ATTLEBORO, Mass. — Thanks to some aggressive baserunning and a fantastic pitching performance from Russell Dunlap, the North Attleboro baseball team avenged their loss earlier in the season to Attleboro with an 11-3 win at Hayward Field in Attleboro.
Despite the game being played in Attleboro, it was a home game for North as the game was previously scheduled to be played at Community Field before a time change necessitated the location be switched.
The Red Rocketeers got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first, as Jared Penta singled and stole second and then advanced to third on a Nick Raneri groundout. A wild pitch then brought Penta home to give North a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Todd Robinson singled and then stole second and came around to score on a throwing error by the catcher trying to nab him stealing third.
After Robinson scored, Jake Palmer singled and was brought home by Shawn Watters’ double to left to give North a 3-0 lead after an inning of play.
North’s aggressiveness on the basepaths paid dividends, as it tallied five steals in the game.
“We were just trying to put the pressure on, that’s the kind of team we are, that’s what we need to be, aggressive, and I know the kids really like to be,” North Attleboro manager Mike Hart said about his team’s strategy on the bases.
Attleboro picked up a run of its own in the top of the second, as Lorenzo Wilson singled and stole second and then advanced to third on a single by Ryan Morry. Wilson scored on a balk when North attempted to pick off Morry, who left early for second. Back-to-back strikeouts by Dunlap (CG, three hits, six strikeouts), stranded Morry at second.
“That was his first varsity start, not his first time pitching varsity this year, but his first start, he did a great job mixing it up and showed a lot of poise in his first time out there,” Hart said about his starter.
In the bottom of the second, the North bats got back to work, as Kyle Briere singled, stole second, and then came around to score on a hard-hit grounder to short by Brendan McHugh that Attleboro committed an error on. However, Eoin Kelleher (4.2 innings pitched, nine hits, four strikeouts) would strike out the next batter and strand McHugh on first.
Attleboro battled back from there, picking up a run in the top of the fourth, as Camden Fitzpatrick walked, stole second, Wilson walked, and on Fitzpatrick’s attempt to steal third, the throw hit the batter’s helmet and went out of play, which allowed Fitzpatrick score and moved Wilson to third. Wilson would then score on a double by Mason Houle, but Houle was stranded at second after Dunlap struck out the next batter to end the inning and leave North with a one-run lead.
The Rocketeers would get both runs back in the bottom of the fourth, as McHugh doubled home Nate MacKinnon from first after MacKinnon walked, and McHugh would come home on a sac fly from Penta. North Attleboro added another insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, as Robinson singled and stole second and Jake Palmer singled him home.
With a 7-3 lead in hand, North wasn’t done yet, as it tacked on four runs in the bottom of the sixth. After back-to-back singled by MacKinnon and McHugh to lead off the inning, Nick Raneri was hit by a pitch with one out and Robinson then singled home Joe Barrows (who ran for MacKinnon) and McHugh to extend the lead to 9-3.
Raneri scored on a passed ball, while Robinson scored on a throw to second to try to catch Watters stealing, who reached on a walk earlier in the inning. Kyle Bolger followed with a single, but Morry, in a relief appearance, was able to strike out the next batter to end the inning. Dunlap would get the first two batters he faced out in the top of the seventh, but Nick McMahon reached on an error but Dunlap was able to retire the next batter to give North an 11-3 win and finish the complete game.
Tuesday’s game was the final regular season game for both teams before playoff’s start.
“We got guys feeling good about themselves at the right time, and I’m interested to see what we can do,” Hart said about North Attleboro heading into the playoffs.
With the win, North finishes the regular season at 11-9. Attleboro closes out the regular season with an identical 11-9 record.
Oliver Ames, 7 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final (13 inn.) – For the second straight game, Foxboro rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extras but saw the visiting team earn the win. With the win, OA keeps its postseason hopes alive with one game to go. OA plated five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 5-2 lead before the Warriors rallied to score three runs in the seventh to send the game to extras for the second straight day. After five scoreless innings, OA tacked on two runs in the top of the 13th. Freshman Jack Richardson, who earned the win in relief, led off the inning with a single and Matt McCormack followed with a base hit of his own. Cam Perron brought the go-ahead run in with a sac fly and the second run scored on a wild pitch. McCormack (two runs) and Jake Erlich (RBI) each had two hits for OA while Kyle O’Connor had two RBI. Michael Devlin (RBI, run), Joe Cavaleri (RBI), and Sean Yoest (run) each had two hits for Foxboro while Cam Prescott was strong in relief, tossing 7.1 innings with six strikeouts, allowing one run on five hits.
Mansfield, 1 @ Walpole, 2 – Final – Mansfield took a lead in the third inning but Walpole used a pair of doubles in the sixth inning to jump in front and beat the Hornets. Kyle Moran was strong on the mound, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out five. He also had one Mansfield’s two hits.
North Attleboro, 8 vs. Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – North Attleboro jumped ahead in the first inning and senior Todd Robinson (3-for-3, two stolen bases, two runs, four RBI) belted his third home run of the season as the Rocketeers ran away with a win over Feehan. The Rocketeers took a 3-1 lead after an inning of play when Robinson drove in Brendan McHugh (HBP), Nick Raneri scored on a double steal, and Shawn Watters singled Robinson home. In the second inning, Robinson increased the Rocketeers’ lead with a two-out, two-run home to to make it 5-1. With the bases loaded in the fourth, Robinson was hit by a pitch to bring McHugh in and sophomore Jared Penta scored on a fielder’s choice from Jake Palmer. Robinson added another run by stealing home. Matt Seavey pitched a complete game, striking out six with three walks.
Softball
North Attleboro, 5 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning but the Rocketeers rallied to score five runs in the sixth inning, including four with two-outs, to upend the Warriors. Mandi Hanewich and Olivia Capobianco had back-to-back hits for the Rocketeers, and Abby Gallagher (double, two hits) drove in Hanewich to tie the game. With two outs, Katie Daby, Emily Nardelli and Alex Moulson (two hits, stolen base) strung together three consecutive singles to bring in four runs. Junior Bella Erti allowed just one earned run on two hits, striking out eight.
Franklin, 0 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 1 – Final
King Philip, 5 vs. Walpole, 4 – Final
Taunton, 6 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Taunton eighth-grader Ava Venturelli blasted a grand slam, her first career home run, in the sixth inning to spark a six-run frame that helped the Tigers beat the Hornets. Mansfield took a lead in the third when Megan Letendre put the ball in play and Sydney Woods came in to score. In the sixth, Peyton Ceglarski walked and Paige Silvia and Tayah DaCosta followed with base hits to load the bases for the Tigers. Venturelli then put one over the left field fence to put Taunton ahead. Hanna Aldrich drove in Jaime Brown with a double and scored on a squeeze from McKenzie McAloon to make it 6-1. Kelsey White earned the win, limiting Mansfield to six hits while striking out 13. Woods, Kara Bendanillo, and Mady Bendanillo (triple) each had two hits for the Hornets.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 8 @ Dartmouth, 7 – Final – Canton’s David Allen had one of his best games of the season and Dan Cohen made several key plays throughout to help the Bulldogs get a win on the road. Canton peppered the Dartmouth cage but Charles Gamache thwarted plenty of Bulldog chances. Allen had three goals, Andrew Canto added three goals and an assist, Griffin Roach scored once and had three helpers, and Tommy Vaughan chipped in with a goal and an assist.
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Foxboro, 5 vs. Xaverian, 9 – Final
Sharon, 11 vs. Pembroke, 10 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 13 – Final
Mansfield, 22 vs. Milton, 12 – Final – Katy Garvin scored seven goals while Hayleigh Crawford and Olivia Murray each found the back of the net four times to lead the Hornets to a win over Milton. Lauren Whitman added three goals for Mansfield.
Taunton, 21 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final – Taunton sophomore Alana Tavares scored nine goals as the Tigers earned a big win over Coyle. Emma Sheehan added a hat trick while Mabel Smith, Tasia Lajoie, and Rosemary McGrath each scored twice for Taunton. Kamryn Li, Jade Holmes, and Kristen Hearrold each scored once while Emily Gannon made six saves in the shutout.
Boys Tennis
Franklin, 4 @ Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – Franklin won three matches in straight sets and one more in a super tiebreaker to take care of Feehan. Rohan Herur won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles while Lucas Gulick picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles. The team of Saketh Saripalli and Vayshnav Malhotra earned a 6-1, 6-4, and the second doubles team of Saket Gandham and Shoyaib Shaik rallied for a 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 win.
King Philip, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip swept both doubles matches and earned two wins in straight sets in singles action to knock off North Attleboro in a non-league clash. Nate Ihley and Jack Cannon won 6-2, 4-1 (retired) at first doubles while the team of Jake Mager and Zak Ryan picked up a 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 10-3 win at second doubles. Marco DiStefano won 6-2, 6-1 at first singles and Nick Putney won 6-1, 6-0 at second singles. North Attleboro’s Sam Gallagher didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – In a match continued from earlier in the week, Mansfield knocked off visiting Taunton. Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Luke Devine picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, and Sam Donellan earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of Max Bank and Sethu Odayappan prevailed 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles while Sam Shirmacher and Ben Newcomb won 6-3, 6-1 at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 vs. Walpole, 0 – Final
Franklin vs. Bishop Feehan, 4:00
Taunton, 5 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. Durfee, 2 – Final – Taunton earned a win over Durfee in five sets (26-28, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19, 15-11) to finish the season 11-9. Fabio Goncalves had a game to remember with a career-high 25 kills, sophomore Tyler Stewart added 12 kills, and Alex Tavares (nine blocks) chipped in with 10. Gage Kingman anchored the defense with 22 digs.
Baseball
Attleboro, 5 @ King Philip, 1 – Final (8 Inn.) – Attleboro junior Nick McMahon had a day to remember, scoring both the tying and game-winning runs to lead the Bombardiers to a key road win. McMahon went 3-for-3 at the play, stole three bases, and played stellar defense at second base for Attleboro. King Philip scored in the fourth to take the lead but Attleboro tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. McMahon singled, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice fly from Camden Fitzpatrick and hustled home on a passed ball to make it 1-1. McMahon was the catalyst for a four-run eighth inning for Attleboro. After leading off with a single, McMahon stole second and then stole third when Alvaro Espinal drew a walk. Fitzpatrick delivered an RBI single to bring McMahon home, and Lorenzo Wilson had a two-run double to push the lead to 4-1. Wilson came home to score on a sac fly from Troy Van Vliet. Eoin Kelleher started and went four innings giving up one run while Max Amaral pitched four shut out innings in relief to pick up his fourth win of the season.
