board, Matt Kelley (walk) scored on a wild pitch, and Rudy Gately brought a run home on a ground out. Walks to Tommy Martorano and Kelley set up Sencaj to reach on an error and bring both runs home to make it 5-1. Robison earned the win on the mound, allowing one run on three hits and two walks, striking out six in just three innings. Ahern came on and tossed four innings in relief, surrendering just one unearned run with no hits against, two walks, and two strikeouts. Conway pitched well in relief for the Eagles, giving up just one hit and four walks, allowing three runs (none earned) and three strikeouts in five innings.
Mansfield @ Milford – Postponed
Oliver Ames, 6 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames picked up one of its best wins of the season, going on the road and returning home with a 6-4 verdict over North Attleboro; it marked the Tigers’ fourth win in the past five games. OA plated three runs in the third and never trailed from that point on, tacking on two insurance runs an inning later and one more in the sixth before escaping a seventh inning comeback bid from the Rocketeers. Harrison Fitzpatrick got things going for OA in the top of the third, smacking a two-out double to left. After Jack Morley walked, Patrick Finnerty had an RBI single to right and an error allowed Morley to score as well to make it 2-0. Sophomore Lucas Riley followed with a single to bring Finnerty home and extend the lead to 3-0. Matt Lawson and Fitzpatrick came through with RBIs in the fourth to make it 5-0 before North Attleboro answered with three runs in the bottom half. Nate Kelly reached on a two-out error, Gio Martello singled, and Chris Hanewich loaded the bases with a single. Ryan Bannon drew a walk to get one run home and an error allowed Ayden Delaney to reach and two more runs to come home to make it 5-3. Morley brought another run home with a bases loaded walk to give OA a key insurance run. Kelly had a one-out RBI single to score Derek Maceda to start North’s rally in the seventh, and Martello (error) and Hanewich (single) reached to load the bases. OA was able to get a pair of grounders to close it out and deny the comeback attempt. Riley earned the win for OA, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks, striking out four in four innings; Jake Willard was strong in relief as he gave up just one run on five hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts in three innings.
Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton, 9 – Final – Taunton sophomore Johnny Escobalez, junior Brady Morin, and senior Brady Boucher combined for a shutout while allowing just two total hits and one walk in a win over visiting Stoughton. Escobalez earned the win, giving up just one hit (a two-out single in the fifth) and one walk (to lead off the third) while striking out eight in five innings to get the win. Morin and Boucher (three strikeouts) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief. The Tigers had a big second inning by scoring four runs, adding five runs over the fourth, fifth, and sixth to pull away for good. Brayden Cali had a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored from the leadoff spot while Xavier Spencer, Braden Sullivan, Dawson Bryce, Ryan Keenan, and Andrew Cali (two RBI) each drove in a run for Taunton.
Softball
Attleboro, 8 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final
Franklin, 19 @ Canton, 1 – Final (5 Inn.) – Franklin scored 12 times in the second inning to run away with a big win, ending a four-game losing streak and getting back to .500 in league play. Caroline Bruno had a big game for the Panthers, going 5-for-5 and scoring three runs. She also pitched three innings before Sophia Sacramone took over for the final two. Katy Liberman and Dana Stott had four hits apiece, Reece Allen, Avery Chalk, Hailey Fales, Carly Pellegri-Johnson, Ava Florest, and Sarah Boozang all had three hits. Josie Drucker, Marley Allen, and Kiera Kotwicki each had two hits in the win.
King Philip, 17 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 Inn.) – King Philip sophomore Liv Petrillo and freshman Ali Gill each had a home run and a double, combining for eight RBI to lead the Warriors on the road. Gill finished with three hits, three runs, and five RBI while Petrillo had two hits, three RBI, and three runs scored. Libby Walsh added three hits and two runs, Ava Kelley drove in three runs, Jo Bennett, Charlotte Griffin, and Liv Ali each had two RBI, and Sydney Burch recorded a pair of hits and scored a pair of runs. Bennett earned the win for KP, allowing two htis and three walks, striking out three in 3.2 innings. Manasa Josyula pitched four innings for Sharon, recording five strikeouts.
Milford, 7 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Maeve Driscoll went the distance, allowing four hits and one earned run and striking out 14 Hornets to earn Milford’s fourth win of the season. The Hawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead with single runs in the first, second, and fourth, and a pair in the third. Mansfield scored in the fourth and sixth innings to cut the lead to three, but the Hawks added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to seal the victory. Cae Pellegrini stayed hot at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a walk, a homer, two runs scored, and two RBI. Camille Bonina also had two hits and scored once. Ava Baglione, Jianna Fernandes, Katelyn Kearnan, and Sarah Wengal each drove in a run for the Hawks. Callie Lake gave Mansfield a spark at the top of the order, scoring a pair of runs and hitting a solo homer. Avery Lake, Molly Crowley, and Molly Kucharski each had a hit for the Hornets.
Taunton, 10 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Taunton’s Molly Carnes, Bella Bourque, and Ava Venturelli each collected three hits and six different Tigers recorded an RBI in a win on the road at Stoughton. Both Carnes and Bourque went 3-for-4 at the dish with a pair of RBI while Venturelli drove in one run in the win. Hayley Krockta (one RBI), and Brooke Aldrich (three RBI) each added two hits in the win. Cate Larson pitched four innings with seven strikeouts and Sam Lincoln tossed three innings with seven strikeouts.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 7 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 8 – Final
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro’s second doubles team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler prevailed in a tiebreaker in the second set to clinch a straight set win and the match, 3-2, for the Bombardiers. Cook and Tyler rolled in the first set but fought off a stiff challenge in the second to get the 6-0, 7-6 (5) win. Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen added a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles for the Bombardiers and Tyler Rocchio emerged with a good win at second doubles, 7-5, 6-0. Foxboro’s Raj Jetty won 7-6 (5), 6-2 at first singles and Ryan Fossella dropped just two games on his way to a 6-2, 6-0 third singles victory for the Warriors.
