2019 Hockomock League Baseball All Stars

Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Baseball All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Alex Haba, Franklin

Hockomock League All Stars

Eoin Kelleher, Attleboro
Alvaro Espinal, Attleboro
Nathan Quan, Canton
Michael Devlin, Foxboro
Joseph Cavaleri, Foxboro
Scott Elliott, Franklin
Alex Haba, Franklin
Jake Macchi, Franklin
Brennan Rivera, Franklin
Liam Dailey, Franklin
Kyle Moran, Mansfield
Daniel Saraceno, Mansfield
John Carney, Mansfield
Samuel Nugent, Mansfield
Justin Applebee, Milford
Daniel Corsini, Milford
Jared Penta, North Attleboro
Chris Pearsons, Oliver Ames
Reid Latham, Oliver Ames
Jake Erlich, Oliver Ames
Zak Paquette, Stoughton
Robert Seaman, Stoughton
Jack Moynihan, Taunton

Stoughton Takes Rubber Match With Hawks To Advance

Stoughton baseball George Currier Matt Shaver
Stoughton’s George Currier (right) slides in safely before Milford’s Matt Shaver applies the tag at second. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
STOUGHTON, Mass. – Over the closing stages of the regular season, Stoughton’s offense wasn’t tearing the cover off the ball, but the Black Knights were finding ways to win.

The same was the case in the opening round contest with Greater New Bedford as the Black Knights squeaked by with a 1-0 win.

But Stoughton’s offense could be heating up at the right time. In a rubber match with division rival Milford, the Black Knights doubled their hit production from the previous game and put a runner in scoring position in all but one inning.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The result was a convincing 7-1 win for the Black Knights in an all-Hockomock D2 South quarterfinal game, earning a season series win over the Hawks.

“I feel like we came out a little flat, especially after having so much energy on Saturday,” said Stoughton coach Mike Armour. “But I felt like we got our mojo back a little in the second inning there. Milford manufactured a run and it was like here we go, but our guys were able to get the bat on the ball. The bats had cooled off as of late. So if we can get the bats going, I know what we’re capable of. But we’re happy to have the opportunity to play again.”

Stoughton had a total of 14 base runners: scattering eight hits, reaching twice via walk, had two players get hit by a pitch, one reached on an error, and another on a fielder’s choice.

The only inning Stoughton didn’t put a runner on base, and it might have been the defense that gave the Black Knights momentum at the plate.

After squandering a bases-loaded, one-out chance in the bottom of the second, Milford came out and loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third. Luke Rosa drew a leadoff walk and Nick Marcolini and Justin Applebee followed with bunt singles.

Matt Shaver drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly but Stoughton junior lefty James Genest (6IP, 3H, 1BB, 1ER, 4K) limited the damage by getting a foul ball pop up to first and a swinging strikeout for the third out.

Junior George Currier (3-for-4, three runs, stolen base) led off with a single and beat the throw to second to allow Robbie Seaman to reach on a fielder’s choice. Currier moved to third on a fly ball by Genest and came home to score when Mike Nazzaro’s grounder was misplayed in the infield.

Cian Swierzewski walked to load the bases and junior Jacob Kaplan smashed a deep triple to left field to clear the bases and put the hosts up 4-1.

“Those are hits that change games and Kap’s been doing it for us all year,” Armour said. “We’ve talked before about how many hits he’s had this season with the bases loaded but I mean a bases-clearing triple in a tournament game…that’s just big time.”

Currier got things started in the bottom of the fourth with a one-out single, stole second, and moved to third on a deep fly ball from Zak Paquette. After Seaman was hit by a pitch by Milford starter Colby Pires (4IP, 6H, 1BB, 6R, 2ER, 3K), Currier raced home on a wild pitch to make it 5-1.

Seaman moved to third on a passed ball and scored when Genest drilled a two-out single through the right side for a 6-1 advantage.

Stoughton tacked on another run in the sixth inning with Currier being the catalyst again. Currier and Paquette had back-to-back singles with the former moving up a bag on a fly ball from Genest. With runners on first and third, a balk was called and Currier scored.

“It’s a tribute to these guys,” Armour said. “We knew it was going to be a battle with Milford coming to town, it always is. We had a lot of the 2017 [Stoughton] team here, [Milford] kind of came here and did us in that year and I think that was fresh in their minds being just a couple years removed. Our guys made the plays, defensively really fantastic.”

Milford didn’t have a hit after the third inning but did have a couple of chances to cut into the deficit. Rosa reached on an error to lead off the fifth inning, moved to second on a ground out but was tagged out on a ground ball. Applebee, who reached on the fielder’s choice, stole second but was stranded there.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Hawks got to the Knights’ bullpen in the top of the seventh, adding a bit of drama to the game in the final frame. Rosa and Applebee both walked, sandwiched around Marcolini getting hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. But Stoughton senior Evan Jackman induced a ground ball to Currier at second. Currier finished with four putouts and four assists.

“Give a lot of credit to [Stoughton], Mike always has them ready to go and they are a good team, It’s always competitive,” said Milford coach Alex Dion. “The 2017 [Stoughton] team is here, and that was a similar story then when it was split in the regular season but we came out on top in the postseason, this year they come out on top. It’s always going to be a tough game but we didn’t take advantage of any opportunities we had and they got that big hit and I think after that, we were a bit deflated and couldn’t find a way to get it going again.”