Sharon, 10 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Canton’s offense came alive for 17 hits, resulting in 13 runs and a win over visiting Sharon. Nate Quan set the table for the Bulldogs, going 5-for-5 with four runs and an RBI from the leadoff spot. Canton scored three runs in each the first two innings and then plated five in the third inning. Sharon scored six runs in the sixth inning to make it a three-run game. Steven Burbank (three runs, three RBI), Sawyer Julier-Albert (two runs, two RBI), Matt Connolly (RBI), and Mike Konzal (two runs, RBI) each had two hits apiece for the Bulldogs. Sharon’s Justin Nault went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run, and Justin Brown (run, RBI), Hank Ward (two RBI, run), and Max LeBlanc (run) each had two hits for the Eagles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Foxboro’s Joe Cavaleri had a strong day on the mound, limiting the Black Knights to just five hits in a complete game effort. Cavaleri allowed one run in the third inning, finishing with one walk and four strikeouts. After Stoughton took the lead in the third, Foxboro responded with a pair of runs in each the fourth and fifth innings, tacking on an insurance run in the seventh. Cavaleri led the charge offensively with three hits and two runs scored while Kyle McGinnis (two RBI) and James Kaeser (RBI) each had two hits for the Warriors. Stoughton junior George Currier had two hits while Jacob Kaplan drove in Zak Paquette with a sacrifice fly.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin junior Liam Dailey tossed a complete game shutout and senior Jake Macchi uncorked a grand slam as the Panthers swept the season series against the Tigers, clinching at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title with the win. Dailey needed just 63 pitches, allowing three hits with no walks, striking out four in an efficient performance. Macchi finished with six RBI total, Alex Haba also had an RBI and a run scored, Jack Nally scored twice, Scott Elliott had a hit and two runs scored, and Joe Lizotte and Brennan Rivera each scored once.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – Mansfield built a 3-1 lead over the first three innings but then exploded for seven runs in the fourth and added five more in the fifth to pull away with a big win over visiting Oliver Ames. Juniors John Carney and Chris Jenkins combined for a one-hitter with no walks allowed. Nick Dumouchel was the lone Hornet with multiple hits, recording six RBI on two hits for Mansfield, which totaled nine hits as a team. Kyle Moran (run) drove in two runs while Carney, Connor Fitzpatrick, and Michael DeBolt each drove in one run. Carney struck out eight in five scoreless with one hit allowed (and one hit batter) while Jenkins tossed two scoreless innings.
Milford, 6 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – North Attleboro seniors Brendan McHugh and Todd Robinson each hit a home run as the Rocketeers knocked off visiting Milford for a season sweep of the Hawks. After trading runs in the first inning, North Attleboro had its biggest inning with four runs in the second. After an RBI double from Kyle Bolger (three hits), McHugh launched a three-run home run to give the Hawks a 5-1 lead. An inning later, Robinson (two hits) smashed a two-out solo shot to extend the advantage to 6-1. The Hawks battled back with two runs in the fourth and again in the fifth to make it a one-run game at 6-5. But Nick Raneri and Jake Palmer each drove a run in in the sixth inning to give the Rocketeers the cushion they needed. Sophomore Dennis Colleran got the win on the mound while senior Matt Seavey earned the save. Sophomore Jared Penta added three hits and two runs scored.
Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 13 – Final (6 Inn.) – Caroline Hughes went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in a run, while Steph Trendell went 2-for-3 and brought in three runs to power the Bulldogs to a division win. Taylor Reynolds helped break the game open for Canton with a two-run double. Sophia Santos earned her fourth win of the season, allowing one run and striking out three. Ally Chin and Katy Lynch both went 3-for-4 in the win.
Stoughton, 13 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Stoughton jumped out to a 7-0 lead and then scored six unanswered after the Warriors cut the deficit to two with a five-run third inning. Freshman Sydney Menz paced the Black Knights with three hits (two singles, triple, RBI), Nikki Coppola also had a triple, a single, and an RBI, and sophomore Nicole Baker had a single, a double, and drove in two runs. Brianna Ferrandiz (two RBI), Sarah McGrath (two RBI), Melody Casna (RBI) and Lexi Baptista each had two hits for Stoughton. Foxboro scored all five of its runs in the third with Maria Dunn hitting a triple and Allie Willis driving in two runs. Baker earned her 11th win of the season, scattering six hits, one walk, and striking out six.
Mansfield, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Mansfield rallied in the final three innings to pull out a road win that clinches a playoff berth for the Hornets. OA scored all five of its runs in the third inning, but Sarah Cahill (10 strikeouts) settled down to hold the Tigers off the board for the final four innings and the Hornets offense got going. In the third, Emma Varella squeezed in Colleen Larson (double) and both Katie Abreu and Taylor Lake launched two-run home runs for the Tigers, who played terrific defense. In the fifth, Mansfield rallied to tie the game. Caty DeMassi and Mary Muldoon both had two-RBI singles in the frame. In the sixth, the Hornets grabbed the lead. Mady Bendanillo and DeMassi singled and both scored on a Muldoon double. Cahill came into score an insurance run in the seventh when she scored from first on a double by Kara Bendanillo. Mansfield had 15 hits as a team, including a 3-for-4 day for Megan Letendre.
North Attleboro, 17 @ Milford, 0 – Final (6 Inn.) – Bella Erti struck out 10 in six innings and allowed only five hits to lead North to a road win. Mandi Hanewich had three hits, three runs scored, and three RBI for the Rocketeers. Olivia Capobianco, Abby Gallagher (four RBI), and Alex Moulson all had two hits for North. Katy Daby drove in one with a sac fly and Emma Bailey drove in two in the win.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Canton raced out to an 8-0 lead by halftime and never looked back in a win over visiting Attleboro on Senior Night. Seniors Griffin Roach (three goals, two assists), Dan Cohen (two goals, assist), Matt Martin, and Brendan Albert each scored for the Bulldogs while George Kent and Sam Walsh anchored the defense. Junior Tommy Vaughan added three goals and three assists.
Foxboro, 5 @ Franklin, 12 – Final – Franklin used a strong performance to pick up a convincing win over visiting Foxboro. The Panthers took a 9-1 lead into the fourth quarter to win the Kelley-Rex division title outright. Jake Davis scored four goals and had two assists, Matt Lazzaro scored a hat trick and had two helpers and Jacob Alexander (14-for-21 faceoffs) scored twice with one assist. Foxboro’s Brendan Tully and Shayne Kerrigan each scored twice while Aidan Stapleton found the back of the net once. Freshman Matt Tully made 12 saves for Foxboro.
King Philip, 18 @ Milford, 6 – Final
Mansfield, 7 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Mansfield had a terrific first half, building a 4-2 lead at halftime but North Attleboro scored eight second half goals and limited the Hornets to just three to get the win. Connor Quirk led Mansfield with four goals and two assists while Aidan Sacco, Mike Reed, and Jake DiSangro each scored once.
Sharon, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 13 – Final – Trailing 9-6, Oliver Ames scored the final seven goals of the game to earn a comeback win over the visiting Eagles. Colin Bourne had three timely goals for the Tigers while Shane Kilkelly (three goals, one assist) and Sam Stevens (two goals, two assists) each had four points. Remi Creighton added a pair of goals and an assist and Frankie Ireland chipped in with three helpers for OA.
North Attleboro, 19 @ Mansfield, 9 – Final – The Rocketeers kept their playoff hopes alive with a big win on the road. Katie Lindstrom scored seven goals and assisted on two others to lead North and Lexi Sinacola added a pair of goals and five helpers. Lindsay Spratt had a hat trick, and Maggie O’Brien and Siobhan Weir (assist) both scored twice, while Regan Fein (assist), Lily Cameron (assist), and Taylor McMath all scored once in the win. Faith Graveline preserved the win for Big Red with 15 saves.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Sharon, 14 – Final – Jenna Goldstein (five goals) and Emma Eberhardt (four goals and an assist) combined for nine goals and 10 points to lead the Eagles to another league win. Mia Lappen added three goals and an assist, Maxine Gordon had a goal and two helpers, and Bridget McManus scored once and assisted on another in the victory.
Milford, 3 @ King Philip, 17 – Final – The Warriors had 11 different goal scorers to earn their 10th win of the season and clinch second place in the Kelley-Rex division. Caroline Klim and Mackenzie Mazur both scored hat tricks and Klim added an assist as well. Olivia Tormey and Ali Wilson both scored twice, while Victoria Tormey, Shayla Weitzman, Emma Izydorczak, Jess Sullivan, Ava Tormey, Dana Truini, and Lily Brown each scored once.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – King Philip won twice at singles and once in doubles, losing just two games between the three matches in a win over Attleboro. Marco DiStefano (first singles) and Nick Putney (second) each won 6-0, 6-1 while the team of Nate Ihley and Jack Cannon didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Attleboro’s Ryan Gordon won 6-3, 7-5 at third singles while the team of Tyler Evans and Ryan Solari picked up a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) win at second doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and earned a sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets to beat Canton. Senior Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, junior Alberto Olivei picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of senior Max Brody and freshman Max Chen won 6-1, 6-1 while Alex Aspel and Deyan Kassev teamed up for a 6-1, 6-4 win at second doubles.
Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro swept doubles play and got another win at third singles to squeak by visiting Stoughton. Sean McAvoy and Justin Neale earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Noah Hicks and Bo Canfield secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles. Senior Brian Gardner picked up the third point with a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles. Stoughton sophomore Waseem Sablon won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and senior Erik Anderson prevailed 6-4, 6-2 at second singles.
Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – The Panthers won all five matches in straight sets to get the sweep, picking up their 11th victory of the season. Liam Marr won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Rohan Herur earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles, and Sameen Shaik emerged from third singles with a 2-6, 6-3, 10-6 decision. The team of Vayshnav Malhotra and Lucas Gulick won 6-3, 6-0 at first doubles while Saket Gandham paired up with Shoumik Sompally for a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – The Rocketeers dropped just one game total in three singles matches and four in the two doubles matches in a win over visiting Milford. Jonah Manso won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles while Alex Pfeffer (second) and Sam Gallagher (third) both won 6-0, 6-0. North’s first doubles team of Tomas Bentley and Vikram Senthilakumaran secured a 6-2, 6-0 win while Saketh Uppuluri and Justin Strom walked away with a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second doubles.
Mansfield, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Mansfield had impressive performances in all four matches, winning a fifth by default. Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles while Luke Devine served up a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles. The team of Sam Donellan and Jonah Fine won 6-0, 6-2 while Nikhil Lankipalle and Diwakar Sandhu teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets on its way to a victory over Attleboro. Erin Regnier picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Katarina Schneider added a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and Mia Valencia didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Grace Ely and Meghan Powers emerged with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 win at first doubles while Laura Davenport and Katie Welch won 6-4, 6-2 at second doubles.
Canton, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon picked up three wins in singles action, all in straight sets, and added another point at first doubles to knock off the visiting Bulldogs. Nupur Shukla won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, Valeria Barajas picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win at second singles, and Charlie Martinez earned a 6-1, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of Sachi Bhasin and Lauren Glass dropped just one game at first doubles, winning 6-1, 6-0. Canton’s Rose Hazam and Nyah Claiborne picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Taunton, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – The Tigers won in straight sets in all three singles wins as well as the point from first doubles to pick up a victory on the road. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles, McKenzie Lucie secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Brianna Fevrier and Kayla Parrett picked up a 6-4, 6-2 decision at first doubles. Franklin’s Ashvika Boopathy and Vaquri Kantheri earned a 6-2, 4-6, 12-10 win at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – North Attleboro won in straight sets in its four victories, picking up a win on the road at Milford. Tara Nair won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles and Olivia Wills picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Sam Martino and Haley Strom earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while North Attleboro’s second doubles pairing of Jayli Carmichael and Liana Nichols won 6-0, 6-3. Milford’s Juliana France emerged with a 6-0, 4-6, 10-7 win at second singles.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield punched its ticket to the state tournament with a 3-2 win over visiting Oliver Ames. The Hornets’ first doubles team of Hannah Podolske and Sam Sternburg prevailed 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to secure the win for Mansfield. Lizzy Elsner added a 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles and Aryana Khosravani secured a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. Oliver Ames’ Maura Kiernan won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles and the team of Kate McCormick and Sarah Morley emerged 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 2 – Final – Taunton inched within one win of a state tournament berth, battling to a 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 25-19, 21-25, 16-14) win on the road over Dighton-Rehoboth. Jason Khang had a strong game defensively with 21 digs and Edward Paiva dished out 33 assists. Tyler Stewart paced the offense with 16 kills and five blocks while Fabio Goncalves and Alex Tavares each put down 13 kills and had two blocks.
Baseball
Attleboro, 6 @ Franklin, 10 – Final – Franklin senior Scott Elliott blasted a two-run home run over the center field fence to lead the Panthers to a win over visiting Attleboro. Jake Macchi (two runs) and Cooper Ross (two RBI, run) each added three hits for the Panthers while Alex Haba had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored, JB Floris knocked in two runs, and Jack Nally had a double, walked twice, scored three times and had one RBI. Liam Dailey pitched for the Panthers, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. Attleboro Lorenzo Wilson went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run.
Milford, 9 @ Canton, 5 – Final (9 inn.) – Milford scored two runs in the top of the seventh to take a lead but Canton answered with one in the bottom half to send the game into extra innings. The Scarlet Hawks (13 hits) plated four runs in the top of the ninth inning to get the win on the road. Nick Marcolini (two walks, two runs, two RBI) and Colby Pires (two RBI) each had two hits for Milford.
North Attleboro, 9 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro had three three-run innings to build a 9-0 lead and then held on as Foxboro rallied late. The Rocketeers scored three runs in second inning and then again in each the fourth and fifth innings. In the third, Shawn Watters (three stolen bases, three runs) knocked in Dennis Colleran (double) and Nick Raneri (2-for-3, two runs, walk) with a double and scored on a fielder’s choice. In the fourth, the Rocketeers cashed in on three batters being hit by pitch, a walk, a passed ball, an error and a sac fly from Jake Palmer to make it 6-0. In the fifth, Raneri scored on a drop third strike, Todd Robinson came home on a throwing error, and Watters scored on a wild pitch. Senior Matt Seavey had his best outing of the season, tossing six scoreless innings with just two hits allowed and eight strikeouts. Seavey retired the side in order in the first, second, and fourth innings. Foxboro scored used six consecutive singles in the seventh inning to score six runs. Michael Devlin (run, RBI) and Sean Yoest (two RBI) each had two hits for the Warriors.
Softball
Franklin, 14 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Franklin scored two runs in the top of the first inning and tacked on six more in the second en rout to a win over Attleboro. The Panthers put the game out of reach with six more runs in the seventh inning. Maddy White went 3-for-4 and knocked in six runs, including a two-run double in the first and a three-run home run in the seventh. Sarah Jackson launched her third home run of the year, this one a three-run shot, in the second inning to help Franklin build its lead. Jackie Cherry allowed six hits while striking out 10 batters to get the win.
Canton @ Milford – Postponed to Friday, 5/3 at 4:00.
Foxboro, 6 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final – North Attleboro juniors Bella Erti and Ashley Cangiano each had a double in the sixth inning to help the Rocketeers rally past Foxboro. Cangiano also had a strong game defensively, picking off a runner and turned a 4-2-3 double play. Abby Gallagher, Emily Nardelli and Annabelle Hebard all scored two runs for North. Erti earned the win, striking out five and walking one.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip, 9 vs. Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final – King Philip limited the Shamrocks to just two goals in each half to earn its ninth win of the season. Colin DeVellis had a team-high three goals and Chris Longobardi added two tallies for the Warriors, who led 5-2 at the break. Andrew Sajdak, Sam Mattson, Robbie Tartaglia and Wes Bishop each scored once for KP and Andrew McKinney made 10 saves in net.
Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 19 @ Bishop Feehan, 11 – Final – King Philip senior Caroline Klim had 12 draw controls and recorded a team-high seven goals to lead the Warriors on the road. Jess added five goals, Olivia Tormey scored a hat trick, Dan Truini chipped in with a pair of goals, and Victoria Tormey netted one tally. Caroline Watson made 11 saves in the win.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Hopkinton, 17 – Final
Boys Tennis
Franklin, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – It was a clean sweep for Franklin’s singles players, all winning in straight sets without dropping a game. Liam Marr (first singles), Rohan Herur (second), and Vayshnav Malhotra (third) each won 6-0, 6-0, the team of Lucas Gulick and Shoumik Sompally earned a 6-3, 6-2 win while Ryan McSweeney and Thomas Broyles teamed up for a 6-1, 6-4 victory.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro defended home court with a sweep of visiting Foxboro in a clash of top Davenport teams. Jonah Manso battled for a 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 win at first singles, Alex Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles, and Sam Gallagher didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Vikram Senthilakumaran and Tomas Bentley picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles and Saketh Uppuluri and Justin Strom battled for a 6-1, 6-3 decision at second doubles.
Taunton @ Milford – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro @ Franklin, 3:45
North Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – The Warriors won all five matches to secure a victory against visiting North Attleboro. Pam Nelson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Sarah Prag picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles, and Julia Muise secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Kendall Milender and Paige Krockta prevailed 6-4, 6-4 at first doubles while Maggie McAuliffe and Neha Jammula emerged with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win at second doubles for Foxboro.
North Attleboro sophomore Jared Penta connects for a hit in the first inning against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Entering Monday’s contest with Canton, the North Attleboro baseball team had just two wins in its first eight games.
The defending D2 State Champions had just finished warmups when head coach Mike Hart gathered his team in, delivering a passionate pregame plea for his Rocketeers to play to the best of their abilities.
The speech seemed to light a fire under the Rocketeers, scoring three runs in the first inning to set the tone for a 7-4 win on the road over Canton.
“We have to play the game the right way and we have a certain expectation to play a certain way,” Hart said of the pregame talk.
“I thought we’ve been playing really good baseball, just haven’t been making those winning plays. We’re starting to see that more and more as we’re going through. We played well today and got the win. Now we just have to continue to have those high expectations and put in the same effort each game.”
While North Attleboro’s big first inning was canceled by a three-run second from the Bulldogs, the tone had been set. The Rocketeers cashed in on bases-loaded situations in both the third and fifth innings and tacked on two more key insurance runs in the sixth inning for the win.
For the Bulldogs, it was a matter of missed chances to limit the Rocketeers. A trio of errors gave North second chances, while walks and wild pitches also hurt Canton’s chances.
North sophomore Jared Penta singled on the first pitch of the game, stole second, and came around to score when senior Jake Palmer singled, giving the Rocketeers a lead just five pitches into the contest. Senior Brendan McHugh reached when Canton couldn’t handle a potential double play ball up the middle, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch.
Sophomore Dennis Colleran brought a run home with a sacrifice fly and senior Todd Robinson smacked a single up the middle to bring McHugh in for a 3-0 lead. Canton starter junior Chris Rota escaped further damage, getting a fielder’s choice and a strikeout, stranding runners at second and third.
“I think, if anything, it just gives us confidence,” Hart said of the early runs. “It gives our pitcher confidence and everyone in the lineup. They see the guys in front of them are hitting so that carries over to them.”
In the bottom of the second, senior Max Macort earned a one-out walk and sophomore Sawyer Julier-Albert singled to put runners on first and second. North Attleboro senior starter Matt Wanless got a pop up to get to two outs but the Bulldogs were able to score three runs.
Senior Mike Konzal hit a line drive to bring Macort home and senior Matt Pigeon doubled to right field to bring in two more runs. North Attleboro limited the damage when senior Shawn Watters hit a relay throw to third, preventing a triple for Pigeon.
The Rocketeers quickly jumped back ahead, putting a run up in the top of the third. Colleran and senior Nick Raneri draw back-to-back walks and Robinson that could have potentially been a double play. Rota got back-to-back ground balls to third, and sophomore Steve Burbank got the lead runner both times with a throw home. With two outs, Robison came home on a wild pitch with senior Ryan Warren up at bat.