Franklin, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – After dropping the first two matches of the season, Canton has won five straight matches including Wednesday’s 4-1 verdict over visiting Franklin. The Bulldogs swept singles action with Max Kupferman dropping just two total games in a 6-2, 6-0 win, Bharat Ramanathan taking a 6-1, 6-2 decision at second singles, and Justin Ngan earning a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles. The doubles team of senior Drew Garrett and freshman Matt Wright took a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles. Franklin’s Eric Tomaino and Aaron Ramaswamy emerged from first doubles with a 6-3, 6-4 decision.
King Philip, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Senior Hyojae Park and sophomore Joel Zwicker emerged from a great battle at first doubles with a straight set win, completing a 5-0 match sweep for the host Eagles. Park and Zwicker finished with a 6-4, 7-5 win, and Sharon’s second doubles team of senior Mihir Basil and sophomore Samarth Bedre took a 6-2, 6-4 verdict. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky only lost one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singes, Matthew Lally earned an impressive 6-1, 6-0 second singles win, and sophomore Sava Kassev prevailed 6-2, 6-1 at third singles.
Milford, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield took all five matches in straight sets to fend off a challenge from visiting Milford. Sophomore Neema Khosravani rolled in the first set and never looked back in a 6-0, 6-3 first singles win, junior Nikhil Nain only dropped one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and senior Jesse Colchamiro also only lost one game on his way to a 6-1, 6-0 verdict at third singles. The team of sophomore Josh Weiner and freshman Justin Curtis picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles, and the Hornets’ second doubles pairing of junior Jacob Weiner and freshman Kingston Carey rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 verdict.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames secured a win over visiting North Attleboro by taking two singles matches and one doubles to get the 3-2 win. Alex Efremidis emerged from a tough challenge at second doubles with a 7-6 (5), 6-1 verdict while Patrick Dolan battled to a 7-5, 6-2 victory at third singles for the Tigers. The team of sophomore Nick Wagner and freshman Brendan Teehan grabbed a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles to help secure the match for the hosts. North Attleboro senior Brody Carter earned a hard-fought 7-5, 6-2 win at first singles and the team of senior Brody Gaulin and junior Carson Dameron dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win.
Taunton, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Taunton went on the road and returned back home with a sweep of Stoughton. Mike Kimmer took a win at first singles, Martin Frankimet won at second singles, and Heitor Sens secured a 6-4, 6-0 win at third singles for the Tigers. The team of Collin Lofgren and Derek Desseault battled to a 6-2, 6-0 victory at first doubles, while Taunton’s second doubles pairing of Rowan Kimmer and Kenny Dias prevailed with a 7-6 (4), 6-1 win.
Girls Tennis
Foxboro, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin’s doubles teams continue their strong play, earning a sweep, and the Panthers got one more win in singles action to upend visiting Canton. Sophomores Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen continued their impressive campaign with a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and the senior pairing of Shriya Rajesh and Lexy Masters secured a hard-fought 6-4, 6-3 win at second doubles. Junior Brooke Taylor only dropped two games on her way to a 6-0, 6-2 third singles victory. Canton’s Camila Cutter emerged with a 6-1, 6-3 win at first singles while Olivia Durham came out on top at second singles (6-3, 7-6 (2)) after a great battle at second singles.
Sharon, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Sharon passed a good midseason test by winning four of the five matches in straight sets, taking a 5-0 sweep over King Philip. Judy Song prevailed from a tight first singles match featuring two of the top players in the league with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Ahunna James. Navya Shukla added an impressive 6-1, 6-0 second singles win and Ale Aguilar completed the singles sweep right a 6-3, 4-6, 10-6 win in a hard fought match at third singles. Sharon’s Abby Vilk and Jenny Sand added a 6-2, 6-3 first doubles win, and the pairing of senior Sophia Oh and sophomore Olivia Landstein returned home with a 6-1, 6-2 win from second doubles.
Mansfield, 2 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford won three singles matches to earn its first league win of the season. Serena Borges (6-4, 6-0), Kaylee Whitney (6-4, 6-1), and Mallory Brickley (6-4, 6-2) sealed the victory for the Hawks. Mansfield won both doubles matches, with Jill Hanley and Savannah Carey taking their match 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles and Rachel Goldman and Caroline Guravage winning in three sets at second doubles.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – A battle between two of the best in the league lived up to its billing as North Attleboro junior Lauren Hunt and OA sophomore Hannah Farber had a three-hour marathon of a match at first singles with the former eventually prevailing in a super tiebreaker. Hunt continued her impressive season with a 6-7 (1), 6-2, 10-3 comeback win to cap North’s 4-1 win over the Tigers. Sophomore Megan Atwood added a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles and senior Grace Noreck only dropped one game in each get for a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of sophomores Liz Silva and Audrey Noreck emerged from a great match at first doubles with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 win. OA’s Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski prevailed 6-4, 7-5 in a close contest at second doubles.
Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final– Taunton got wins at both doubles matches and one singles contest — all played by juniors — to edge out visiting Stoughton. Junior Morgan Smith had the lone singles win for the Tigers, taking a 6-3, 6-4 verdict at third singles, and Taunton also got wins from the first doubles team of Janelle Garcia and Courtney Martin (6-1, 6-1) as well as the second doubles team of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett (6-2, 6-2). Stoughton’s Ally Lady only lost a pair of games in a 6-2, 6-0 first singles win, and senior Nadia Prokopiuk emerged from a back-and-forth battle at second singles with a 7-6 (3), 5-7, 10-7 win.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 1 vs. New Bedford, 3 – Final – Taunton opened with a win in the first set but New Bedford grabbed three straight tight sets to end up with the win, 3-1 (20-25, 28-26, 27-25, 27-25). Matt Freitas led the way offensive with a big 16-kill performance, adding nine digs and three aces while Erick Foster was strong at the net defensively with six blocks. Bradley Hylander anchored the defense with 11 digs, and both Ty Ekstrom and Daniel Freitas had 15 assists apiece.
Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – A run in the bottom of the fourth ended up as the difference as Mansfield edged visiting Attleboro in a tight battle. The teams traded runs in the second inning with the Bombardiers jumping ahead when Jacob Bettencourt reached on a dropped third strike, allowing Aidan Hochwarter (leadoff single) to scamper home. Brian Butler led off the bottom half with a single for the Hornets, stole second, and came home to score on an RBI double from Will Lund. The difference came in the bottom of the fourth and Butler was the catalyst again, starting things with a one-out single. Wyatt Bolduc drew a walk and Lund delivered another big hit, this time a single to right to bring Butler home for the winning run. Both pitchers on both teams played well with Connor Curtis earning the win, allowing one unearned run on two hits and two walks, striking out 11 in six innings of work while Butler got the save, striking out a pair with no hits or walks allowed in one inning. Attleboro junior Jonny Pagano allowed two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out five while Braxton Levin tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 11 – Final – North Attleboro scored in three consecutive innings to cut Canton’s one six-run lead down to one but the Bulldogs responded with five unanswered runs to open the season with a win. Hayden Rose (three hits, two RBI), who had a strong performance on the mound, had a two-run double and Matt Hart and Matt Lesser each had an RBI in the first inning as Canton jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Jack Digirolamo (4four RBI) added a second-inning RBI and Lesser drew a bases-loaded walk to extend Canton’s lead to 6-0 after two innings. North rallied for a run in the third and one more in the fourth (Dillon Harding RBI single), before pushing across three runs in the top of the fifth. Canton’s patience at the plate paid off in the bottom half as walks to Kyle Redquest, Owen Lane (three runs), and Matt Chafin brought in a run, and Digirolamo added another run with a sac fly. A two-out single from Digirolamo in the bottom of the sixth added insurance for the Bulldogs. North Attleboro’s Nate Kelly went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, two walks, and a run scored.
Milford, 4 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – After seeing its three-run lead disappear in the fifth inning, Foxboro rallied for two runs in the sixth to take a season-opening win over Milford. The Warriors took the lead originally by scoring single runs in each of the second (Mike Marcucella RBI double), the third (Ben Angelini RBI double), and the fourth (Angelini RBI single) innings. Milford rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth as freshman Ian Carter led off with a solo home run, Louis Consigli had a one-out RBI single, Keith Lee drove in a run with an infield hit, and Sean McGee scored on a single by Evan Cornelius. Senior Ryan LeClair started the rally for the hosts with a one-out double and advanced to third on a double from Sean O’Leary. Louis Carangelo bought LeClair home on an infield single and O’Leary eventually scored on a wild pitch. Alex Stern got the win in relief for Foxboro, tossing a shutout inning while LeClair closed the door for the save. Cornelius was strong on the mound for the Hawks, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, five walks, and six strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.
Franklin, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (6 inn.) – Franklin senior Alfred Mucciarone dazzled on the mound on the road at Frothingham Park, leading the Panthers to a win over Oliver Ames. Mucciarone tossed five shutout innings, allowing just one run (unearned) on two hits, striking out 10 without issuing a walk. Offensively, Franklin wasted little time to get the bats going as they pushed across four runs in the first and scored in each of the next five innings. Jase Lyons (RBI, two runs) and Eisig Chin (RBI, two runs, two stolen bases) each had three hits to pace Franklin’s 16-hit performance. Henry Digiorgio and Tyler Bellan (two RBI) each had two hits while Ben Jarosz notched two RBI.
King Philip, 12 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip’s offense got off to a strong start with three runs in the top of the first inning and the Warriors put the game away with a seven-run fifth inning to open the season with a win over Stoughton. Brendan Sencaj picked up right where he left off from last season, going 3-for-3 with a single, a double, and a triple as well as two RBI and three runs scored. Matt Kelley (three runs, RBI) and Aiden Astorino (two RBI, run) both added two hits in the win. Nate Pennini had a terrific showing on the mound for the visitors, allowing just one hit and two walks in five shutout innings, striking out nine.
Sharon, 0 @ Taunton, 20 – Final (5 Inn.) – The defending Division 1 state champs got off to a hot start with a big win over Sharon. Shawn Cali (two RBI, two runs), AJ Lewis (two RBI, three runs), Sean Murphy (two RBI, one run), and Brady Boucher (two RBI, one run) each had a pair of hits for the Tigers. Shawn Cali earned the win, tossing four shutout innings with just one hit allowed, striking out five. Boucher tossed a scoreless inning in relief with one walk and three strikeouts.
Softball
Mansfield, 0 @ Attleboro, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – Callie Lake, Julia Marnikovic, Molly Kucharski and Erin Radley each had a hit apiece for the Hornets.
Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Kelly Colleran faced only one batter over the minimum to toss a season-opening shutout. She allowed one hit and struck out 16. Arianna McDavitt made a pair of great defensive plays at shortstop, including a diving grab, and catcher Maryellen Charette caught a runner trying to steal second. Colleran also led the North offense with four hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in two. Leadoff hitter Grace Simmons had a hit and scored three times. Lucy Palmer, Molly Willey, and Charette drove in two runs apiece. Emma Hanwell, Grace Forman, and Mary Rogers each had a hit for North.
Foxboro, 12 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Milford scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the deficit down to a single run but Foxboro erupted for five runs in the final frame and pulled away for the win. The Warriors took advantage of a couple of errors to build a 5-0 lead through the first three innings and then used a two-run home run from Natalia Leach in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 7-3. A two-run triple from Olivia Baglione and an RBI single from Maeve Driscoll helped bring the Scarlet Hawks within one, 7-6, going into the seventh. Leach added an RBI single, Meghan Kelley drew a walk with the bases loaded, and Jill Slattery added a two-out RBI single to push the lead to 12-6. Emma Callahan had three hits and three stolen bases for the Warriors while Vittoria Cuscia got the win in the circle, recording eight strikeouts.