Stoughton baseball (14-8) will host top-seeded Hopkinton (14-5), who knocked off Milton in the quarterfinal round, on Wednesday at 4:00. Milford finishes the season at 11-11.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/06/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
D1 South

#13 Marshfield, 0 @ #4 Taunton, 6 – FinalTaunton senior Jack Moynihan tossed his second straight complete game shutout, this time lifting the Tigers in their tournament opener against Marshfield. Moynihan scattered five hits and one walk across seven innings, striking out 12 to earn the win. Taunton scored three runs in the second inning and tacked on one more in each the third, fourth, and sixth innings. Nic Notarangelo (run), Logan Lawrence, and Evan Melo (run) each had a hit and an RBI for the Tigers. Lucas Martins, Colby Lariviere (two walks), Jared Roderick, and Andrew Gomes each had a hit for Taunton as well. The Tigers will host #12 Catholic Memorial, who knocked off #5 Plymouth North 1-0, on Monday at 4:00.

#11 Attleboro, 5 @ #6 Barnstable, 3 – FinalAttleboro raced out to a 4-0 lead over the first three innings and Ryan Morry (4.1 IP, 1ER, 4K) and Eoin Kelleher combined to tame Barnstable to earn the upset on the road. The Bombardiers scored once in the first, twice in the second, and once more in the third. After the Raiders got on the board with runs in the third and fourth, Attleboro pushed the lead to 5-2 with a run in the sixth. Barnstable loaded the bases in the sixth with one out but Kelleher limited the hosts to one run and pitched a 1-2-3 final inning to secure the win. In the first, Alvaro Espinal (1-for-2, two walks, stolen base) singled, stole second and scored on a single from Camden Fitzpatrick (two RBI). In the second, both Troy Gamache (two hits) and Tim Callahan scored, the latter driving in the former, who then scored on a sac fly from Fitzpatrick. Nick McMahon drove in Morry in the third to make it 4-0. In the sixth, Gamache drove in Mason Houle with a double. Attleboro will now host #14 Bridgewater-Raynham, who upset #3 Natick 5-1, on Monday at 4:00 at Hayward Field.

D2 South
#9 Milton, 7 @ #8 North Attleboro, 2 – FinalMilton raced out to a 4-0 lead over the first two innings and never looked back to knock off the defending D2 State Champions. Jake Carroll had a pinch-hit RBI to get the Rocketeers on the board in the seventh and Kyle Bolger launched a solo home run in the seventh for North. Rocketeers coach Mike Hart said Dennis Colleran had a tremendous relief outing.

#11 Oliver Ames, 1 @ #6 Duxbury, 0 – FinalOliver Ames senior Reid Latham pitched a gem, tossing a complete game shutout to lead the Tigers to an upset win on the road at Duxbury. Latham scattered five hits and two walks while striking out nine to earn the win. The Tigers were able to manufacture a run against Duxbury ace Charlie Coon (7IP, 3H, 3BB, 14K) in the fourth inning. Junior Jacob Levine reached on a walk, pinch-runner Justin Sarnecki stole second, and scored on an error. Jake Erlich, Nate Fulford, and Latham each had a single in the win. Junior Kyle O’Connor had the defensive play of the game for the Tigers, fielding the ball in right with his bare hand and gunning a runner at the plate in the bottom of the fourth. The Tigers will now travel to #3 Dartmouth on Monday at 4:00.

#13 Milford, 13 @ #4 Southeastern, 3 – FinalMilford’s offense exploded for 13 runs to earn an upset on the road at fourth-seeded Southeastern. Justin Applebee continued his strong season at the plate with three hits and a walk, scoring four runs while driving in a run. Tyler Almeida had two hits, a walk, a run scored and drove in three runs while Danny Corsini had two hits, a walk, and a run scored. Corsini earned the win on the mound, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out six in a complete game effort. Milford awaits the winner of #5 Stoughton and #12 Greater New Bedford, which is on Saturday at 11:00 AM at Stoughton High.

Softball
D1 South

#22 Wellesley, 0 @ #11 Franklin, 11 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

#17 Attleboro, 7 @ #16 Mansfield, 6 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

D2 South
#20 Foxboro, 5 @ #13 Dedham, 8 – FinalCamryn Willis pitched a “terrific game,” according to head coach Mark Maguire, striking out three and allowing just seven hits in the loss. The Warriors got two hits apiece from Peyton Feldman, Chelsea Gibbons, and Morgan Sylvestre.

Boys Lacrosse
D1 South

#7 Natick, 2 @ #2 Franklin, 10 – FinalThe Panthers put on a defensive clinic, limiting the visitors to just two goals on 10 total shots to advance to the D1 South Semifinals. Franklin’s defensive unit of Pat Morrison, Liam Arsenault, and Spencer Briggs, along with close D Will Harvey and Luc Sweeney limited Natick from getting many good looks throughout the night. Franklin led 5-1 at halftime and held the visitors to just one goal through three quarters. Nitin Chaudhury had three goals and an assist, Matt Lazzaro scored twice with two helpers, Jake Davis netted a pair of goals with one assist, and Ben Kolb and Harvey each scored once. Jacob Alexander won 13-of-16 faceoffs while Will Davis made seven saves in net. The Panthers await the winner of #3 Xaverian and #6 Duxbury, which will be played on Friday at 5:00. Franklin will play the winner on Monday.