Rota issued another walk to load the bases again but got a fly ball to right for the third out.
“It comes down to mental mistakes,” said Canton head coach Ben Shuffain. “You can’t blame the kids for physical errors because they happen in baseball, especially high school baseball. But you have to be able to come back from it, let it go, and move on. Have to have a short memory.”
Canton had the winning run 90 feet away in the bottom half after senior Paul Corcoran doubled and moved to third, but Wanless induced a ground ball with Raneri making a nice scoop at first for the third out.
Robinson opened the fifth with a single and junior Russell Dunlap reached on a bunt. Senior pinch hitter Jake Carroll singled, giving the Rocketeers the bases loaded with no outs for the second time in the game. After getting an out with a shallow fly ball to left, Penta hit one deep enough for a sacrifice fly to score Robinson. Canton reliever senior Kevin McGonigle got a swinging strikeout for the third out.
“We left some runners on base but I’ll give Canton’s pitchers credit, they kept us off balance in certain at-bats and certain counts,” Hart said. “They made plays when they needed it.
“We’ve been grinding through some situations but we’re starting to finally come through with the plays we need. We’re trying to get guys more used to the varsity competition and meeting the expectations we have.”
North tacked on key insurance runs in the sixth inning. Back-to-back singles (from Colleran and Raneri) and then a fielder’s choice put pinch runner Joe Barrows and Robinson on the corners. After Robinson stole second, Dunlap slapped a deep rouble to right to bring both runners and a 7-3 lead.
Canton got one back in the bottom half when Julier-Albert and pinch hitter junior Lucas Bryant both singled, the former coming in to score on an infield error from the Rocketeers to make it 7-4.
Rocketeer junior reliever Kyle Briere allowed just one base runner (walk) in 1.2 innings of relief, striking out one to get the save.
North Attleboro baseball (2-4 Hockomock, 3-6 overall) is scheduled to play at home on Wednesday against King Philip. Canton (3-5, 5-5) will try to snap a two-game skid when it hosts Taunton on the same day.
Baseball
King Philip, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final (12 Inn.) – In a game continued from Tuesday, Attleboro earned a walk off win on a sacrifice fly in 12 innings to beat King Philip. In the bottom of the 12th, Robbie Furtado walked, stole second, moved to third on a single from Sam Larkin and scored the winning run on Troy Van Vliet’s sacrifice fly. Eoin Kelleher pitched three scoreless innings in relief on Wednesday, which started in the top of the 10th inning after the game was called through nine innings due to darkness on Tuesday. Ryan Morry had a strong outing, going 6.2 innings while Max Amaral tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in relief.
Sharon, 6 @ Canton, 21 – Final – Canton senior Matt Pigeon went 5-for-5 with an RBI and five runs scored to pace the Bulldogs to a big win over visiting Sharon. Matt Connolly added three hits, three RBI and two runs scored for Canton, which totaled 19 hits as a team. Paul Corcoran knocked in a team-high four runs on two hits and three runs scored.
Stoughton, 8 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Stoughton pounded out 12 hits and scored at least once in each of the first five innings, including three runs in the fifth to jump out to an 8-1 lead over Foxboro. Junior George Currier led the way with three hits, an RBI, and a run scored while Robbie Seaman (RBI, two runs) and Michael Nazzaro (two doubles, RBI, run scored) each had two hits for the Black Knights, who had seven stolen bases on the day. Anthony Mollica and Joe Cavaleri each had two hits for Foxboro. Stoughton’s Evan Jackman earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs (one earned) in five innings of work with five hits, five walks, and three strikeouts.
Mansfield, 7 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Mansfield uses a five-run fourth inning to create the necessary separation in a win on the road at Frothingham. The Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third and added another single run in the fifth inning. Chris Jenkins had a team-high three hits out of the nine hole, adding an RBI and two runs scored for the Hornets. Dan Saraceno (RBI), John Carney, and Nick Dumouchel (two runs, RB) each had two hits for the Hornets. Carney got the win, allowing just four hits and two walks in six shutout innings, striking out eight. Nick Boudreau had a strong relief performance for the Tigers, allowing one unearned run on six hits, three strikeouts and no walks in 3.1 innings of work.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 3 – Final – North Attleboro broke a tie game with a run in the top of the fifth and added an insurance run in the seventh to get a win on the road at Fino Field. The Hawks scored in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead but North Attleboro plated three runs in the top of the third to jump ahead. Jared Penta reached on an infield error, stole second, got to third on a ground out and scored on a Todd Robinson fielder’s choice. Brendan McHugh drew a two-out walk, stole second, scored on a Nick Raneri single to right. Raneri advanced to third on a Dennis Colleran double and scored on an infield single from Jake Palmer to make it 3-2. Milford tied the game in the bottom of the fourth but the Rocketeers jumped back ahead a half inning later. After North loaded the bases with no outs, Milford sophomore Mario Lee came in and limited the Rocketeers to just one run on an infield error. Milford nearly had the tying run in the bottom of the sixth but a terrific relay throw from Shawn Watters was in time for the out at home. Matt Seavey came on in relief for North Attleboro, getting two outs with the tying run at third.
Softball
Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – King Philip erased a 3-0 deficit, plating three runs in each the fifth and sixth innings to secure a win over the Bombardiers. Paige Berdos and Ryan Stagg had singles to start the fifth and both scored on a single from Meg Gorman. Gorman stole home to tie the game 3-3. Gorman came up big in the sixth, knocking in Grace Kelley and Stagg, who had both singled. Faith Turinese pitched a solid game, striking out 6 with six hits allowed and one walk.
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin junior Sarah Jackson hit her second home run in as many games, this one a solo shot that broke a 1-1 tie to give the Panthers an upset win over Taunton, snapped the Tigers’ 28-game win streak dating back to last April. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Hanna Aldrich drove in Jaime Brown (two hits, two walks). Ally Shea led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and moved to second on an infield error. Courtesy runner Molly Collins scored on a two-out single from Maddy White to make it 1-1. Jackson broke the tie with a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. Jackie Cherry earned the win, allowing five hits while strikeout out four. Kelsey White was solid in the circle for Taunton, striking out six.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Mansfield, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Sarah Cahill tossed a five-inning shutout and Ella Verheggen paced the Mansfield offense with three hits and five RBI to help the Hornets extend their win streak to four games. Cahill allowed only three hits and struck out six. Kara Bendanillo also had a pair of hits for Mansfield. Katie Abreu hit a double and Emma Varella added a single for the Tigers.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 16 – Final (5 inn.) – North Attleboro junior Bella Erti struck out 14, recording her 300th career strikeout, to lead the Rocketeers to a win over visiting Milford. Erti, Mandi Hanewich, Katie Daby, and Annebelle Hebard each had two hits to pace the North Attleboro offense. Abby Gallagher scored three runs and Alivia Byrne scored twice for North.
Boys Lacrosse
Stoughton, 2 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Canton scored less than a minute in, raced out to a 6-0 lead after a quarter, and never looked back in a win over Stoughton. Tommy Vaughan led the way with six goals and one assist for the Bulldogs. Griffin Roach, Andrew Canto, and Brendan Clifford each scored two goals and Dan Cohen added one as well.
Attleboro, 5 @ Mansfield, 14 – Final – Mansfield built a 7-2 lead at halftime and carried that momentum in the second half to earn a win over Attleboro. Brady Kessler paced the offense with a team-high seven goals while Connor Quirk had four goals and Jake Quirk finished with eight assists. Aidan Sacco and Brian Grant each scored once and had one helper and Jake DiSangro scored once for the Hornets. Joe Plath made seven saves in three quarters of play.
Sharon, 2 @ Franklin, 25 – Final
King Philip, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames opened with a pair of leads (1-0, 2-1) but King Philip answered to take a 3-2 lead at the end of one quarter and never surrendered the advantage after that. The Tigers got within one, down 5-4, in the second but KP rattled off three straight goals, including a final tally from Robbie Tartaglia (two goals) with under a minute to go that was set up by a tremendous defensive play by Sean Cullugh. Colin DeVellis led the way with three goals, Andrew Sajdak added two goals and an assist, and Brian McCarthy scored one and had one helper. Tyler Bartlett, Matt Minkwitz, and Kevin Riggs each scored once for KP. Shane Kilkelly led Oliver Ames with three goals while Nick Gillis had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 9 @ Milford, 1 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Mansfield, 21 @ Attleboro, 9 – Final – Katy Garvin scored seven times and also recorded seven assists to power Mansfield to a road win and its second straight game with 20-plus goals. Lauren Whitman added six goals and Olivia Murray had a hat trick for the Hornets. Kerry McCabe, Grace Fernandez, Annemarie McCoy, Maggie Danehy, and Paige Peterson all scored once for Mansfield.
Taunton, 7 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final
Franklin, 19 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Annie Walsh had nine points, five goals and four assists, to lead Franklin to the win. It was the third straight game that the Panthers had held an opponent to six goals or fewer. Kelsey MacCallum added four goals and Jackie O’Neil had a goal and three assists in the win. Franklin goalie Gianna Cameron made six saves. Sharon was led by Emma Eberhardt, who scored four of the team’s six goals. Jenna Goldstein and Bridget McManus each scored for the Eagles and McManus also had a pair of assists. Rose Wald came up with 12 saves against the Franklin attack.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ King Philip, 19 – Final – KP continued its strong start to league play with a convincing win on home turf. Olivia Tormey was the top scorer for the Warriors with five goals and a pair of assists. Mackenzie Mazur and Caroline Klim each had hat tricks and Jess Sullivan added a two goals and an assist for KP. Victoria Tormey (two goals) and Shayla Weitzman (goal and an assist) each scored two points and Haley Izydorczak, Dana Truini, and Lily Brown each had a goal. Weitzman also scooped five ground balls and Ava Tormey had a strong defensive game for the Warriors, according to KP coach Kourtnie Wilder. Caroline Watson had four saves in the win. Oliver Ames’ Olivia Piazza had two goals and three assists while Maddie Kullen made 15 saves in net for the Tigers.
