Tag: James Leofanti

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

Today’s games are listed below.

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

Canton, 7 @ Norwood, 9 – Final

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

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

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

Sharon, 1 vs. Archbishop Williams, 6 – Final

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mansfield vs. Watertown, 12:00

Milford vs. Ashland, 12:30

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

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final

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

Milford, 0 vs. Hopedale, 5 – Final

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/13/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Foxboro, 0 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 4 – Final – Foxboro’s Steve McLaughlin allowed just two runs on four hits and two walks in 4.1 innings of work but the Warriors’ offense was limited to just two hits. McLaughlin struck out four but Coyle struck for a run in the second and then another in the fifth. Coyle tacked on two more in the sixth inning. Joe Freitas and Joe Cavaleri each went 1-for-3 for Foxboro.

Mansfield, 2 @ Xaverian, 0 – Final – Mansfield’s Kevin Dow and Kyle Moran combined for a two-hit shutout to lead the Hornets to a big win on the road at Xaverian. Dow allowed just two hits, walking three, and struck out six in five innings of work while Moran fanned three batters in two innings of relief. Offensively, the Hornets loaded the bases in the fourth and senior Mike Arnold drew a walk to score Mike Hargadon. Hargadon (2-for-4) then gave Mansfield breathing room, knocking in Dan Saraceno with a single in the top of the seventh.

Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin senior James Leofanti dazzled in his season debut on the mound, throwing a no-hitter to lead the Panthers to a win over visiting Milford. Leofanti struck out eight while allowing just two walks to earn the win. Senior Colby Fitzgibbons made a terrific diving play in the sixth inning at second to help preserve the no-hitter. Offensively, Franklin scored two runs in the bottom of the first and added two more in the fifth inning. Junior Alex Haba went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored, Scott Elliott walked twice and scored once, and JB Flores went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Milford sophomore Colby Pires kept the Panthers without a hit for four innings. He finished with three hits allowed, three earned runs, two strikeouts, and eight walks.

King Philip, 1 vs. Wellesley, 7 – Final

Oliver Ames, 5 @ New Bedford,0 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Chris Perron threw six scoreless innings with just one hit allowed as the Tigers picked up their first win of the season on the road at New Bedford. Perron allowed just one walk as well while striking out five to earn the win. Junior Matt McCormack went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while classmate Chris Pearsons was 2-for-3 with a run scored for OA.

Softball
Foxboro, 16 @ Westwood, 5 – Final – Foxboro senior Lexi Buckner drove in five runs as the Warriors’ offense continued its strong start to the season. Foxboro posted double-digit runs for the season straight game as Buckner and Hannah Davis (two RBI) each recorded two hits. Emma Rohan earned the win in the circle for Foxboro.

King Philip, 4 vs. Newton North, 8 – Final – King Philip put together a rally in the seventh inning, scoring one run and loading the bases but fell just short against highly ranked Newton North. Marjorie Guerrier and Brooke Taute paced KP’s offense with two hits apiece.

Mansfield, 6 vs. Holliston, 3 – Final – Sarah Cahill got the win, going the distance in the circle and scattering nine hits while striking out a pair of Panthers and walking none. The Hornets took the lead in the top of the first with three runs on four straight singles by Kara Bendanillo, Megan Letendre, Mady Bendanillo, and Felicity McMullin and never looked back. Mansfield had 10 hits total with both Bendanillo sisters and Letendre each recording a pair of hits. The Hornets also played solid defense with Kerran Holmes throwing a runner out at the plate after a fly ball and Kara Bendanillo turning an unassisted double play after a grounder to short.

Milford, 8 @ Grafton, 1 – Final – Milford allowed a run in the first inning of the game but took the lead for good with a five-run fifth inning to move to 3-0 on the season. Grafton, the defending D2 State Champions, scored after using a double and three Milford errors. Kelley Reichert (6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 7 K) buckled down and struck out the side to escape further damage. Reichert (RBI), Emily Piergustavo (double, run, RBI), Shannon Cormier (two doubles, two runs, RBI, stolen base), and Maddy Bonvino (home run, two RBI) each went 2-for-4 on the day for Milford.

Oliver Ames, 1 vs. Walpole, 13 – Final – Katie Abreu had two hits on the day, including a double, while Katie Millis and Caroline Mahoney (RBI double) each had one hit but the Tigers fell to visiting Walpole.