D2 Central/East
#5 Westwood, 10 @ #4 Foxboro, 8 – FinalCharlie Baughan, Bobby Yerardi, and Aidan Stapleton each scored twice but the Warriors saw their lead slip away in the final minutes of the game. Foxboro held an 8-7 lead with 6:50 to go but Westwood scored twice to take the with just under three minutes to go. Foxboro had one final chance in the last minute but couldn’t convert its chance and the Wolverines added an empty net goal. Pete Conley and Brendan Tully each scored once while freshman Matt Tully made 11 saves.

Girls Lacrosse
D1 East

#7 Hopkinton, 11 @ #2 Franklin, 19 – Final
#8 King Philip, 9 @ #1 Walpole, 21 – Final

D2 East
#5 Weston, 14 @ #4 Foxboro, 15 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Boys Tennis
D1 South

#9 Franklin, 0 @ #1 Brookline, 5 – Final

Girls Tennis
D1 South

#5 King Philip, 1 @ #4 Hopkinton, 4 – FinalKing Philip sophomore Mia Valencia was the lone Warrior to grab a win, earning a 7-5, 6-4 decision at third singles.

D2 South
#10 Canton, 1 @ #2 Old Rochester, 4 – FinalCanton sophomore Rachel Kupferman ended the season with a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles but the Bulldogs lost the match to ORR.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/23/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 5 @ Taunton, 15 – FinalTaunton had its best offensive outing of the season, plating seven runs in the first inning, five more in the second, and three in the third to beat visiting Attleboro. Jared Roderick (RBI, run), Nic Notaragenlo (RBI, two runs, two walks), and Jack Moynihan (three RBI) each had two hits for the Tigers while Sean Quinlan and Josh Lajoie each drove in a pair of runs. Moynihan earned the win, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and five strikeouts in five innings of work. Danny MacDougall and Justin Rollo each pitched a scoreless inning for Taunton. Attleboro’s Alvaro Espinal went 3-for-4 with a pair of triples.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final (11 Inn.)Foxboro erased a three-run deficit, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings but Sharon regained the lead in the top of the 11th and held on the for the win. The Eagles built a 3-0 lead with two runs in the third and one in the fifth before Foxboro got one back in the fifth and tied it in the seventh. Elliot Patotsky scored the game-winning run for Sharon while Justin Nault had two hits. Sophomore JD Rittenberg pitched 4.1 scoreless innings in relief to earn the win for Sharon. Foxboro’s Adam Lanctot had two hits and scored two runs.

Franklin, 12 vs. Hopkinton, 6 – FinalAfter Hopkinton scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to make it a one-run game, Franklin responded with six runs in the bottom half to pull away from the Hillers and earn the win. Scott Elliott had a big day at the plate with four hits, four runs, and two RBI while Jack Nally (two runs, walk), Jake Macchi (run, three RBI), and Jake Fitzgibbons each had two hits for Franklin. Senior Alex Haba added an RBI and a run scored. Ben Guzman earned the win in relief, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk, striking out four in 4.2 innings. Will Pacheco earned the save with one run allowed on two hits and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings.

King Philip, 5 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final KP senior David Morganelli had a strong outing on the mound, striking out eight in five innings of work to earn the win in a non-league contest against Stoughton. Jake Silveria struck out four in two innings of relief for KP to get the save. Zack Zarba had two hits and two RBI, Chris Sawyer added two hits and an RBI and Morganelli helped his own cause with two hits and an RBI.

Milford, 5 vs. Hopedale, 4 – FinalMilford senior Danny Corsini knocked in Justin Applebee in the ninth inning to give the Hawks a walk-off win over non-league rival Hopedale. With the win, Milford qualifies for the state tournament.

Oliver Ames, 12 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – FinalOliver Ames’ offense exploded for 16 hits in its best offensive showing of the year, beating D-R to keep its postseason hopes alive. Junior Jacob Levine had three hits and smashed a three-run home run, CJ Deveau added two hits and hit a home run, and Jared Spillane added three hits as well for the Tigers. Chris Pearsons earned the win, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out four in five innings of work. Tyler Avery worked two scoreless innings in relief.

Softball
Taunton, 11 @ Attleboro, 0 – 5th inning/suspendedThe game was stopped in the fifth inning due to weather. The game will be continued on Saturday morning at 10:00AM.

Canton, 1 @ Dedham, 9 – Final

Foxboro, 13 vs. Ursuline Academy, 0 – FinalThe Warriors sealed their place in the playoffs with a big win against D2 Ursuline Academy. Emma Rohan went the distance to earn the win, allowing only three hits and striking out five in the shutout. Rylie Martignetti had three hits and drove in five runs to power the offense for Foxboro. Peyton Feldman also had three hits, including a homer, as did Morgan Sylvestre. Chelsea Gibbons went 1-for-2 and drove in three in the win.