Oliver Ames, 7 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – A back-and-forth battle ended with a walk-off single from Franklin’s Avery Chalk to hand the Panthers a thrilling season-opening win at home. The teams combined for 12 runs in the first three innings, trading the lead each inning before the Tigers plated two in the top of the fifth to make it all even again. Freshman Sophia Sacramone retired the Tigers in order in the top of the seventh, and in the bottom half, Dana Stott laced a one-out double into left field. An error advanced Stott to third, and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases. Chalk singled to left field to bring in the game-winning run. Chalk, Sarah Boozang (RBI, run), and Katy Liberman (two RBI, run) each had three hits as the Panthers totaled 18 as a team. Sacramone got the win in relief, allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in four innings of work. OA’S Devon Morris (one RBI, two runs) and Katie Melendy (three RBI, run) each collected three hits while Katherine Farley (RBI) and Crystyliah Covel (two stolen bases) each had two hits. Maddie Homer had a strong defensive game for OA with six putouts and a double play.
Stoughton, 1 @ King Philip, 21 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip scored in each inning on its way to a big win over Stoughton to start the season. The Warriors pushed across three runs in each of the first two innings, six more in the third, and put the game away with a big fourth inning, highlighted by a grand slam from Liv Petrillo (2-for-3, six RBI). Freshman Ali Gill hit a home run in her first career at-bat and scored three runs. Charlotte Raymond also had a home run while Petrillo had another home run — a two-run shot — earlier in the fourth inning. Jo Bennett earned the win, allowing one run (unearned) on one hit and one walk, striking out six in four innings of work.
Sharon, 1 @ Taunton, 34 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton senior Ava Venturelli went 4-for-5, including a home run and a triple, to lead the Tigers to a big win at home. Brooke Aldrich also had four hits and scored five runs, and Hayley Krockta and Cate Larson also hit a home run. Larson earned the win in the circle, allowing one run (unearned) on three walks, striking out 10 in five innings of work.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip, 10 @ Sharon, 11 – Final (OT) – King Philip outscored the hosts 3-1 in the fourth quarter to force overtime but it was Sharon that found the game-winner in the extra period to open the season in thrilling fashion. Sam Rothbaum led the offensive charge with four goals while Jake Kaufman, Ryan Brown, and Jordan Weisman each had a pair, and Dylan Cummings scored one along with three assists.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final – Noah Isleib played well in net for the Tigers, recording 15 saves while Ben Reardon had the lone goal for OA.
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 14 @ Braintree, 6 – Final – Foxboro’s Paige Curran picked up right where she left off, recording six points to lead the Warriors to a season-opening win on the road at Braintree. Curran had a team-high five goals along with one assist while Val Beigel added three goals and two helpers. Cate Noone (two assists) and Grace Riley each chipped in with a pair of goals while Mya Waryas (two assists) and Mary Collins (two assists) scored once. Audrey Campbell had a strong showing in the net with 11 saves.
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 15 – Final – King Philip raced out to a big lead by halftime and never looked back on its way to a dominating season-opening win. Makenzie McDevitt paced the offense with a team-high seven points, Nikki McDonald added three points, and both Sarah Brown and Kelly Holmes recorded three points in the win.
Boys Tennis
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Mansfield earned a sweep in singles action to secure a 3-2 decision on the road over Attleboro. Sophomore Neema Khosravani battled through a tough first set before prevailing 6-4, 6-0, junior Iniyan Karruppusami added a 6-4, 6-2 win at second singles, and junior Nikhil Nain picked up a 6-1, 6-1 third singles victory. Attleboro’s first doubles team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton emerged from a well-played first doubles match with a 6-4, 7-5 victory, and the team of Clayton Tyler and Noem Cook earned a 6-1, 6-4 second doubles win.
Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Behind a doubles sweep and one win from singles action, North Attleboro edged out visiting Canton to open the season with a win. Senior captain Brody Gaulin and junior Quinn DiFiore secured a 6-2, 6-1 decision at first singles, and the junior pairing of Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna prevailed in a back-and-forth second doubles match with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win. Junior Caleb Cheney won a tiebreaker in the second set to emerge with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6 (5) decision. Canton junior Max Kupferman earned a 6-1, 6-3 first singles win, and freshman Bharat Ramanathan took a 6-3, 6-4 win at second singles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Three of the five matches had to be decided in a third set but in the end, Foxboro prevailed victorious in all of them for a 5-0 sweep over Milford. Raj Jetty rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 win at first singles, while the team of Vizruth Chavalam and Greg Simone earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead. After dropping the first set, the team of Hajji Glover and Evan Paluzzi rallied to win two straight to take first doubles (5-7, 6-4, 6-3). Both Ryan Fosella and Luca Meyer won the first set but dropped the second. Fossella took care of the win at second singles with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 decision while Meyer battled his way to a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames won all three singles matches to return home from Franklin with a victory via a 3-2 decision. After splitting the first two sets, OA junior Nike Westerbeke prevailed in the third set to secure the match (6-2, 0-6, 6-3) at first singles. Sophomore Alex Efremidas took a tight second singles match in straight sets (6-4, 7-5), and sophomore Pat Dolan completed the singles sweep with a 6-3, 6-2 third singles win. In doubles action, Franklin junior Ahan Shetty and senior Eric Tomaino earned a 6-0, 6-4 first doubles victory while the team of junior Andrew Amante and sophomore Aaron Ramaswamy picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip’s first doubles team of Luke Bailor and Brent Schneider prevailed in a second set tiebreak to secure a win, and the match to give the Warriors a season-opening win against Stoughton. Bailor and Schneider rolled in the first set but needed to win a tiebreak in the second set to earn the 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) win. Noah Ihley had a strong start to the season with a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles and Arjun Kollu also had an impressive showing in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles.