Taunton, 15 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Sisters Kelsey and Alexa White combined for a one-hit shutout as Taunton picked up a win on the road at New Bedford. Kelsey White went three innings with two strikeouts and one hit while Alexa White struck out three in two innings. Offensively, Payton Ceglarski was 4-for-4 with two RBI and Kya Enos had three hits, including a home run, and seven RBI to pace the Tigers. Mackenzie Handrahan, Liana Duarte (RBI), Hannah Aldrich (two stolen bases) and Kelsey White (RBI, stolen base) all had two hits for Taunton while Paige Silvia launched a two-run home run.

Boys Lacrosse
King Philip, 5 @ North Attleboro, 12 – Final

Oliver Ames, 12 vs. Pembroke, 11 – Final (OT) – Oliver Ames overcame a five-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game and send it to overtime. Owen Gallagher (four goals and two assists) scored the game-winner in the extra period to lift the Tigers to a win. Eric LeBlanc, who recorded his 100th career point, added four goals and one assist and Shane Kilkelly and Sam Stevens each added two goals and one assist. OA head coach Ben Devlin noted that Shane Murphy had a very strong game defensively for the Tigers.

Taunton, 0 @ New Bedford, 9 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 11 @ Milford, 7 – Final
Foxboro, 3 @ Notre Dame Academy, 17 – Final
Franklin, 8 @ Westwood, 13 – Final

King Philip, 13 vs. Framingham, 10 – Final – KP continued its unbeaten start to the season with a non-league win. Katie Crowther led the way again with five goals and an assist and Caroline Watson made 10 saves in the victory. Caroline Klim had a hat trick, while Jess Sullivan and Mackenzie Mazur each scored twice. Dana Truini chipped in with a goal and seven draw controls for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Walpole, 16 – Final
Oliver Ames, 12 @ Pembroke, 15 – Final

Sharon, 7 vs. Natick, 14 – Final – Emma Eberhardt led the way for the Eagles with four goals and four draw controls, while Sabrina Robbins added three goals and five draw controls. Sharon coach Shara Ginthwaine said, “We are looking ahead and will continue working hard to find our rhythm and to make everyone a threat on the field.”

Boys Tennis
North Attleboro @ King Philip – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Milford @ Medway, 3:30

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Quincy, 0 – Final – Taunton continued its strong start with a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-21, 25-18) on the road at Quincy. Lens Esquil landed 14 kills and added two blocks, Lance Law added 12 kills, a block, and an ace and Mile Charles finished with eight kills and two kills. Ricardo DaFonseca set the offense in motion with 45 assists, three kills, and an ance.

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

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

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

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

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

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

Canton

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

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

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

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

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

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

Foxboro

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Franklin

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

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

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

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

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

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

King Philip

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

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

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

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

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

Mansfield

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

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

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

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

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

Milford

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

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

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

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

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

North Attleboro

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

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

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

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

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

Oliver Ames

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sharon

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

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

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

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

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

Stoughton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taunton

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/19/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – For the second straight year, an Attleboro pitcher fired a no-hitter under the lights at Community Field in the annual Blue-Red Cup game. Sophomore Eoin Kelleher tossed his first career no-hitter, striking out three while allowing five walks. Attleboro senior Matt Callahan provided the offense, hitting his first career home run in the second inning. North tied the game when Kyle McCarthy walked, advanced to second on a ground out and came on an infield error. Callahan gave Big Blue the lead back in the top of the seventh with his second career home run.

Franklin, 8 @ Framingham, 4 – Final – Franklin junior James Leofanti allowed just two runs in five innings of work in his first career start to earn the win. Leofanti allowed four hits, walked two and struck out four while Ben Guzman struck out three in two innings of work in relief. Offensively, Ryan Hodgkins collected four hits, including a double, while scoring one run and knocking in another. Josh Macchi had two doubles, a run and an RBI, Tyler Gomes had two hits and two runs and Jake Noviello reached base three times, scored once and had three RBI.

Taunton, 2 @ New Bedford, 5 – Final

Softball
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final – North Attleboro swept the season series with the Bombardiers and claimed the Blue-Red Cup with the win. Liz Morehouse had three hits for the Rocketeers, while Meg Barlow, Olivia Capobianco, and Abby Gallagher each had two. According to head coach Bill Wallace, Abby Warren and Andrea Miceli both played well defensively for North and Bella Erti gave up two unearned runs, while striking out eight in six innings.