Milford @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Boys Tennis
Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip won all five matches in straight sets, earning a win over visiting Canton. Nick Putney won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, Jack Cannon earned a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Zak Ryan prevailed 7-5, 6-2 at third singles. The team of Nate Ihley and Tyler Dowd picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while Jake Mager and Max Goreham secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin’s Liam Marr prevailed in a battle with Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon in a battle of two of the top sophomores in the league, securing a 6-4, -5 win to complete the Panthers’ sweep. Rohan Herur won 6-3, 6-2 at second singles, and Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Saketh Saripalli and Lucas Gulick won 6-1, 6-0 at first doubles while Saket Gandham and Shoumik Sompally didn’t lose a game at second doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Sharon won all five matches in straight sets to sweep the Tigers on the road. Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-2, 6-4 at first singles. Alberto Olivei earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Rueman Bhattacharyya won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Max Brody and Max Chen secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Alex Aspel and Jake Ross teamed up for a 6-4, 6-3 win at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – North Attleboro earned a win over Milford, winning all five matches in straight sets. Jonah Manso prevailed 7-5, 6-1 at first singles, Alex Pfeffer earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Sam Gallagher won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. Vikram Senthilakumaran teamed up with Tomas Bentley for a 6-1, 6-1 win at first doubles while Will Redding and Isa Siddiq secured a 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton won a pair of matches in both singles and doubles action to secure a win over visiting King Philip. Rachel Kupferman picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles while Natalie Keppler won 6-4, 6-4 at second singles. The team of Stelina Michaelidis and Rose Hazam notched a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles while Kiara Cerruti teamed up with Lily Hazam to win 6-3, 6-2 at second doubles. King Philip’s Mia Valencia won 6-2, 3-0 (injury) at third singles.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro swept doubles action and won two more matches in singles action to take down visiting Oliver Ames. Pam Nelson didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while Julia Muise secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Kendall Milender and Paige Krockta prevailed 6-4, 7-5 at first doubles while Maggie McAuliffe and Neha Jammula won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles. Oliver Ames’ Maura Kiernan recorded a 6-0, 6-4 win at second singles.
Franklin, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final
Taunton, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon swept singles action and earned one more win in doubles play to get a win over visiting Taunton. Nupur Shukla was impressive in her match, winning 6-0, 6-0 at first singles. Charlie Martinez added a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) win at second singles and Sophia Fein picked up a 6-2, 6-4 win at third singles. The team of Lauren Glass and Maikala Cheung secured a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win at first doubles. Taunton’s Ogechi Ariguzo and Kayla Parrett earned a hard fought 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win at second doubles.
Milford, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – The Rocketeers took two wins in singles action and one more in doubles play to defend home court against Milford. Tara Nair won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles and Olivia Wills earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at at third singles for North, while the team of Sam Martino and Hayley Strom picked up a 7-6 (7-1), 6-0 win at first doubles. Juliana France (second singles, 6-1, 6-4) and the team of Cristielly Prado and Ketny Sousa (second doubles, 3-6, 7-6 [7-5], 10-6) won for Milford.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Keefe Tech, 0 – Final – King Philip defended home court on Wednesday evening, earning a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-19, 25-15) over visiting Keefe Tech. Kyle Desrochers had a strong day serving with 13 service points and anchored the defense with a team-high eight digs. Max Armour added seven digs and Cam Corey (24 assists) added six digs. Eric Altobello (nine kills) and Jimmy Peterson (eight kills, five blocks) anchored net play for KP.
Taunton, 3 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final – Taunton’s Alex Tavares (eight kills), Damir Santiago (seven kills), Tyler Stewart (six kills), and Gage Kingman (five kills) combined for 26 kills in a well-balanced attack, leading the Tigers to a 3-0 sweep (25-15, 25-21, 25-19) of Dighton-Rehoboth. Tavares also had a block and three aces, Santiago chipped in with a block, Stewart was strong with four blocks, and Kingman finished with 10 digs and two aces for the Tigers.
Baseball
Foxboro, 12 vs. Blue Hills, 0 – Final (4 inn.) – Foxboro’s offense exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the first inning, helping the Warriors win big in a mercy-rule shortened contest. The Warriors totaled 12 hits in the contest with senior Brian Duncan leading the way with three hits (one double) and two runs scored. Junior Kyle McGinnis added two doubles and two runs scored and junior James Kaeser had two hits, a run, and two RBI for the Warriors. Michael Develin and Joe Cavaleri each had a double and knocked in a pair of runs in the win. Sophomore Cam Prescott earned the win, allowing just one hit in four innings of work while striking out two. Foxboro will take on Milton in the championship game of the third annual Steven J. Sullivan tournament on Thursday at 2:00.
Franklin, 12 @ Catholic Memorial, 1 – Final – Franklin’s offense plated six runs in the top of the fifth inning, turning a 6-1 lead into a 12-1 win on the road at Catholic Memorial. Senior Scott Elliott blasted a three-run home run to pace the offense while senior Alex Haba went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Joe Lizotte (three RBI, run), Shane O’Neil (run, RBI), JB Floris (double, two runs, two RBI), and Jack Nally (run, RBI) each had a pair of hits for the Panthers. Junior Brennan Rivera tossed a complete game, allowing just one unearned run on two hits and two walks while striking out six to get the win.
North Attleboro, 10 vs. Somerset Berkley, 1 – Final – North Attleboro burst into the win column behind a strong team offensive performance and a stellar showing on the mound from sophomore Dennis Colleran. The Rocketeers, who trailed 1-0 early, tied the game with a run in the second, plated five runs in the third (all with two outs), tacked on one run in the fourth, and put the game out of reach with three more in the sixth. Colleran allowed just two hits in a complete game effort, striking out seven with no earned runs allowed. Russell Dunlap (four RBI) had a bases-clearing triple with two outs in the third to help the Rocketeers create separation. Jake Palmer led off the fourth with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-1. Jake Carroll added an RBI single in a three-run sixth. Sophomore Jared Penta added two hits in the win.
Oliver Ames, 5 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 3 – Final – With the game tied at 3-3, Oliver Ames senior Matt McCormick delivered a two-run single to put the Tigers ahead for good. Senior Reid Latham earned his third win of the season, striking out eight and walking in two with two earned runs allowed in six innings of work. Senior Tyler Avery recorded the save, pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning to secure the win. Jake Erlich went 2-for-3 while Cam Perron and CJ Deveau each had a hit and an RBI. Chris Pearsons added three hits, two runs scored, an RBI and was strong in the field defensively, including turning a key double play.
Sharon, 0 vs. Hingham, 4 – Final
Stoughton, 7 @ Brockton, 6 – Final – For the second time this season, Stoughton junior Jacob Kaplan has delivered a big hit with the bases loaded. After helping the Black Knights beat North in the season opener with a big hit, Kaplan was at it again on Tuesday. This time, with Stoughton holding a 2-1 lead, Kaplan cleared the bases with a two-out double in the top of the fifth and later scored himself to give the visitors a 6-1 advantage. Brockton cut the deficit to one with a four-run fifth, and the teams traded runs in the sixth to make it 7-6. Sophomore Brady Conlin earned the two-inning save with no hits allowed and one strikeout. Senior Evan Jackman picked up the win, scattering seven hits and three walks in five innings of work, striking out two.
Taunton, 8 vs. Durfee, 4 – Final – Durfee cut Taunton’s lead to just one with a run in the top of the fourth inning but the Tigers scored once in the bottom half and added three runs in the fifth inning to conquer the Hilltoppers. Jack Moynihan earned the win on the mound, scattering six hits over six innings of work, striking out five with three earned runs allowed. Logan Lawrence had a hit and two RBI and Colby Lariviere added two hits and two RBI for the Tigers.
Softball
Mansfield, 12 vs. Duxbury, 5 – Final – Mansfield pounded out 14 hits in total and scored four runs in each the fourth and sixth innings to earn a win over visiting Duxbury. Mady Bendanillo got the offense started with a home run in the bottom of the first and was a part of the Hornets’ two-out three-run rally in the third. Megan Letendre singled, Mady Bendanillo (two hits) walked, and Mary Muldoon, Caty DeMassi (two hits), and Ella Verheggen (two hits) each had RBI singles. Kara Bendanillo, Casey Mousette, and Sydney Woods also had two hits for Mansfield. Sarah Cahill allowed five hits while striking out seven.
North Attleboro, 7 vs. Dartmouth, 3 – Final – North Attleboro prevailed in a battle of unbeatens, handing Dartmouth its first loss with a 7-3 verdict. Junior Bella Erti struck out eight without issuing a walk, scattering six hits in a complete game. Erti did not allow any earned runs in the win. Sophomore Emily Nardelli had two hits, a sacrifice fly, and a walk, junior Ashley Cangiano added a triple, and freshman Mandi Hanewich had a single and a run scored. Junior Annabelle Hebard, junior Abby Gallagher, and sophomore Belle Clarkin each had two walks and a run scored.
Stoughton, 5 vs. Brockton, 4 – Final – Stoughton sophomore Nicole Baker hit a walkoff solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap the Black Knights’ comeback against Brockton. The Boxers held a 4-3 lead entering the bottom of the sixth but senior Karly Estremera (two hits) delivered a two-out double to score Sarah McGrath to tie it 4-4. After Baker shut the Boxers down in the top of the seventh from the circle, she gave Stoughton the win with her home run. Senior Brianna Ferrandiz went 2-for-3, junior Lexi Baptista added a double, and freshmen Melody Casna and Sydney Menz each had a hit. Baker earned the win in the circle, striking out 12.
King Philip, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 18 – Final
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 13 – Final
Foxboro, 13 vs. Hanover, 7 – Final – Foxboro held a three-goal advantage at half and entering the final period but the Warriors were able to pull away to get the win over Hanover in Chowda Cup competition. The Warriors led 6-3 at the break, and 9-6 going into the fourth. Foxboro outscored the Indians, 4-1 in the final frame. Brendan Tully had four goals and one assist, Bobby Yerardi added four goals, and Shayne Kerrigan netted a hat trick and added one helper. Pete Conley and Charlie Baughan each scored once for the Warriors, who will take on Marshfield on Thursday at 12:00 at Westwood High.