Sharon, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Sharon opened up the season with a clean sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets on the road at Taunton. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky secured a 6-1, 6-1 first at first singles, junior Matthew Lally earned a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles, and sophomore Alex Budovalcev only dropped one game in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. The team of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Rithvik Neti battled hard to emerge in straight sets (6-0, 7-5) at first doubles while the pairing of senior Kevin Li and sophomore Savir Basil didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 second doubles win.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Bre Paulette pulled out a three-set win over Anushka Srivastava at third singles to earn the Bombardiers a win in the season opener. Paulette won the opening set 6-3 but Srivastava bounced back by winning the second 6-2. Paulette closed out the match with a 6-4 third set to get the clinching point. Maddie Fuscaldo also won at first singles (6-2, 6-2) for Attleboro and Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos won 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles. For Mansfield, Claire Copp won in three sets at second singles, beating Presley Biller 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 and Jill Harvey and Savannah Corey won 6-4, 6-4 at first doubles.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Both of North Attleboro’s double teams battled hard to earn three-set wins as the Rocketeers secured a 5-0 sweep on the road to start the season. The team of Audrey Norecki and Liz Silva fought their way to a third-set tiebreak win, taking a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (3) win at first doubles while the pairing of Jayla Stone and Grace Manning battled to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win at second doubles. Lauren Hunt had a strong first match of the season with a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Megan Atwood earned a 6-2, 6-2 second singles victory, and Grace Noreck completed the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles.
Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro took two wins apiece from singles and doubles action to open league play with a win at home over Milford. Hailey Kornbluth didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 first singles win while Makayla Peck secured a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles for the Warriors. The team of Analise Jia and Audrey Paolino earned a 6-1, 6-1 first doubles win while the pairing of Emily Stow and Katelynn Dineen rallied to prevail in a super tiebreak, 6-2, 3-6, 10-6. Milford sophomore Mallory Brickley secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles.
Franklin, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Franklin swept both doubles matches and took two more victories in singles action to open the season with a 4-1 win on the road over Oliver Ames. Franklin’s Brooke Taylor prevailed from a hard-fought first set to take a 7-5, 6-1 win at second singles while Chloe Essam dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory for the Panthers. The team of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen grabbed a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles while Shriya Rajesh and Isabelle Simino picked up a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles. OA sophomore Hannah Farber opened her campaign in impressive fashion, taking a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles.
King Philip, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – After rolling in the first set, KP senior Ahunna James shook off a good challenge in the second set to earn the win and the Warriors won all five matches on the road in straight sets. James prevailed with a 6-0, 7-5 win, junior Shea Mellman added a 6-2, 6-3 second singles victory, and senior Caroline Freese dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Riar rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles, and senior Lauren Casper and junior Ryann O’Sullivan picked up a win at second doubles (6-1, 6-2).
Taunton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Using a senior/sophomore lineup, Sharon opened the season with a sweep at home over Taunton. Sophomore Judy Song took care of business at first singles with just one game lost, 6-0, 6-1, while senior Sophia Oh didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 third singles win. Senior Abby Vilk dropped the first set but rallied to win two straight for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles. The team of sophomore Olivia Landstein and senior Elli Zhao battled to a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles while the pairing of senior Wenxin Wu and sophomore Jenny Sand secured a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final
Taunton, 3 vs. Brockton, 0 – Final – Taunton opened the season with a sweep of the visiting Boxers, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-17). Matt Freitas had a strong all-around game with eight kills, three blocks, and a pair of digs, Owen Kelley added seven kills and five digs, Josh Duncan chipped in with three kills, three blocks, and an ace, and Al Morisseau finished with a pair of kills, aces, blocks, and digs. Ty Ekstrom and Daniel Freitas shared setting duties and each dished out 12 assists while Bradley Hylander (five digs) had a strong game both defensively and on the serve receive.
Taunton players celebrate after beating Franklin to win the D1 state title. Both teams bring back strong teams and are contenders to win the state championship again this spring. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2022 Record: 5-15 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Steve Dunlea
Attleboro returns a strong core from last year and will be aiming to make some noise in one of the toughest divisions in the state. The Bombardiers had three one-run losses last year and two more in extra innings, and despite their record, just missed out on the state tournament. A big reason for that is the challenges they face throughout the season as the Kelley-Rex division last year featured both Division 1 state finalists (Franklin and Taunton), the Division 2 state finalist (KP), plus Mansfield, who reached the Division 2 final four.
The Bombardiers boast a lot of returning players up and down the lineup, and on the mound as well. Although it’s a young rotation, Attleboro has some talented arms that picked up some invaluable experience a year ago. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Dunlea (3-3, 2.74) will anchor the rotation a year removed from striking out 23 batters in 23 innings of work as a freshman. Junior Jonny Pagano is another righty that gained key experience last year and senior Sean O’Hara will be a veteran presence in the rotation. Senior Owen Lombardo, juniors Matt Harvie, Braxton Levin, Tyson Forte, and freshman Ryan Landry are all in the mix to get some innings in relief.
Offense will be an area that Attleboro will look to improve on as they go against some of the best pitchers in the area. Senior Danny Johnson is in his third year as a varsity starter and will lead a talented outfielder group that features Harvie and classmate Brody McKenna. Seniors Casey Victorio and Ran Martin, along with junior Jackson Huntington, will look to provide an offensive punch as well. Senior captains Peter Delpozzo and Cooper Johnson (0.364 average last year) are back in the fold and will lead by example both offensively and defensively for head coach Steve Dunlea. Pagano, junior Andrew Gorman, and sophomore Jacob Bettencourt are all battling for time in the infield as well. Aiden Hochwarter resumes his role as the starting catcher for the Bombardiers.
2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“I am very excited about this year’s team,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have excellent leadership in our three captains. Our pitching and defense will continue to be a strength for us. We also have a great mix of returning starters and new players on offense. These guys are well aware that we play in arguably the toughest division in Massachusetts and you have to be ready to compete every day.”
2022 Record: 9-12 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: David Walsh
Canton has a new head coach in David Walsh but the goals remain the same as the Bulldogs will be aiming to return to the state tournament again this year. With a talented core back in the fold from last year’s team, not only will the Bulldogs be in the mix to make the playoffs, they could contend for the Davenport division title.
The lineup will feature a lot of familiar faces from last year that is anchored by a seasoned senior class. Shortstop Matt Chafin is among the best players in the league and is committed to play at the next level at Brandies. He will be joined in the lineup by Jack Digirolamo, one of the most dangerous hitters in the league. Digirolamo led the team in average last season with a 0.446 batting average (29 hits), which was good for fourth in the entire league while Chafin finished at 0.350 with 16 runs scored. Senior Hayden Rose (Framingham State) is another familiar name that will play a lot of innings for the Bulldogs, coming off a season in which he hit 0.328 with a team-high 17 RBI.