King Philip, 0 @ Bishop Feehan, 1 – FinalKing Philip senior Faith Turinese pitched a great game for the Warriors with just one allowed but the Warriors weren’t able to do any damage offensively. Meghan Gorman, Reagan Simeone and Grace Kelley each had a hit for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 16 – Final (5 Inn.)The Rocketeers sealed the outright Davenport division title with the win. North used a 14-run second inning to put the game away. Katie Daby had a grand slam in the rally, finishing with five RBI in the game. Ashley Cangiano also had three hits and two RBI for North, while Belle Clarkin (two runs scored), Abby Gallagher (two runs), and Olivia Capobianco (three runs) each had a pair of hits. Bella Erti picked up the win, allowing three hits and one unearned run. Katie Abreu knocked in Abbi Holmes on a two-out double in the third for OA’s run.

Boys Lacrosse
Franklin, 12 @ Longmeadow, 7 – FinalFranklin went on the road and picked up a marquee victory over Western Mass. powerhouse Longmeadow, who have won four straight sectional titles. Jake Davis led the way with a hat trick and three assists, Nitin Chaudhury also scored a hat trick and had an assist, and Ben Greco scored twice for the Panthers, who jumped ahead 7-3 at half. Will Davis had 12 saves while FHS coach Lou Verocchi noted his defense had a strong performance, limiting the Lancers to four goals through three quarters.

Milford @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 4:30

Oliver Ames, 16 vs. Southeastern, 5 – FinalOliver Ames earned a win in its final regular season game, finishing with the program’s best regular season record ever at 14-4. Frankie Ireland had three goals and two assists, going over the 100-point mark for his career. Shane Kilkelly added five goals and two assists, Colin Bourne and Sandro Masciarelli each had a hat trick, and Sam Stevens chipped in with a goal and four assists.

Stoughton, 3 vs. Dedham, 12 – Final




Girls Lacrosse
Canton vs. Brookline, 3:45

Foxboro, 17 @ Medway, 10 – Final

Milford, 14 vs. Assabet Valley, 2 – FinalMilford celebrated senior night with a big win over visiting Assabet Valley. Seniors Emily Haley and Sophia Bucal led the charge with four goals apiece while senior Riley Campbell added one goal and senior Savanna Rosado made eight saves in net for the win. Junior Elena Bon Tempo added four goals and Alyssa Williamson tacked on a nice goal for the Hawks.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Silver Lake, 13 – Final

Sharon, 10 vs. Bishop Feehan, 12 – FinalSharon finished with a split of the season series against Feehan, a potential D1 East opponent. Emma Eberhardt, fresh off her 200th career goal two days ago, scored four goals and recorded one assist for the Eagles. Cass Barbera, Maeve Barbera, and Molly McAlevey each scored twice and Mia Lappen added one for Sharon. Rose Wald made 11 saves in the loss.

Taunton, 19 @ Southeastern, 5 – FinalTaunton sophomore Alana Tavares scored her 200th career goal in the Tiger’s win on the road.

Boys Tennis
Taunton, 4 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalTaunton swept all three singles matches with one more point coming in doubles play in a victory over Attleboro. Brett Beaulieu won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Charlie Fiske earned a 7-5, 6-0 decision at second singles, and Dylan Kullas prevailed 6-2, 7-5 at third singles. The team of Conor Fitzsimmons and Trevor Hart won 7-6, 6-1 at second doubles for the Tigers.

Canton @ Milford, 4:00

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalFranklin won two singles matches and swept doubles play to beat Oliver Ames and secure at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title. Sophomore Liam Marr didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while Rohan Herur dropped just two in a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles. Franklin’s first doubles team of Saketh Saripalli and Shoumik Sompally won 6-0, 6-0 while the Panthers won by default at second doubles. The third singles match was called due to weather.

Mansfield, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – FinalKing Philip’s first doubles team of Nate Ihley and Zak Ryan overcame a three game deficit in the second set, winning five straight to earn a 6-3, 6-4 win and clinch the victory for the Warriors, who stay in the hunt for the division title with the win. Nick Putney won 6-2, 6-0 at second singles and Jack Cannon added a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles for KP. Mansfield’s Luke Nickerson won 7-5, 6-1 at first singles while Sam Donellan and Dheeraj Valluru picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro vs. Framingham, 4:00

Foxboro, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalSharon won all three singles matches to pick up a victory over Foxboro and clinched the Davenport division title outright. Senior Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, junior Alberto Olivei picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya earned a 6-0, 6-0 decision at third singles to clinch the win. Foxboro’s Brian Gardner and Justin Neale won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles and the team of Sean McAvoy and Noah nicks prevailed 6-4, 6-4 at second doubles for the Warriors.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – FinalTaunton won all five matches in straight sets to defend home court against visiting Attleboro. The team of Sam Martin and Brianna Fevrier earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while the Tigers’ second doubles team of Ogechi Ariguzo and Kayla Parrett picked up a 6-0, 6-2 decision. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, McKenzie Lucie earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles.