Canton @ Watertown, 4:00

Foxboro, 0 @ Milford, 15 – Final (5 inn.) – Milford scored 14 runs in the first inning off of 11 hits in a big win over Foxboro. The Scarlet Hawks totaled 18 hits as a team with Jess Tomaso (three-run home run, double, five RBI), Maggie Farrell (two RBI), Emily Hartman (double, RBI) and Ali Atherton (triple, two RBI) each recording three hits apiece. Atherton earned the win, striking out six with two hits allowed.

King Philip, 3 @ Newton North, 4 – Final – Elise Pereira allowed just one earned run but the Warriors fell to Newton North for the second time this season. Newton North went up 2-0 before KP cut the lead in half. Newton North extended it to 4-1 before KP cut it to one run again but the Warriors couldn’t complete the comeback. Nicole Carter had a two-run double for KP while Sydney Phillips had an RBI single and Hailey McCasland contributed with two hits.

Mansfield, 5 vs. Needham, 3 – Final – Sarah Cahill picked up the win for the Hornets, striking out nine and scattering five hits, as Mansfield swept the season series with the Rockets. Mackenzie Burke was 3-for-3 on the day for Mansfield and her single started a three-run rally in the third. Kara Bendanillo and Megan Letendre followed with singles and Mady Bendanillo drove in a pair another single. Liz Mackin drove in the third run with a sac fly. Mansfield added two in the sixth, with Kerran Holmes scoring on a passed ball and Kara Bendanillo driving in Burke.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Braintree, 10 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Victoria Ziner collected three hits, including two doubles, and knocked in three runs to pace the Tigers offense. Kayla Georgue launched a solo home run while Lizzie Miller and Sarah Tetrault each had a hit and scored a run.

Sharon, 6 @ Milton, 7 – Final

Taunton, 16 vs. New Bedford, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton senior MacKenzie Handrahan was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, knocking in a pair of runs and freshman Hannah Aldrich went 2-for-3 with four RBI to lead the Tigers. Jaime Brown and Bekah Lajoie each went 3-for-3 with an RBI and Hailey Medeiros was 2-for-2 with a pair runs batted in. Eighth grader Kelsey White allowed just one hit in three innings of work, striking out five while freshman Jaylin Couto struck out four without allowing a hit in two innings.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 16 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Attleboro’s Zach Viau scored a team-high five goals while Andrew Milliken netted four to lead the Bombardiers past Milford in a non-league game. Trevor Koppy made 16 saves in net for Big Blue.

King Philip, 9 @ Falmouth, 12 – Final

Mansfield, 11 @ Dartmouth, 10 – Final

North Attleboro, 8 @ Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final – Feehan jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first quarter but the Rocketeers rattled off a 5-0 run during the second quarter to seize control and never look back. Jason McNeany (two goals) won 10 face offs while Dan MacDonald turned away an impressive 21 shots while also grabbing five ground balls. Zach McGowan had two goals and seven assists, Jack Dakin added two more goals, Owen Costello scored once and had an assist, Tommy Lindstrom had one helper and Colin Young finished with one goal.
Taunton, 2 @ New Bedford, 11 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 17 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Freshman goalie Sara Addeche recorded her first varsity shutout in the win and Foxboro had 11 different goal scorers in the game.

Mansfield, 19 vs. Dartmouth, 5 – Final

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Sharon, 12 – Final – With Friday’s win over OA, their 11th of the season, the Eagles set a new program record for wins in a season. Alex Rabb scored four goals to lead the way for Sharon, while Emma Eberhardt and Sabrina Robbins each had hat tricks and Anna Crosby had a pair of goals. Liv Piazza scored four goals for the Tigers and Ari Waldorf made 19 saves.

Taunton, 8 vs. New Bedford, 10 – Final – Eighth grader Alana Tavares scored five goals and assisted on another but it wasn’t enough for the Tigers against New Bedford. Lorna Li made 14 saves in defeat.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro dropped just three games in singles play and four total in doubles play to earn the clean sweep of Attleboro. Zac Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Barsomo Nuay took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second singles and Andrew Harris notched a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Daniel Zhang and Ben Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Keigan Beaugh and Brendan Hurd won 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles.

Franklin, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip moved within a game of clinching a share of the Kelley-Rex title with a win over Franklin. Cole Ginter won 7-5, 6-0 at first singles, Martin Matous won 6-0, 6-2 at third singles and Marco DiStefano and Aidan Ignatius clinched the win with a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles. Franklin’s Eli Brooks won 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) at third singles and the team of James Johnston and Rohan Herur won 6-4, 6-1 at first doubles.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Brockton, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Joseph Lorizio prevailed from a third set tiebreaker with an 11-9 edge, handing the Tigers the win over Brockton and their first win of the season. OA also won both doubles matches in straight sets.