Mansfield, 3 @ Marshfield, 16 – Final – Mansfield trailed by just two after the first quarter and at half but couldn’t keep pace with the Rams in the second half. Connor Quirk and Jake Quirk each scored in the second quarter, helping the Hornets stay within two at half (down 4-2). Jake Quirk added a second goal in the second half for Mansfield, who will play Hanover on Thursday at 10:00AM at Westwood High.
Milford @ Dighton-Rehoboth – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
North Attleboro @ Silver Lake – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/17 at 4:00.
Oliver Ames, 19 vs. Norton, 4 – Final – Seven different Tigers found the back of the net as Oliver Ames improved to 5-0 with a win over visiting Norton. Junior Frankie Ireland had two goals and five assists, sophomore Remi Creighton added two goals and three assists, and sophomore Ross Carroll recorded a hat trick in his varsity game.
Stoughton, 2 @ Milton, 9 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 11 @ Milton, 14 – Final
Foxboro, 11 vs. Natick, 15 – Final
North Attleboro @ Walpole, 11:30
Oliver Ames, 9 @ Pembroke, 10 – Final
Sharon, 14 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 3 – Final – Sharon senior Emma Eberhardt and sophomore Jenna Goldstein combined for nine goals as the Eagles rolled to a win over visiting Cardinal Spellman. Goldstein netted a team-high five goals while Eberhardt finished with four tallies. Mia Lappen and Cass Barbera each had two goals, and Bridget McManus scored once.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final – King Philip went on the road and earned its sixth straight win, sweeping D-R (25-18, 25-12, 25-23). Senior Billy Hughes and senior Max Armour both had strong games for KP, with Hughes recording five digs, three kills, and two blocks while Armour added seven kills and six digs. Junior Kyle Desrochers anchored the defense with nine digs while senior Eric Altobello finished with eight kills.
Baseball
King Philip, 7 @ Bishop Feehan, 9 – Final – Tim Crowley and Zack Zarba each had a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Warriors but King Philip fell on the road to Feehan.
Mansfield, 3 vs. Braintree, 1 – Final – Mansfield senior Kyle Moran had a no-hitter through 6.2 innings, leading the Hornets to a win over visiting Braintree. Moran (five walks) struck out 10 in a complete game, not allowing the Wamps a hit until the seventh inning. Offensively, the Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh and then added two more in the third. Sam Nugent went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Eric Longley had a pair of RBI doubles, and John Carney added two hits and a run scored.
Milford, 10 @ Hopedale, 0 – Final – Milford’s offense came alive, plating 10 runs in a win over non-league rival Hopedale. Luke Rosa paced the offense with a pair of hits, including a home run, two RBI, two runs, and a walk. Dan Corsini (2-for-3) added an RBI and a run scored and Carter Scudo had a hit, a walk, two stolen bases, and two runs. Colby Pires got the win, tossing four scoreless innings allowing just one hit while striking out three. Sophomore Mario Lee pitched two scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts.
North Attleboro, 6 vs. Natick, 8 – Final – North Attleboro answered each time that Natick scored, but couldn’t keep pace as the RedHawks picked up a win on the road. Natick went ahead with a three-run home run in the top of the first but North got on the board in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from Jake Palmer. Natick extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth but North made it a one-run game by plating three in the bottom half. Ryan Warren (two hits) led off with a hit and scored on another RBI from Palmer, who scored on a fielders’ choice from Dennis Colleran (3 RBI). Kyle Briere scored on a single from Jake Carroll to make it a one-run game. Natick padded its lead with three runs in the top of the seventh. Colleran belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh.
Taunton, 6 vs. New Bedford, 5 – Final – Taunton turned patience at the plate into 10 walks and capitalized on three Whaler errors, eventually walking off with a win. With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, Sean Quinlan reached on an error. Pinch runner Nolan Melo advanced with a single and then came home to score the winning run on a wild pitch. Lucas Martins had two hits, a walk, and an RBI for the Tigers. Josh Lajoie scattered four hits, four walks, and four runs over five innings of work while striking out five. Sophomore Danny MacDougall got the win in relief, allowing just one run on two hits in two innings with three strikeouts.
Softball
Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Walpole, 10 – Final – Oliver Ames kept pace with the Rebels for five innings before the visitors pulled away with six runs over the final two innings. Sophomores Emma Varella (2-for-3, double) and Grace Simone each scored a run for the Tigers while Katie Abreu added a hit.
Stoughton, 13 vs. Milton, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Nicole Baker had another impressive start for the Black Knights, striking out 10 and allowing only three hits to earn the win. She also had a pair of hits at the plate. Karly Estremera led the Stoughton offense with four hits, while Lexi Baptista and Nikki Coppola both added two hits apiece.
Taunton, 15 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton clicked on all cylinders, belting out 17 hits while senior Alexa White got 13 of the 15 outs via strikeout. White allowed just one hit, walked two and didn’t allow a run to earn the shutout victory. Sophomore Kelsey White shined at the plate, hitting two home runs and knocking in four runs. Payton Ceglarski (double, home run, four RBI), Rylie Murphy (two doubles, RBI), Abbie McDonough (two RBI), Alexa White (double, RBI), Hanna Aldrich (two runs), and Jaime Brown each had two hits for Taunton.
Mansfield, 16 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield jumped out to a big lead, with 10 runs in the opening two innings, and never looked back to pick up the road win. The Hornets scored seven runs in the first on seven singles, added three runs in the second inning and then tacked on five more in the fifth. Mansfield finished with 16 hits as a team. Ella Verheggen went 3-for-4 with four RBI, while Kara Bendanillo, Mady Bendanillo, Mary Muldoon, Caty DeMassi, and Sarah Cahill each recorded two hits apiece. Cahill also earned the win in the circle, striking out six and facing just two batters over the minimum.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 9 @ Scituate, 7 – Final – Tied at four apiece at halftime, Canton outscored the Sailors 3-2 in the third to take a lead into the fourth, and the Bulldogs limited Scituate to just one goal in the final frame to get the win. Senior Griffin Roach led the way with three goals and three assists while Dylan Coyne had a strong game in net with seven games. Head coach Bill Bendell noted the strong defensive efforts of Brendan Albert, James Murphy, George Kent, Nick Mackay, Jack Albert, and Carson Campbell.
Mansfield, 8 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 15 – Final
North Attleboro, 9 @ Sharon, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 5 @ Quincy/North Quincy, 12 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 19 @ Hingham, 9 – Final
Sharon, 15 @ North Attleboro, 11 – Final – Emma Eberhardt had seven goals and an assist to lead the Eagles to a non-league win over North. Mia Lappen added three goals and a pair of assists and Cass Barbera and Jenna Goldstein each scored twice in the win. Maxine Gordon also got a goal for Sharon. Eagles coach Shara Ginthwain said, “I’m so impressed with how we played together today, everyone did their job on the field to earn this big win!”
Taunton, 13 @ Plymouth North, 11 – Final
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – King Philip won two matches in singles action and swept both doubles matches to earn a victory over Bishop Feehan. Sophomore Nick Putney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles while junior Jack Cannon secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Nate Ihley and Tyler Dowd picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Jake Mager and Max Goreham rallied for a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 4 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Millis, 0 – Final – King Philip won its fifth straight match with a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-17, 25-15) at home against Millis. Alex Bernhard had a strong day with 13 service points and one ace while Mike O’Brien paced the offense with 10 kills.
Taunton, 3 vs. Quincy, 2 – Final – A shorthanded Taunton team survived a five-set thriller against visiting Quincy. For the second straight match, the Tigers took a 2-0 lead but had to go to a fifth set. After falling to KP on Thursday, Taunton prevailed in five against the Presidents. Damir Santiago stepped up into the setter position and played well for the Tigers. Gage Kingman, Tyler Stewart, and Liam Bunker all played well at the net for Taunton.
2018 Record: 9-11 2018 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Steve Dunlea
After missing out on the playoffs by just one game last season, the Bombardiers are hoping to their experience will help them reach the state tournament this year.
Attleboro has experience in its pitching staff, behind the plate, and both in the infield as well the outfield. The Bombardiers pitching was a strength last season and should be again this year. Eoin Kelleher, the 2017 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, returns for his senior season and will be the anchor on the staff. Junior Ryan Morry impressed during his outings last season and lefty Camden Fitzpatrick will be in the mix as well.
The Bombardiers will be very strong on the left side of the infield. Senior captain Mason Houle will man third base while junior Tim Callahan, a starter last season, takes over at shortstop. Junior Lorenzo Wilson is slated to take the job at first base while Morry and junior Nick McMahon will split time at second base. While it’s a strong group defensively, all four will be relied upon to step up offensively. Attleboro had just 80 runs total last year, least in the Kelley-Rex division.
Another big part of the offense will be center fielder Alvaro Espinal. Espinal is arguably the best fielding outfielder in the league and will also bring a spark to the Bombardiers lineup at the plate. Senior captain Robbie Furtado will fill in at left field while Sam Larkin and Troy Gamache will both see time in right as well as designated hitter. Behind the plate, Troy Van Vliet gives the Bombardiers some experience while sophomore Bailey Camacho gives first-year head coach Steve Dunlea some flexibility at the position.
“The strength of this team is its senior class leadership and team chemistry,” Dunlea said. “We really have a well-balanced team that is strong in all phases of the game. It’s going to be a fun group to watch this year.”
2018 Record: 5-15 2018 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Ben Shuffain
A strong core of returning players along with some young talent should make for a fun season for the Bulldogs in 2019.
After losing a few key pieces from 2018, there is a good mix of experienced players and talented youth for first-year head coach Ben Shuffain to work with. The Bulldogs will look to three senior captains to the lead the way: Matt Pigeon, Paul Corcoran and Robert Sullivan. Pigeon is a three-year starter behind the plate who batted .368 last season. Corcoran and Sullivan will anchor a deep pitching staff that has looked solid in the preseason.
The pitching staff will also include seniors Kevin McGonigle, Nick Murray, and Joe Bates. Along with them Shuffain will also lean on junior Chris Rota and sophomores Nate Hewitt and Matt Connolly on the mound.
The infield has a double play duo that has shown to work well together featuring senior Mike Konzal and returning second baseman Nathan Quan. Offensively Canton will look to senior Max Macort along with juniors Owen Lahane and Lucas Bryant, and sophomore Steven Burbank.