King Philip, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – FinalKing Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets to knock off Mansfield and secure the Kelley-Rex division title outright. Junior Erin Regnier won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, sophomore Katarina Schneider picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles, and sophomore Mia Valencia didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Grace Ely and Katie Welch prevailed 4-6, 6-0, 10-7 at first doubles while Laura Davenport and Meghan Powers teamed up for a 6-0, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Milford, 1 @ Canton, 4 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery from this match.Canton won all three singles matches and added another in doubles action to beat visiting Milford. Sophomore Rachel Kupferman didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, sophomore Natalie Keppler followed with a 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles, and Sarah Hernandez won 6-2, 5-2 (retired/weather) at third singles. The team of Nyah Claiborne and Rose Hazam earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at first doubles. Milford’s Reese Gavlik and Ketny Sousa won 6-1, 6-4 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames @ Norton, 3:30

Sharon, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalSharon won two matches in singles action and one more in doubles to secure the win before the match was called to rain. Senior Nupur Shukla won 6-3, 6-0 at first singles while freshman Valeria Barajas picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles. The team of Lauren Glass and Makaila Cheung had the other point for the Eagles with a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. BC High, 0 – Final

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/21/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 8 @ Bishop Feehan, 9 – FinalAttleboro junior Camden Fitzpatrick had a day to remember at the plate but the Bombardiers fell just short on the road at Bishop Feehan. Fitzpatrick went 3-for-4, hitting a grand slam, a solo home run, and an RBI single for Attleboro.

Canton, 3 @ Milford, 7 – FinalMilford scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead and tacked on two runs in each the fifth and sixth innings to beat visiting Canton. Colby Pires was strong on the mound, tossing a complete game with three runs allowed and two strikeouts. Matt Shaver went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while Justin Applebee had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored for the Hawks.

King Philip, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Sharon, 6 @ Holliston, 12 – Final

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 8 – FinalMansfield broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the third, exploding for six runs and then tacked on two more in the bottom of the fourth to earn a win over visiting Taunton. The Tigers plated two runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 6-2 before Mansfield answered with two runs of its own to make it 8-2. Kyle Moran (two RBI, run), Eric Longley (RBI, two runs), and Jake Gerraughty (run, RBI) each had two hits to pace the Hornets’ offense. John Carney earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks, striking out seven in five innings of work. Matt Scibilia allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk in two innings of relief. Taunton junior Nic Notarangelo went 2-for-3 with two runs scored while sophomore Danny MacDougall went 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Softball
Attleboro, 2 vs. Bishop Feehan, 6 – Final

Milford, 13 @ Canton, 12 – FinalMilford senior Lucy Creedon came through in the clutch with the bases, delivering a two-run single in the top of the seventh to give the Hawks a win on the road in a close, back-and-forth contest with Canton. The Bulldogs built an early 6-0 lead, and led 8-3 after three innings before Milford’s offense roared to life with an eight-run fifth inning to take an 11-8 lead. Canton responded with a four-run sixth inning to go ahead 12-11 before Creedon put the visitors in front for good in the seventh. Milford freshman Gianna Cacciola went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, hitting a home run that sparked the Hawks’ big fifth inning. Freshman Olivia Morelli went 4-for-4 with three runs and a two-run double for Milford. “Our girls never gave up, they never quit, ” said Milford head coach Steve DiVitto.

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Whitman-Hanson, 2 – FinalOliver Ames senior Colleen Larson had a game to remember, earning the win in the circle and hitting a home run to pace the Tigers to a win on the road. Larson struck out five in a complete game effort and smacked a three-run home run in the seventh inning to give OA the cushion it needed for the win. OA scored in the seven, third, and fifth innings to build a 4-2 lead. Grace Simone (two runs, RBI), Kayla Georgeu (run, RBI), Katie Abreu (two runs) and Abbi Holmes each had two hits for OA.

Taunton, 9 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3 – FinalTaunton scored three runs in the first, tacked on four more in the fifth, and plated two more insurance runs in the sixth to sweep the season series with Dighton-Rehoboth. Kelsey White improved to 12-1 on the season, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits, no walks, and nine strikeouts. White helped her own cause with outstanding defense and drove in three runs offensively. Abbie McDonough went 3-for-3 with an RBI and stolen base while McKenzie McAloon (RBI, SB), Alexa White (two runs), Payton Ceglarski, Jaime Brown, Ava Venturelli (RBI), and Tayah DaCosta (RBI) each had a hit for the Tigers.

Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 4 – FinalIn a game continued from Monday, Stoughton scored two runs in the final innings to grab a win over visiting Sharon. The Eagles held a 2-1 lead on Monday before freshman Sydney Menz (3-for-3) singled, took third on a bunt single from Karly Estremera, and scored on an RBI from Jordan Lyons. On Tuesday, Menz was the catalyst for the Black Knights again, smacking a one-out triple to right and scoring on a bunt single from Estremera. Lyons grabbed her second RBI by knocking in Estremera with a single. Nicole Baker grabbed her 12th win of the season, stirking out seven with four hits allowed.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan, 5:15

Franklin, 15 @ Canton, 7 – FinalFranklin raced out to a 5-0 lead after a quarter but Canton chipped away to get within two (9-7) early in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers scored the final six goals to pull away and secure a perfect record in Hockomock League action. Jake Davis had three goals and three assists for Franklin while Owen Palmieri scored five goals, Ben Greco had a goal and four assists, and Jacob Alexander (who had a strong day at the faceoff X) added two goals. Griffin Roach (assist) and Andrew Canto each had three goals for Canton while Tommy Vaughan had one goal and two assists. LSM Nick Mackay had his best all-around game of the season and won some key faceoffs for the Bulldogs.