Taunton, 5 vs. New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton recorded its second sweep of the Whalers this season. Sophomore Brett Beaulieu won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, junior Mike Briggs won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles and senior Eric Gwozdz notched a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of sophomores Charlie Fiske and Dylan Kullas dropped just three games in a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles and freshman Alex Pugh and sophomore Trevor Hart won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
North Attleboro, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final

Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Brockton, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames won one singles match and swept doubles play to edge the Boxers. Freshman Maura Kiernan won 6-0, 6-3 at third singles, Tori Wyman and Kristin Bloumbas notched a 6-3, 6-4 victory at first doubles and seniors Catherine Murphy and Emily Gordon sealed the win with a 6-0, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4 win at second doubles.

Taunton @ New Bedford, 4:00

Boys Volleyball
Milford vs. BC High, 6:30

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/12/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 4 vs. Cohasset, 3 – Final – After falling behind early, Canton rallied to tie the game in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, senior Danny Hartnett doubled and senior Jackson Maffeo knocked in the go-ahead run with a single. Sophomore Paul Sullivan pitched three scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.

Foxboro, 0 vs. Dedham, 3 – Final

King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin’s offense got off to a strong start, plating five runs in the first inning and tacking on one more in the second to beat King Philip and qualify for the state tournament. Junior Bryan Woelfel tossed a complete game shutout with just three hits allowed, one walk and a pair of strikeouts. The Panthers loaded the bases with Jake Lyons (double), Ryan Hodgkins (hit by pitch) and Jason Ulrickson (bunt single) reaching base. Josh Macchi followed with an RBI single, Tyler Gomes knocked in a run with a sac fly and sophomore Alex Haba drove in two with a double. James Leofanti doubled to move Haba to third and Jake Macchi’s sacrifice fly brought Haba home. In the second inning, Ulrickson doubled to score Lyons. King Philip’s Dan Antunes tossed 4.2 scoreless innings of relief for the Warriors.

Milford, 12 vs. Hopedale, 3 – Final

Sharon, 2 @ Middleboro, 8 – Final

Softball
Foxboro, 2 @ Dedham, 3 – Final

Franklin, 8 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 2 – Final – Franklin’s offense exploded for 14 hits as a team to complete a season sweep of the Trojans. Ally Shea had a three hits to lead the way while Tara Hartnett (RBI), Olivia DiGiacomo (two RBI, two runs), Anna Balkus (run) and Clara DeCarvalho (RBI double) each had a pair of hits. Alexx Niss also had a hit and brought in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Milford, 5 @ St. Peter Marian, 2 – Final – Ali Atherton scattered six hits in a complete game effort, striking out four in the win. Offensively, Maggie Farrell stroked three hits, including two doubles, while also scoring a run. Jess Tomaso added two hits (double), knocked in two runs and scored once, Emily Piergustavo knocked in a run, scored a run and had one hit and Emily Hartman notched an RBI double.

Sharon, 5 @ Ursuline, 4 – Final – Sharon’s Clara Cook struck out a season-high 15 batters to help the Eagles edge Ursuline on the road. Cook tossed a complete game to earn the win. Offensively, Sam Marglous went 2-for-4 with a pair of base hits and scored a run, and Alli Small, Rebecca Clayman, Shoshana Lowe and Sarah Levitt each had a single for Sharon.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 3 @ Cohasset, 14 – Final

Foxboro, 7 @ Wayland, 8 – Final (OT)

Franklin, 14 vs. Algonquin, 6 – Final – Franklin goalie Connor O’Rourke made eight saves the FHS head coach Lou Verrochi praised the defensive effort of his team’s defense as the Panthers picked up a key non-league win. Based on North Attleboro’s win over King Philip, the Panthers clinched at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title. Eric Civetti had his way on the offensive end, netting eight goals with one assist and Sam Arsenault and Nitin Chaudhury each scored once and had two assists. Packie Watson found the back of the net twice and Kyle McEniry had two helpers; Johnny O’Glishen and Pat Morrison each tallied a goal as well.