“We have been very fortunate to have a lot of work outside so far this spring and I think it is going to help us start off on a positive,” Shuffain said. “The team is coming together and we have a great group of kids who really want to turn this program around.”
2018 Record: 5-16 2018 Finish: Reached D3 South First Round Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro graduated 10 seniors from last year’s squad but there are 12 Warriors returning with varsity experience looking to make another trip to the state tournament.
The Warriors will be relying on their pitching staff this year to lead the way. There is a lot of optimism surrounding the rotation with senior Anthony Mollica and sophomore Sean Yoest each possessing plenty of varsity experience. Those two will be the top guys in the rotation while sophomore Cam Prescott has impressed during the preseason and could fit into the third starting spot. Seniors Guy Quartarone, Brian Duncan, and Philip Thomas as well as juniors Michael Devlin and Joe Cavaleri will be in the mix as well.
When he isn’t on the mound, Mollica will be the anchor of the defense from the shortstop position. He will be joined by sophomore Michael O’Toole at first base, Cavaleri will man third, and Thomas will take over at second base. Senior Adam Lanctot will also see time at second base this season for the Warriors.
In the outfield, Duncan — a senior captain that missed all of last season — will be the anchor, with Devlin handling center field duties and junior James Kaeser rounding out the Warrior outfield. Junior Zach Jenkins will also be in the mix for time in the outfield while junior Kyle McGinnis takes over behind the plate and will be relied upon as a key piece of Foxboro’s offense.
“Mentally, we have to have the same focus, energy, and intensity every single game,” said Foxboro coach Derek Suess. “There are no easy games in the Hockomock League. We must be consistent in our everyday approach in order to have a chance to compete for a league title.”
2018 Record: 21-5 2018 Finish: Division 1A (Super 8) State Champions Coach: Zach Brown
Coming off the program’s first-ever Super 8 state championship, Franklin is going to have a big target on its back — and the Panthers know it.
Franklin lost its top three pitchers in Jake Noviello, Bryan Woelfel, and Jason Ulrickson. Those were the only three pitchers to play during the Panthers’ Super 8 run. This season, the Panthers will turn to the experience of Ben Guzman, Brennan Rivera, and Will Pacheco. All three made appearances a year ago with Guzman and Pacheco registering wins. Guzman is currently recovering from an injury suffered in the preseason but the Panthers are excited for his contributions when he returns. Juniors Liam Dailey and Cody Trotin will also be in the mix after starting for JV last season.
While the pitching staff gets settled in, the Panthers will rely on its defense and offense. After an up-and-down regular season last year offensively, Franklin will be trying to carry over the success it had in the state tournament. Senior Alex Haba is back at shortstop and is one of the best two-way players in the Hockomock. Jake Macchi had a terrific postseason and will be looking to carry that over into his final year starting at catcher for Franklin. Scott Elliott will be the veteran in the outfield for the Panthers as well as a top offensive weapon. All three players — Haba, Macchi, and Elliott — are committed to playing baseball at Merrimack.
Cooper Ross is coming off a strong postseason and will start at third base while junior Jack Nally had a standout sophomore campaign in center field and will move up to the top of the order to set the table for the Panther offense. JB Floris will move from the designated hitter spot to first base and brings an experienced bat with him. Senior Joe Lizotte should see time in the outfield while senior Shane O’Neil’s versatility gives Franklin a lot of options defensively.
“We know this isn’t last year, this is a totally different team with different dynamics,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “We like the makeup of our team, with guys working hard and the seniors being good leaders. I think we could be pretty good defensively, and we’ve shown at times in the preseason to be pretty versatile on offense.”
King Philip is returning a lot of experienced players from last year’s squad and is hoping that will turn into an improved season and berth in the state tournament.
One big reason for optimism is a seasoned pitching staff, which features seniors David Morganelli and Terry Murray. Morganelli posted a 1.99 ERA last season along with 43 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched. Murray will be the second starter for the Warriors while juniors Chris Sawyer and Robbie Jarest are expected to factor into the rotation as the season progresses.
“David’s size, strength, and velocity make him a formidable pitcher,” said KP’s second-year head coach Greg Kessler. “His slider and ability to locate his fastball are one of the best in the league. David has an opportunity to be one of the best pitchers in the Hock. He is competitive and has improved a lot in terms of accuracy.”
Sawyer and Jarest will handle the left side of the infield again this year, with Jarest returning as the starting shortstop and Sawyer back manning third base. Both players will be key pieces at the top of KP’s batting order. Senior Ian Zimmerman returns at second base while senior Jake Anderson and sophomore Conor Cooke will both see time behind the plate.
Timmy Nault (.311 last year) will lead the way in the outfield while Zachary Zarba will figure in as well. There is a lot of competition for some open spots in the KP lineup as well.
“We have a lot of work to do this season, we need to improve on our hitting and driving the ball,” Kessler said. “We have a great group of seniors who are dedicated and excited to compete for a Hock Title. This senior group is a collection of great student-athletes and really represent KP well. They are leaders on and off the field”
2018 Record: 19-5 2018 Finish: Super 8 First Round Coach: Joe Breen
Mansfield had a very successful 2018 season that saw the Hornets win the Kelley-Rex division and earned a berth into the Super 8 tournament. But the Hornets enter the 2019 campaign hungrier than ever.
After seeing an early exit from the Super 8, Mansfield is aiming to get back and make some noise in the tournament this year. There will certainly be holes to fill after graduating two top pitchers in Tyler Dalton and Kevin Dow, as well as the steady bat of Justin Pena and the terrific defense of catcher Cullin Anastasia. However, there are 11 players due back from last year’s team and a handful of new faces ready to make an impact of their own.
Junior John Carney and senior Kevin Moran will anchor the rotation; the Hornets unfortunately lost ace Connor Sheehan for the season to an injury. Both Carney and Moran have experience though, and Mansfield is looking to seniors Jake Gerraughty, Matt Scibilia, Aidan Angland, Connor Smith, and sophomore Greg Coyle to fill the relief and spot start roles.
Mansfield brings back two of its three outfielders from last year with centerfielder Sam Nugent and right field Dan Saraceno both returning. Speedy shortstop Mike Hargadon is also back so the Hornets have three key pieces from the top half of the lineup back to pace the offense this year. Look for Eric Longley, Jenkins, Smith, Gerraughty, and Scibilia to also factor into to the Hornet lineup this year.
“It’s been a wild offseason here between losing some of our top guys and coming down with the injury bug but we have a great group of self-motivated returning players that we will look to keep our program going in the right direction,” said Mansfield head coach Joe Breen. “There are a lot of positional battles and innings on the mound to be sorted out, but the staff is excited to see the boys compete over the first couple weeks of the pre-season to get ourselves ready for [the first game]. While we had some great success last season, the boys know that we are 0-0 and they are ready to carve their own path.”
2018 Record: 5-15 2018 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Alex Dion
After having a relatively young, inexperienced group in 2018, the Scarlet Hawks have flipped the script, bringing back six starters and eight total players and will be looking to ride that experience to an improved 2019 campaign.
Half of the returning starters are the three starting pitchers from last year, including senior Danny Corsini and juniors Colby Pires and Luke Rosa. Despite a 1-3 record last year, Rosa had a solid 2.97 ERA in 30.2 innings of work with 19 strikeouts. Corsini logged over 35 innings while Pires had over 24, so there is plenty of experience in the Hawk’s rotation.
Senior captain Matt Shaver returns to his shortstop position and will anchor the infield. Corsini and Pires will both see time at third base when they aren’t pitching, Justin Applebee is back for another season at second base, and Tyler Almeida continues his duties as the starting catcher for the Hawks. Senior captain Nick Marcolini gives the Hawks a left-handed option on the mound. Sophomores Carter Scudo (outfield) and Mario Lee (first, pitcher) will also factor in this year.
“I’m looking forward to the 2019 baseball season and am excited about the players that are on our team,” said Milford head coach Alex Dion. “This is a tough league with a lot of good teams and good coaches. I think we have an opportunity to be very competitive this year. I will lead on our returning seniors and captains to push this team in the right direction and I am excited about the young players we have in our program.”
2018 Record: 22-2 2018 Finish: Division 2 State Champions Coach: Mike Hart
North Attleboro is looking to replicate its success from last season, the best year in program history that resulted in the D2 State Championship. And with a solid group of returning players, there is optimism but the Rocketeers know it certainly won’t come easy.
“We are a team with a decent amount of returning players, but we will need everybody contributing to be successful,” said North Attleboro coach Mike Hart. “We are looking for guys to be more consistent, especially on the offensive side of the game.”
The Rocketeers have three returning starters in the infield, so that will certainly be relied upon as the season gets underway. Senior Nick Raneri started at third last season but will move over to first this year while seniors Shawn Watters and Ryan Warren will take care of business up the middle. Hart says there is a lot of competition for the final spot in the infield with a handful of players possibly seeing time. Brendan McHugh returns as the starting left fielder while Kyle Bolger, Russell Dunlap, and Kyle Briere are all in the mix.
Behind the plate, senior Todd Robinson and junior Owen Harding are battling for the starting spot.
While the Rocketeers look to get the offense going, they will rely on their pitching staff early on. Matt Wanless had a very strong junior year and will be counted on heavily this season while seniors Matt Seavey, Jake Palmer, Jake Carroll, as well as Dunlap and Briere, should be in the mix for innings. Sophomore Dennis Colleran will see an increased role this season and could emerge as a top option for the Big Red.
“We will rely heavily on our pitching staff to lead us, and with smart, mistake-free defense, we will be able to win some games,” Hart said. “I really like the competitiveness our team brings every day. If we can learn from our failures and grind through the tough parts of the season that are sure to come, I believe we can win some ball games.”
2018 Record: 16-8 2018 Finish: Reached D2 South Final Coach: Joe Abarr
Oliver Ames is coming off one of its most successful seasons, reaching the D2 South Final last year. The Tigers graduated some key pieces but there is a lot of players back that gives OA hopes at replicating last year’s success.
Senior Chris Pearsons will be a leader on and off the field for the Tigers, moving over from third base to take over the starting shortstop spot. Pearsons is one of the top players in the league, earning HockomockSports.com First Team honors last year after belting out 30 hits for an impressive .448 average. Not only is he a dangerous offensive player, he’s one of the top defensive players in the league as well.