Milford, 3 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final




Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Bishop Feehan, 3:45

Foxboro, 18 @ Milford, 2 – Final

Sharon, 14 @ Mansfield, 19 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Boys Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Canton, 4 – FinalCanton swept all three singles matches and grabbed another win in doubles to beat Milford. Freshman Suraj Ramanathan picked up a 6-0, 7-5 win at first singles, sophomore Minh Duong earned a 7-6 (7-0), 6-0 win at second singles, and sophomore Ethan Nguyen secured a 6-2, 7-5 win at third singles for the Bulldogs. The team of senior Tyler Duffy and junior Justin Luk emerged with a 7-5, 6-4 win at first doubles. Milford’s Ben Johnson and Dylan Wang earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubled.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final North Attleboro went on the road and swept all three singles matches and added a fourth win at second doubles to beat the Warriors. Jonah Manso (first singles) and Sam Gallagher (third singles), both sophomores, won 6-0, 6-0 while junior Alex Pfeffer secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles. The team of Saketh Uppuluri and Justin Strom picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles. Foxboro’s Brian Gardner and Justin Neale won 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles.

King Philip, 4 @ Xaverian, 1 – FinalKing Philip went on the road and knocked off Xaverian in a non-league showdown. Marco DiStefano won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, Nick Putney won by the same score at second singles, and Jack Cannon completed the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-0 result at third singles. KP’s first doubles team of Nate Ihley and Zak Ryan earned a 6-0, 6-1 win.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Brockton, 2 – FinalOliver Ames completed a season sweep of the Boxers with a 3-2 win on the road. The Tigers won all three singles matches to beat Brockton. Senior captain Henry Simone battled to a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) win at first singles, freshman Kylash Ganesh won 6-4, 6-4 at second singles, and junior Yusaf Hameed prevailed 6-4, 6-3 at third singles.

Sharon, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Sharon junior Alberto Olivei prevailed in a tiebreak to win the second set, his match, and the entire match on the road at Bishop Feehan. Olivei won 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) at second singles while freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of senior Max Brody and freshman Max Chen won 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles.

Taunton, 4 @ New Bedford, 1 – FinalFor the third straight season, the Taunton boys tennis team is headed to the state tournament. The Tigers qualified by beating New Bedford, sweeping all three singles matches and getting one more win in doubles action. Brett Beaulieu (first singles), Dylan Kullas (third singles), and the team of Barrett Hodgson and Tyler Goddard (second doubles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Charlie Fiske picked up a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.

Girls Tennis
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – FinalFranklin swept doubles action and earned one more point with a victory in singles action to beat Attleboro. Krissy Stoyonova earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles, the team of Brynn Jacobs and Ashvika Boopathy won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at first doubles, and Vagmi Kantheti and Tessa Cacioppo teamed up for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles. Attleboro’s Ella Lynch-Bartek won 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at first singles and Bri Aronne picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at second singles.

Canton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – FinalThe Bulldogs won all five matches in straight sets to knock off Milford on the road. Rachel Kupferman (first singles) and Natalie Keppler (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Sarah Hernandez pulled out a 6-2, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of Nyah Claiborne and Rose Hazam earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles while Lily Hazam and Kiara Cerruti won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Brockton, 3 – FinalOliver Ames won both doubles matches but suffered two three-set heartbreakers in singles action and another very tight two-set match at third singles. The team of Eva Belanger and Morgan Vasiliou won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles while Erika Mekler and Kathryn McCarthy secured a 6-3, 6-3 at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 vs. Bishop Feehan, 0 – FinalSharon defended home court with a dominant win over Bishop Feehan, winning four of the five matches in straight sets. Nupur Shukla (first singles) and Valeria Barajas (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 and Charlie Martinez picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of Sophia Fein and Sachi Bhasin won 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles while Jessie Tarnoff and Lauren Glass earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 5 vs. New Bedford, 0 – FinalTaunton fended off visiting New Bedford, winning all five matches in straight sets. Jillian Pagliuca (first singles) and Jocelyn Pagliuca (third singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while McKenzie Lucie earned a 6-1, 6-4 decision at second singles. The team of Sam Martin and Brianna Fevrier picked up a 6-2, 7-5 win at first doubles with Ogechi Ariguzo and Kayla Parrett teaming up for a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Norwood, 0 – FinalAfter nearly two weeks since their last game, King Philip returned to action with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13) sweep over Norwood. Cam Corey dished out 30 assists and had six digs, Kyle Desrochers added 13 service points (one ace), and six digs, and Max Armour chipped in with eight service points and four aces. Eric Altobello paced the offense with 11 kills and two digs, Jimmy Peterson added seven kills and a block, and Mike O’Brien finished with five kills.

Milford, 3 vs. Bellingham, 0 – FinalMilford’s Matt Dague had a team-high five kills while Gabe Brandao added four and the Hawks earned a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-4, 25-10) over Bellingham. Nuno Mestre dished out 13 assists in the win.

Stoughton Tops Milford To Clinch Share Of Davenport

Stoughton baseball Jacob Kaplan
Stoughton’s Jacob Kaplan celebrates after sliding in safely with a leadoff triple in the fourth inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
STOUGHTON, Mass. – Both Milford and Stoughton had chances in Friday afternoon’s contest, but only one team took full advantage.

The Scarlet Hawks had ample chances early but the Black Knights were able to prevent serious damage, and the home team went on to cash in during the later innings to earn a 6-3 victory.