Rose will anchor a pitching staff that will need to fill some holes this year. Rose was among the league leaders in terms of innings pitched last year, coming in second in the regular season in the Hock with 43.2 innings of working. He posted a 4-4 record with a 2.89 ERA, striking out 28. Andrew Butler and Zach Peters combined for over 50 innings last year but with both players graduated, there will be an opportunity for new faces to step up for Walsh. While the Bulldogs get the rotation set, Walsh is preaching fundamentals and having the team pride themselves on good defense.
“This will be a fundamentally sound group who is gritty, tough, and are not afraid of the everyday grind,” Walsh said. “We will rely on our pitchers to throw strikes, defense to be routine, and situationally hit. If we are able to do all three in each game we will be very competitive.”
2022 Record: 16-8 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Final Four Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro was one of the feel-good stories last season as the Warriors made a dramatic tournament run to the state semifinals before falling to eventual state champ Austin Prep. While the Warriors are strictly focusing on the road ahead, last season set a new standard for Foxboro.
There is a lot of optimism that the Warriors can pick up where they left off because they have almost their entire roster back for 2023. Last year’s squad had a lot of young and inexperienced players that matured quickly throughout the year. Foxboro won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year as they start the season as a serious contender for the Davenport division title. On the mound, Foxboro has six players back that tossed varsity innings including their top three: senior Sean O’Leary (UMass Lowell), senior Mat Sullivan, and sophomore Nolan Gordon. Senior Alex Stern and sophomores Danny Jacobs and Tommy Watts are also back in the fold and the Warriors have added junior Pradyu Gubbala and sophomore Ryan O’Leary to the mix. Ryan LeClair, a veteran in the group, could also see time on the mound this year.
Sophomore Mike Marcucella returns behind the dish after earning the starting role as a freshman last year. LeClair (Stonehill) returns to shortstop and is one of the best defensive players in the region and he’s complemented by Sean O’Leary, who will play third when he isn’t pitching. On the right side, junior Tyler Prescott will man second base and he will also be counted upon to set the table for the offense out of the leadoff spot. Ryan O’Leary will take over at first base this season. Stern, Sullivan, and Watts will add infield depth when not on the mound.
The outfield will also have a lot of familiar faces with veteran Louis Carangelo back in left field after a breakout junior season. Carangelo was one of the most consistent offensive players in the Hock, hitting 0.333 with 16 RBI. Sophomore Ben Angelini has had a strong preseason so far and will patrol center for the Warriors while junior Shane Henri will be in right field. Senior Kenny Mello was a solid contributor for Foxboro last year but will miss the season with an injury. Freshman Aidan Stow and Gordon will provide outfield depth.
“Despite last season’s success, this season provides new opportunities and challenges for our ballclub,” said Foxboro head coach Derek Suess. “We will be battle-tested, with an always difficult Hockomock League schedule, and a strong non-league slate as well. We need to compete each day, at a championship-level standard, to give ourselves the best opportunity to reach the goals we have set for the season. Our leadership and culture have never been stronger.”
2022 Record: 23-4 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Final (Kelley-Rex champion) Coach: Zach Brown
Although Franklin has won three straight Kelley-Rex division titles, there is still plenty of motivation for these Panthers.
The Panthers are coming off a tough one-run loss in the Division 1 state championship to rival Taunton, but with a strong core returning it looks like Franklin will once again be among the top powerhouses in the state this year. One obvious strength will be the offense with five players back in the lineup from last year’s squad. Not only is it an experienced group (multiple players entering their third year starting), but it’s an incredibly talented one that features senior Ryan Gerety (Northeastern), senior Jase Lyons, senior Eisig Chin (Stonehill), senior Ben Jarosz, and junior Henry Digiorgio (Northeastern). Gerety and Chin will return to their spots in the outfield while Lyons (1B), Jarosz (3B), and Digiorgio (SS) are all back in the infield. Seniors Tyler Bellan, Luke Sidwell, and Ethan DePaolo also provide some experienced depth and newcomers Rex Cinelli, Ryan Carlucci, and Koen Bonetti will all try to contribute for head coach Zach Brown.
Pitching will be another strength with senior righty Alfred Mucciarone (UMass Lowell) back after going 5-1 during the regular season last year, posting a 2.33 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 42 innings. His experience gives the Panthers an ace to rely on as they navigate a difficult schedule. Junior lefty Austin Campbell could be the next breakout star for Franklin after some impressive outings last year, and juniors Jake Shaughnessy (LHP) and Matt Miller (RHP) fill out a strong core of pitchers. Both Chin and Lyons will also be in the mix while senior newcomers Dillon Cashin and Zach Ramaswamy are prepared to come on in relief when needed.
“We are returning a strong senior class and veteran core,” Brown said. “We are excited about how hard this group has been preparing for the upcoming season. The seniors have provided great leadership during the preseason and scrimmages.”
2022 Record: 16-9 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
King Philip is another squad that is coming off a tremendous season (a trend among most Hock teams) as they reached the Division 2 state championship, falling to Milton. The Warriors are also following another trend in the league as they have the majority of their lineup back in the mix this season as they look to challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title in a loaded field.
The Warriors have a strong pitching staff in the league, highlighted by senior Rudy Gately. Gately has been KP’s ace for the past two seasons and will resume that role again this year. During the regular season, he tossed 39 innings and struck out 37, posting a 3.41 ERA. He will be joined by lefty Tommy Martorano, who missed virtually all of last year with an injury. Junior Tommy McLeish emerged as a reliable option in relief last year, striking out 22 batters in 20.2 innings and he should be in line for an expanded role this year.
Offensively the Warriors will have a big void with the graduation of Shawn Legere, one of the best hitters in the state. But head coach Jeff Plympton Jr. has plenty of options to work with, including senior Brendan Sencaj, who is coming off a terrific season in which he hit 0.371 with 15 RBI and 21 runs scored. Gately, a middle infielder, is a strong two-way player that hit 0.344 last year with 16 RBI and senior Matt Kelley is a great all-around player that will make the switch to center field this season, and another weapon in the lineup. Junior Max Robison is coming off a breakout campaign (0.359 average) and is one of the best defensive first basemen in the Hock.