Another key returner for the Tigers is catcher Jake Erlich, who will begin his third year starting behind the plate. Erlich is one of the top defensive catchers in the region and OA is looking for him to have a breakout season at the plate. Junior Jacob Levine showed flashes last season with some timely hits as a pinch hitter. This year, Levine takes over at first and the Tigers will be looking for him to bring a consistent bat to the lineup.
Reid Latham, who went 2-1 last season with a 2.85 ERA, focused heavily on pitching this offseason and will take over as the top starter in the Tigers’ rotation.
“We have an established lineup of varsity hitters with a handful of underclassmen that will be filling in gaps for us,” said Oliver Ames coach Joe Abarr. “Our pitching rotation should be solid as long as everyone stays healthy. Last year, the Hock proved to be one of the best leagues in the state. We need to show up and compete every day if we want to be successful.”
After a couple of seasons of being on the outside looking in, the 2019 Sharon Eagles are looking to make strides towards a state tournament berth.
Although it will be a relatively young group, there is strong senior leadership. Head coach Kee Arguimbau is hoping that a nice mix of veterans and new faces will result in a successful season.
Tarlin was also the ace of the staff for the past couple of seasons but senior Noah Kamens should be ready to step into the top spot after some real strong outings last year. A lefty, Kamens does a nice job mixing up his pitches and will be a key part of Sharon’s defense. Kamens will be complemented by 6’6 righty Max LeBlanc, who burst onto the scene a year and had some impressive outings. Jared Reef returns behind the dish and the Eagles are looking for him to have a breakout year offensively.
Junior Alec Filipkowski is moving in from the outfield to second base while sophomore Justin Brown returns to shortstop after picking up valuable experience last season as a freshman. Noah Martinez, who recently returned to Sharon after living in Florida, could be a key piece of the offense while playing the hot corner defensively.
Seniors Dairell Martinez and Matty Jacobsen will be doing their part for the Eagles in the outfield while = senior Ben Reinbold looks to have an impact for Sharon on the mound.
“This year’s team is young. Luckily, what we lack in experience, we make up for in solid leadership,” Arguimbau said. “The seniors have done a phenomenal job in establishing the culture for the team this season. The young guys in the program have followed their lead and have been working hard in the offseason and are ready to continue to put the work in every day.
2018 Record: 10-9 2018 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Mike Armour
Stoughton had a solid season a year ago, but an early exit from the state tournament has left the Black Knights hungry for more in 2019.
It starts with the two co-captains for the Black Knights: senior Zak Paquette and senior Robert Seaman. Paquette emerged as Stoughton’s top option on the mound last season and will be counted on to take on a lot of innings again this season. Paquette isn’t the most flashy pitcher but he helps put Stoughton in position to win games. Seaman will start at shortstop and the Black Knights are looking to him for a big bat in the middle of the lineup.
Last year’s HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year George Currier is looking to pick up where he left off last season, giving the Black Knights flexibility with his ability to play anywhere on the field defensively. Seniors Cian Swierzewski, Kevin Dixon, and Kyle Gagnon are all experienced outfielders, James Genest III gives Stoughton a nice presence at the plate offensively, and Mike Nazzaro will handle catching duties.
Newcomers Clayton Rahaman and Jacob Kaplan should log some innings in the outfield, along with Cam Dirosa in the infield and Brady Conlin in the infield and on the mound. Senior pitcher Evan Jackman has impressed so far this preseason and will be a key piece of Stoughton’s starting rotation.
“The goal this season will be to compete every time we set foot on the field, playing sound fundamental baseball and doing the little things to put us in a position to win some ballgames,” said Stoughton head coach Mike Armour. “The boys have been working hard and I expect us to have some fun this year and play the game the right way.”
2018 Record: 1 2018 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Blair Bourque
There is a lot of excitement in Taunton with its new turf field, but the Tigers are hoping it’s their performance on that field that will have people talking by the end of the year.
It all starts with pitching for Taunton this year. With two DI commits in Jack Moynihan (Siena) and Josh Lajoie (St. John’s), the Tigers will certainly be boasting one of the top pitching groups for another season. Moynihan posted a 1.44 ERA with 43 strikeouts while Lajoie fanned 36 batters and had a 1.52 ERA.
Both Moynihan and Lajoie provide a lot of offense as well, but the Tigers will need others to step up to fill some voids from graduation. Tyler Medeiros (.375) and Trevor Pietrzyk (.373) both graduated some Taunton’s offense so head coach Blair Bourque will be looking for some new faces to step up.
The Tigers will be looking to senior Evan Melo to give the offense a spark. Melo will patrol center field and set the table to the offensively from the leadoff spot. Junior Logan Lawrence impressed last year batting .336; Taunton will need his bat to provide pop in the middle of the lineup in 2019.
“We’re certainly excited about having the opportunity to showcase our new turf field,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “It’s really a dream come true. There’s something special about this year’s team, the senior leadership and camaraderie are substantial.”
North Attleboro’s Zach DeMattio celebrates after a two-run triple in the first inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ROCKLAND, Mass. – Even though it was very early, things weren’t looking good for the top-seeded Rocketeers.
Dartmouth had its first four batters reach on three straight walks and a double, resulting in a quick 1-0 advantage. But that was all the damage the Indians did as catcher Zach DeMattio erased the leadoff walk trying to steal second and starting pitcher Peter Cohen settled in to get two outs with runners on second and third.
And in the bottom half, North had a swift answer. The Rocketeers scored three runs, assuming a lead that they never relinquished, and sparked what would be an offensive showcase that resulted in a 20-2 win.
North Attleboro advances to the D2 South Final to play Hockomock rival Oliver Ames.
Big Red senior starting pitcher Peter Cohen not only had to face the top of a talented Dartmouth lineup to start the game but also had to deal with a hole near the rubber on the pitching – a mound issue that also gave Oliver Ames starter Michael Mulrean issues in the nightcap.
Cohen walked Dylan Pacheco to start the game but he was erased at second by a perfect throw from DeMattio. But Dartmouth’s Brett Abreu and Hunter Pimental also drew walks. Eric Sylvia sent one to the outfield for a double to bring one run in and put runners on second and third.
But Cohen finally settled in, getting a pair of popups in the infield to end the top of the first down just 1-0.
“It wasn’t a matter of Peter’s ability, he was really struggling with the mound,” said North Attleboro coach Mike Hart. “He figured it out and battled, that’s the senior in him. I’ve said it before, he’s a bulldog. I knew he’d find a way to figure it out to stay in the game, he was excellent from there on out.
“I think you feel great after [the top of the first]. They got one run but it could have been worse the way that first inning was going. But again, Peter has been in that same exact spot before and he’s gotten out of it. So we have a lot of faith in him.”
The momentum the Rocketeers seemed to get from allowing just one run seemed to carry over to the offensive side. Brendan McHugh reached on an error – one of seven miscues for the Indians on the day – and Nick Sinacola walked to quickly put runners on first and second for North.
As he has done all season, DeMattio delivered at the plate but crushing a two-run triple to right center field. Two batters later, DeMattio came home on a hard hit ground ball from Nick Raneri to make it 3-0.
“If you want to pick a defining moment in the game, I think that was it, even though it happened early, that was huge,” Hart said. “Just because of the struggles in the top of the first with a couple of walks and a run. Then we come back and get those three runs, that was huge. I think that Peter at ease and let him kind of figure out the mound and pitch his game.”
Cohen showed he had settled in by needing just 11 pitches in the top of the second inning, striking out the side. And North Attleboro kept things rolling in the bottom of the second, exploding for seven runs.
Three straight singles from Aidan Harding, Shawn Watters, and McHugh loaded the bases with no outs. Sinacola’s hard-hit grounder allowed two runs to score and put runners on the corners. DeMattio followed with an RBI single to plate McHugh, and Sinacola came home on a sac fly from Pearce.
Raneri reached on an error, allowing DeMattio to score to make it 8-1. North’s offense kept rolling with a single from Kyle Bolger, who then stole second. Harding then reached on an error and two runs came in for a 10-1 advantage.
“I think we did a good job putting the ball in play,” Hart said. “Obviously it helps if the other day has some errors. We’ve done well offensively this year but we just try to focus on our at-bats and attacking the baseball instead of what’s happening in the field.
“It’s a good time for everybody in the lineup to be putting in that effort.”
Dartmouth added a second run in the top of the third. Pacheco singled, advanced to second after a walk, took third after Cohen induced a double play, and scored on a wild pitch.
North’s offense went down in order (for the only time in the game) in the bottom of the third but was right back at in the fourth. Nate Pearce struck out but raced to first on a dropped third strike and forced a high throw, allowing him to take second. A line drive double from Raneri made it 11-2, and a two-out single from Harding scored Raneri in from third.
The Rocketeers continued to stay hot at the plate and pushed across five more runs in the fifth inning. Sinacola doubled and DeMattio reached on an error to put runners on the corners. After DeMattio stole second, Pearce was intentionally walked and Raneri made the Indians pay with a two-run single through the right side.
Bolger was intentionally walked to load the bases again and Harding delivered with a two-run single. Watters followed with an RBI single to make it 17-2. The teams came off the field and started to leave the dugouts because of the 15-run mercy run.
The umps called both teams back saying the rule did not apply. A 30-minute delay occurred as officials figured it out. In the end, it was decided that the MIAA 15-run mercy run does not apply past the quarterfinal round.
After the long break, freshman Dennis Colleran took over on the mound for Cohen (5 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 4 K). Colleran retired the side in order in his first varsity experience.
North tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ryan Pasquel was hit by a pitch and took second on a hit from Matt Seavey. Todd Robinson’s bloop single pushed Pasquel to third but Dartmouth got the force out at second. Bolger drove Pasquel in, Jake Palmer brought Robinson home with a single, and Harding scored Bolger with a base hit.
Ben Arrighi worked around a one-out walk, striking out a pair in the top of the seventh to end the game.
“Our guys came ready to play, they were really excited to get after it today,” Hart said.
North Attleboro baseball (20-2) will take on Oliver Ames in the D2 South Final on Saturday at 10:00AM at Campanelli Stadium.