King Philip, 3 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Stoughton vs. Dedham. 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 10 vs. Holliston, 14 – Final
Foxboro, 15 @ Medway, 4 – Final
Sharon, 18 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final

Boys Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Medway, 4 – Final

Girls Tennis
Milford, 0 @ Hopedale, 5 – Final
Sharon, 3 vs. Brookline, 2 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Milford @ Brockton, 5:15

Late Rally Pushes Franklin Past Walpole In Extras

By Joe Clark, HockomockSports.com Student Reporter

FRANKLIN, Mass. The Franklin High boys baseball team used a late two-out rally to force extra innings and eventually walked off with a 4-3 win over previously unbeaten Walpole.

Trailing 3-0 heading into the final at-bats, the Panthers were down to their last out. Senior Jake Lyons came through with a single into left, and Ryan Hodgkins followed that up with a single of his own. Tyler Gomes drew a walk, and with the bases loaded and two outs, Josh Macchi singled up the middle to score both Lyons and Hodgkins. With runners at the corners, Bryan Woelfel singled home Gomes to tie the game up at 3-3. After a passed ball, Franklin had runners at second and third, but Walpole managed to get a strikeout to send the game to extra innings.

“Our guys really fought to the end,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “We’ve been kind of scuffling a bit offensively, and it just felt like there was going to be a time where we broke through, and thankfully today it was in the seventh.”

Woelfel came in to pitch in relief in the eighth and induced a 1-6-3 double play after inheriting a runner at first. Woelfel then struck out Sean McCarthy, but a dropped third strike allowed him to reach base safely. Given new life, Brett Lavanchy singled which advanced McCarthy to third, but Tyler Page grounded to Macchi who took it to first himself for the out. In the bottom of the eighth, Franklin had a runner reach second but was picked off.

Woelfel struck out McCelaney to start the top of the ninth, but Andrew Moore singled, and after Cam Martin grounded out Charlie Auditore singled to advance Moore to third. With runners on the corners and two outs, Woelfel struck out Bryan Kraus to end the inning.

Lyons singled to kick off the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Gomes drew a one-out walk, setting up Macchi with runners on first and second. Macchi delivered, singling up the middle to score Lyons and give Franklin the 4-3 win.

“Josh has been a contributor for us for the last couple of years and is a mainstay in the middle of our lineup, so whenever he’s up we feel really good about our chances,” Brown added about Macchi’s 2-5, three RBI performance.

Walpole got on the board first in the bottom of the second when Lavanchy drew a walk and then Tyler Page hit a comebacker right up the middle that hit Franklin pitcher Jake Noviello in the knee and allowed him to reach with a single.

Noviello would manage to stay in the game, much to the benefit of the Panthers. After Page’s hit, an error by Franklin allowed Lavanchy to score from second, but Noviello would get Andrew Moore to ground out to short to end the inning. In the top of the third, the Rebels threatened again after Cam Martin doubled, but Franklin third baseman James Leofanti made a magnificent leaping grab on a line drive by Charlie Auditore that would’ve driven in Martin. Kraus got hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second, but Noviello worked out of it, striking out Brian Gaughan and getting Sean McCarthy to line out to first.

Cam Schlitter completely shut down the Franklin bats early on, as he struck out five batters his first time through the order, only surrendering two hits. In the bottom of the fourth, Franklin threatened when with two outs, Alex Haba walked and then stole second, but in the process he took a shot to the face, and the collision forced both Haba and Walpole shortstop Jack Magane out of the game. A single by Noviello put runners at the corners, but Schlitter picked up his sixth strikeout to escape the jam.

The pitchers duel only continued from there, with Noviello only allowing one baserunner from the fourth through the sixth, while striking out three guys en route to seven total strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.

Schlitter would exit in the bottom of the fifth after walking Leofanti and Hodgkins to put runners on first and second, but Walpole’s Matt Danato would get a fly out to left field to end the inning. In the sixth, Danato would allow a two out single to Noviello, who finished the day 2-4 in addition to his stellar performance on the hill, but that would be all.

Tyler Page would lead off the seventh with a single, and then Teddy McCelaney, the injury replacement for Jack Magane, drew a walk. Andrew Moore then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Dylan Hannafin, who pinch ran for Page, and McCelaney. With runners on second and third, Cam Martin laced a single into right field to score both Hannafin and McCelaney and put Walpole up 3-0. Leofanti came in to relieve Noviello, and he immediately picked off Martin and then got Charlie Auditore to fly out to right.

Franklin (3-2) gets back to action Thursday afternoon at 3:45 in Mansfield to take on the 3-2 Hornets.