“We are excited to be bringing back a great core of guys from our team last year,” Plympton Jr. said. “We’re hoping to build off of our success last season and continue to build a winning culture. We will have a lot of new arms in the rotation and a few very good returning arms from last year.”
2022 Record: 17-8 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four Coach: Chris Hall
Mansfield lost some key contributors from a sizable graduating senior class that led the Hornets to the Division 2 Final Four a year ago, but the cupboard is far from empty for head coach Chris Hall.
The most experience back on the team comes on the offensive end with some key bats back in the lineup. Senior captains Sam Martin and Conner Zukowski look to man the left side of the infield while returning starters Matt DeShiro and Jake Maydak — both juniors — will hold down the right side. Zukowski had a great season at the dish, hitting 0.344 during the regular season with 15 runs scored while DeShiro had a breakout sophomore campaign, leading the Hornets in batting average with a 0.373 average and a team-high 25 hits, driving in 13 runs as well. Defensive wiz and captain Aidan Jones returns as the starting catcher for the squad.
There is a lot of competition in the outfield right now including junior Brian Butler, another returner from last year. Seniors Kyle Marnikovic and Will Lund are also in the mix along with juniors Wyatt Bolduc, Connor Curtis, Drew Urban, Dylan Saraceno, Anthony Saraiva, and Joey MacIntyre. Juniors Matt Tryon and Derek McGrath are versatile pieces that will bring some power to the lineup.
Mansfield lost its top three starters from a year ago in Jimmy Gilleran, Aaron Blinn, and Anthony Sacchetti, who combined to pitch over 100 innings during the regular season. Hall will turn to junior Connor Curtis, who didn’t allow an earned run in 16 innings of work in the regular season last year, recording three saves with 19 strikeouts. Maydak is also in the mix for an expanded role on the staff along with juniors Yuv Sakhalkar and Ryan Jeans, and sophomore Luke Rogan. Senior Nate Thibault will chip in as a reliever.
“Most teams who play in the Hockomock League have a chance to make a run at a state championship due to the competition you face every single game in the regular season,” Hall said. “I believe the makeup of our roster puts us in that conversation this year. This year’s team is a tight-knit, cohesive group that battles with one another at practice. They thrive off competition and work together to do whatever they can to best benefit the program. We are excited for the season and look forward to the challenges presented to us.”
2022 Record: 7-13 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Alex Dion
Similar to Attleboro, the Scarlet Hawks were a victim of playing in a division that had three teams reach a state championship game and another reach the final four. With another year of experience, Milford will look to challenge those top teams and make a push for the postseason.
The roster features a lot of familiar names that are either in their third or second year in the lineup and head coach Alex Dion is hoping that experience will lead to competing with some of the state’s best teams. The pitching staff starts with three-year starter and right-handed pitcher Evan Cornelius. A top two-way play and multi-sport athlete, Cornelius leads by example both on and off the field for the Scarlet Hawks. He went 4-2 last year with a 2.31 ERA, ranking among the league leader with 48 strikeouts in 30.1 innings of work. Junior righty Damien Carter is also in his third year while senior Tyler Caldon and junior Anthony LaPierre logged a lot of work on the mound a year ago and return as starters this year. Senior Mason Baldic and sophomore Ian Carter are both in the mix for innings this year as well.
While pitching looks to be a strength for Milford this year, the Hawks will rely on a lot of the same names to deliver offensively as well. Cornelius will man first base when he isn’t on the mound and is a reliable offensive option. Damien Carter, junior Sean McGee, and freshman Joey McGee are options in the infield alongside Cornelius while Ian Carter, Baldic, and sophomore Nick Koch are in line for opportunities in the outfield. Junior Keith Lee is back behind the dish as taking on that role a season ago and junior Nate Scudo can be effective in a variety of positions. Seniors Brady Butler, Tony Fontes, Jacob Gove, Guy Saintyl, and Cam DelPrete will provide key depth while junior Victor Martinez will look to provide some pop in the lineup.
“Looking forward to competing in this great league again this spring,” said Milford head coach Alex Dion. “We have a number of guys that have been together for three years now. I have seen strong leadership from veterans early on, a group of guys that are competitive on the mound, and some athletes that are eager to learn and compete at a high level.”
2022 Record: 18-6 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four (Davenport champion) Coach: Mike Hart
The Hockomock League had so much success during last season’s tournament that the Rocketeers’ accomplishments almost get lost in the shuffle. North Attleboro went 13-3 in league play last year and reached the D2 final four, picking up wins over D1 state finalists Franklin and D2 state finalists KP in the process. Now the Rocketeers join a loaded Kelley-Rex division along with those two squads, defending state champs Taunton, and two improved squads in Attleboro and Milford.
That means North Attleboro has its work cut out for them as they not only try to navigate a difficult schedule but has a lot of holes to fill in the lineup after graduating nearly a dozen seniors from last year’s 18-win squad. Head coach Mike Hart has done a terrific job since taking over the helm of the program and he will be leaning on the handful of returners he does have to lead the way this year. Hart has a dozen more seniors this year led by veterans Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis. Maceda will patrol center field, Harding is at shortstop, and Paradis is a seasoned pitcher that had 18 strikeouts in 17 innings of regular season work. Maceda will also get some innings on the mound along with classmates Ayden Delaney Peter Santoro, junior Parker Abrantes, and sophomore Gio Martello, and Harding will be a go-to option to close games out.
Martello was a late-season call up to the varsity squad and made an impression in his short stint with the squad. He will complete the middle of the infield at second base and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. Seniors Jack Munley, Mark Vogel, Delaney, and sophomore Bryce Kiser are also in the mix for spots in the infield. Along with Maceda and Paradis, seniors Kyle Conroy and Reed Collins, along with junior Chris Hanewich, will cycle throughout the outfield. Junior Nate Kelly and senior Harrison Gagne are competing for time behind the dish. Hart expects the defense to be a strength of this year’s squad.