With the win, Stoughton clinches at least a share of the Davenport title, the program’s third division championship in the last four years.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Milford put nine runners in scoring position in the first three innings, but could only turn that into three runs. The Hawks scored once on one hit in the first inning and then turned a bases-loaded situation with no outs into just a pair of runs in the second inning.

Zak [Paquette] didn’t really have it early on but him being who he is, he had a little more leeway,” said Stoughton coach Mike Armour. “Not to take anything away from Milford, it kind of felt like we gave them three runs with the walks. Walks are tough but it was nice to see Zak settle down. The ump was consistent, wasn’t giving the belt strike so he had to adjust a little bit. We wanted to make them string some hits together so it was nice to see him make them earn it over the last couple of innings.

“We talked about having the chance to put a new banner up in the new school and now 2019 will be on it. I’m proud of the guys.”

Milford senior Matt Shaver drew a leadoff walk to open the game, moved to second on a single from sophomore Carter Scudo, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Paquette got a ground out to third and then a strikeout.

After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Shaver sprinted home and scored on a wild pitch. But Paquette got another strikeout to strand runs at second and third.

Stoughton responded with two runs in the bottom half, both with two outs. Junior Ryan Currier drew a two-out walk, stole second, and scored on an RBI single from junior Jacob Kaplan. Junior Michael Nazzaro, who drew a walk in the prior at-bat, came home on a double steal when Kaplan was able to avoid the tag long enough for him to race home.

The Black Knights’ lead didn’t last long. The Hawks were patient at the plate and drew three straight walks to begin the top of the second inning. Junior Luke Rosa, senior Nick Marcolini, and senior Justin Applebee all reached on balls, loading the bases with no outs.

Shaver brought in a run with an infield single but Paquette got another ground ball that resulted in a fielder’s choice with sophomore third baseman Brady Conlin firing home to get the lead runner.

Another fielder’s choice allowed a run to come in, but the Black Knights got the runner at third. Paquette got another grounder, this one to short, for the final out to limit the damage to just two runs and a 3-2 deficit.

“That’s been the story this week for us, just missed opportunities,” Dion said. “Our guys have battled, and we know what we’re going to get every time we play [Stoughton], we know it’s going to be a tough game. First time we had them at our place it was a competitive game and we came out on the right side of things. We come down here, another competitive game and we came out on the wrong side. All three games this week, three days in a row, we just haven’t taken advantage of opportunities we’ve had, especially early in the game.”

Stoughton couldn’t take advantage of James Genest’s leadoff double in the bottom of the second as Rosa, Milford’s starter, got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. Milford once again put a runner in scoring position in the top of the third when junior Nick Wemette doubled and moved to third on a two-out single from Marcolini, but Nazzaro was able to gun the latter down at second on a steal attempt to strand the runner at third.

After allowing nine batters in scoring position in the first three innings, Paquette limited the Hawks to three total base runners over the next three innings. A bunt single was erased by Nazzaro on a steal attempt, and a leadoff single by senior Danny Corsini was wasted when Paquette got three straight fly ball.

While Stoughton didn’t have a lot of chances, it did take advantage when the opportunity presented itself. Kaplan ripped an opposite field triple deep to right field tolled off the bottom of the fourth and scored on a sacrifice fly from Genest to make it 3-3.

In the sixth inning, Nazzaro and Kaplan had back-to-back doubles to deep left against Milford’s bullpen, the latter scoring the former. Paquette drew a one out walk and Kaplan stole third to put runners on the corners. Junior pinch runner Cam Dirosa stole second before a pop up to get two outs.

“His days in the leadoff spot are over,” Armour said of Kaplan, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, and was a home run shy of the cycle. “We’ve been mixing up the order trying to get the offense going but leadoff didn’t work, and with his performance today, I think he cemented his spot in the middle of the order. He’s been huge, talk about a catalyst and getting us going. He had the leadoff triple and then him and [Nazzaro] had two bombs to really set the tone. We weren’t looking for walks today, we went to put a charge on the baseball so it was nice to put it together in the sixth.

Armour called on junior Noah Johnson, a recent call up from the JV team, to pinch hit in the nine spot. In his first varsity at-bat, Johnson roped the second pitch he saw into the gap in left center field for a two-out, two-run triple to give the Knights insurance runs and a 6-3 lead.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Kevin Cronin does a great job with the JV squad, he’s been with us for a while and I have so much respect for him, our success over the years…he’s been getting the guys ready for this level,” Armour said. “[Johnson] had been his guy this year. We haven’t exactly been smashing the ball towards the bottom of the order. I thought it was just perfect timing and to see him come through was awesome.”

Scudo led off the top of the seventh with a triple to try and start a rally, but the rest of the inning summed up the week for the Hawks. Paquette got a strikeout and then senior Robbie Seaman and Currier made back-to-back web gems at shortstop and second, respectively, to strand the run and clinch the win.

Stoughton baseball (9-6 Hockomock, 11-6 overall) will try and clinch the division title outright when it travels to Sharon on Monday. Milford (6-8, 8-9) will try to snap a three-game skid when it hosts Canton at Fino Field on Tuesday.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/04/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – FinalMansfield junior John Carney pitched a complete game shutout and scored the game’s lone run to help the Hornets open the season with a win. Carney allowed just two hits without issuing a walk, striking out six to get the win. In the second inning, Carney singled and moved to third on a double by Eric Longley (2-for-2). Carney then scored the lone run on a passed ball. Attleboro’s Eoin Kelleher only allowed two four hits in 5.2 innings of work, striking out four with one walk. Sam Larkin had a double (and a terrific catch in right field) and Mason Houle had a single for Attleboro.