“We are looking forward to a season of growth,” Hart said. “We have many quality players new to varsity baseball who are looking to take the next step in their development and continue the success we have been privileged to have over the last few seasons. Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis are three capable and proven players in all three phases of the game. We will look to our pitching staff to lead us. Our team has committed to getting better each and every day. We are excited to get out and compete!”
2022 Record: 11-11 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Joe Abarr
After graduating one of the largest senior classes in the league, there is plenty of opportunity to go around for Oliver Ames and head coach Joe Abarr this season. After an up-and-down year that included a playoff win, the Tigers will be looking to challenge the likes of Foxboro and Mansfield in the division title race.
With a lot of pieces departed from last year’s lineup, Abarr will start the season leaning heavily on the handful of returning pieces that played key roles last year. Senior captain Patrick Finnerty will be a major part of the defense and offense this year, as the Bentley University commit will patrol the center field and anchor the offense. On the mound, the Tigers will turn to senior captain Andrew Zagami to lead a relatively young staff that will include juniors Ian Kelley and Lucas Riley, both returners from last year’s team.
Abarr noted that there is a lot of competition in the squad right now as they battle for spots in the lineup, and he’s hoping the first few weeks will allow for a consistent lineup to emerge. Senior Nathan Luke, another returner from last year’s roster, will play the corners in the outfield at Frothingham Park this year.
“Many players have been stepping up in early practices and inter-squads and will be counted on early in the season,” Abarr said. “If we consistently stay after hitters and throw strikes we will be a competitive club. We have the potential to hit well, but the Hock’s pitching will be top-notch again based on some of the stellar returners around the league.”
2022 Record: 3-17 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Andrew Poliferno
The Eagles will have to replace some of the production lost from the 10 seniors that graduated from last year’s squad, but Sharon has some key pieces in key spots and will look to continue to improve.
One strength the Eagles will have early on is the return of almost all of its pitching staff back from last year, plus the addition of some more talented arms to create some strong depth at the position. Junior captain Luke Meixel was among the league leaders in innings pitched last season and will anchor this year’s staff. He had 33 strikeouts in 38 innings of work as a sophomore year and the Eagles are looking for him to take a big step this year. Senior Alex Coughlin will pair with Meixel to create a formidable 1-2 punch, and the Eagles will also get pitching contributions from Cole Arundale and Zach Loomis.
Senior Palash Raina is a captain alongside Meixel and Coughlin, and he will be a staple in Sharon’s lineup this season. He battled through an injury almost all of last season but is ready for a breakout final year on the diamond as he patrols center field. Head coach Andrew Poliferno believes there is a lot of depth — and internal competition — in the lineup, and that should improve production at the plate. Sophomore Drew Yaffe got his feet wet at the varsity level last season and will be looking to turn that experience into more production this year. Junior Liam Conway is back behind the dish after a strong defensive year in 2022.
“I’m really excited to see what this group of players accomplishes this season,” Poliferno said. “We have a large group of players on varsity and in the greater SHS baseball program who are hungry to compete and win games. My expectations for this team are high and that is a direct reflection of the level of talent and work ethic our players have exhibited since day one.”
2022 Record: 3-15 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Kevin Carty
Although the Black Knights lost a lot of production from its eight-member senior class that graduated last Spring, there is a lot of opportunity for new faces to work their way into the lineup for Stoughton head coach Kevin Carty.
There are some key pieces back in the mix this season after getting some valuable experience a year ago. Carty will lean on senior captains Sean Farley and Joe Rush to lead the way, with Farley both patrolling center field and pitching while Rush will play first base when he isn’t on the mound, and potentially some time behind the dish at catcher. There is also a strong contingent of players looking to build off of last year, including seniors Jeriel Cuello, who will play in the infield, and outfielder/pitchers James McCarthy and Liam Dunn, and Andrew Beder, who can play both in the infield and outfield, as well as on the mound.
Juniors Hunter Malkin, Ryan Summers, and Dom Belle all factored into the lineup for the Black Knights a year ago as sophomores and are in line for bigger roles this year. Malkin will pitch and play at first, Belle can play at both corners of the infield, and Summers will see time behind the dish at catcher.
“So far I could not be more impressed with the hard work and attitude from all of our players in the program, especially the new players on the roster,” Carty said. “I am very excited to work with these guys on a daily basis and can’t wait to see them improve throughout the season.”
2022 Record: 22-3 2022 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship Coach: Blair Bourque
The defending Division 1 state champions enter this season with a massive target on their back, but Taunton has the majority of its talented lineup back in the mix and is ready to take on all challengers, including a very competitive and skilled Hockomock League.
Athleticism, competitiveness, and experience will all be strengths for this year’s Taunton squad which has a lot of familiar faces in it including last year’s league MVP Ryan MacDougall, who had the game-winning home run in the state final against rival Franklin. The left side of the infield might possess the best duo in the state in seniors Braden Sullivan, a UMass commit with a strong bat that plays third base, and Dawson Bryce, a slick-fielding shortstop with consistent offensive production that is also going to play at the D1 level at Merrimack. That trio makes up the heart of the lineup for the Tigers and will make life difficult for opposing pitchers. Junior Brayden Cali, who started at second in the championship game, will be another key piece offensively for Taunton.
MacDougall also led the Tigers in innings pitched during the regular season, and classmate Shawn Cali was right there with him, posting a 4-2 record with a 1.60 ERA, striking out 27 in 35 innings of work. That gives Taunton a strong 1-2 punch in its rotation, but there’s also room for opportunity with the graduation of Evan Cali, who went 3-0 in the regular season and started the state championship game.
“The majority of our guys are multi-sport athletes who love to compete,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “And since many of our starters from last season are returning, they know the challenges of playing in arguably the most competitive league in the state as well as how to manage playing in the high-stress environment that is the post-season. Taunton has never been in a position with such high expectations so as a coach, I’m excited to see how my kids respond. This is a close-knit group and even with all the talent, they have great camaraderie.”