Canton, 14 @ Foxboro, 12 – FinalIn a game dominated by offense, Canton prevailed with a 14-12 victory over Foxboro. The Bulldogs scored three runs in each the first, third, and fourth innings, and then tacked on five runs in the top of the fifth to take a 14-5 lead. Foxboro scored two runs in the first, three runs in the third, and rallied for seven runs in the fifth to make it a two-run game. Canton sophomore Steven Burbank went 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored while sophomore Matt Connolly had three hits, three RBI, and three runs scored. Junior Nate Quan added two hits and four RBI for the Bulldogs. Foxboro junior Kyle McGinnis went 3-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored, Michael Devlin was 3-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored, and Adam Lanctot added two hits, two RBI and a run scored for the Warriors. Phil Thomas pitched three scoreless innings in relief for Foxboro.

Franklin, 11 @ King Philip, 1 – FinalFranklin opened its season in style with an 11-1 win on the road against King Philip. Junior Brennan Rivera earned the win on the mound, scattering five hits with no walks over six innings of work. Rivera also struck out three without allowing an earned run. Jack Nally had two hits — a double and a triple — with two RBI and three runs scored while Scott Elliott added three hits, an RBI and a run scored. Alex Haba (RBI, run), Jake Macchi (two runs), Cooper Ross (two RBI), JB Floris (RBI), and Joe Lizotte (two runs) each had two hits apiece for Franklin.

Milford, 9 @ Sharon, 0 – Final Milford went on the road and picked up a shutout win in its first game of the 2019 season. Senior Danny Corsini tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six to earn the win. Offensively, senior Matt Shaver went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, junior Nick Wimmete had three hits and a run scored, and senior Justin Applebee had two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored for the Scarlet Hawks.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 6 – FinalStoughton junior Jacob Kaplan connected on a two-out, bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the fourth inning to break a 3-3 tie, giving the Black Knights a win over the defending D2 State Champions in the season opener for both teams. Junior George Currier added two hits for the Black Knights. Stoughton senior Zak Paquette earned the win, tossing a complete game with four strikeouts, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits.

Softball
Mansfield, 6 @ Attleboro, 8 – Final Natalie Mansur gave Attleboro the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning with a pinch-hit, two-run homer. The Bombardiers had jumped out to a 5-2 lead only to have Mansfield respond with four runs in the fifth to take back the lead before Mansur’s big hit. Makenzie Killough continued her hot start to the season with a double and a home, while McKenzie Bergdoll had a pair of hits for the second straight game and drove in a pair. Jenna Gittle pitched the opening 4-2/3 inning and Emily Gittle grabbed the win with 2-1/3 innings of relief. Mady Bendanillo had three hits, including a homer, and drove in four runs for the Hornets in the loss. She plated Kara Bendanillo with a first-inning single, blasted a solo homer in the third and drove in a pair with a single in the fifth. Mary Muldoon also drove in two with a fifth inning single, as the Hornets scored four in the frame to regain the lead at 6-5. Mansfield coach Lori Letendre said, “It was a great back and forth game.”

Canton, 7 @ Foxboro, 6 – FinalCanton held off a late charge by the Warriors, who got a run in the bottom of the seventh and the tying run in scoring position before Caroline Hughes snared a line drive to end the game. Hughes threw a complete game with a pair of strikeouts, allowing three earned runs. Sarah Kelly went 2-for-4 with four RBI to power the Canton offense and Jackie Morrissey was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – FinalFranklin edged out a pitcher’s duel against the defending league champions thanks to a dominant start from senior Jackie Cherry. She allowed no hits to the potent KP lineup and struck out 10 batters. Cherry allowed only four base-runners, three on walks and one batter reached on an error. Faith Turinese was almost as good for the Warriors, limiting the Panthers to just one earned run. Anna Balkus led-off the bottom of the first with a single, advanced to second on a sac bunt by Gabby Colace and to third on a single by Allie Shea (2-for-3 in the game). Maddy White drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run with an RBI-single. Franklin added a second run in the fifth. Colace doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a groundout, before scoring on a wild pitch. Peyton Arone went 2-for-3 for Franklin and made a pair of great catches in left.

Sharon, 12 @ Milford, 7 – FinalSenior Rebecca Clayman went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and freshman Savannah Gray went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs as the Eagles beat the defending division champs and picked up their first win under head coach Heather Poliferno. Freshman Trinity Payne pitched in relief, getting out of a jam in the fourth by striking out two and going 3-2/3 innings with 5 Ks. She also went 2-for-4 at the plate and hit a fifth inning homer. Meg Hart had an RBI-triple and Taylor Waldrup had two hits for the Hawks.

Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Taunton, 21 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (5 inn.)Taunton scored 21 runs on 17 hits in its season opener. Hanna Aldrich powered the offense with a pair of homers, three RBI, and four runs scored. Mckenzie McAloon (three runs), Payton Ceglarski, Riley Murphy (three RBI), and Skylar Rheaume (three RBI) all had two hits for Taunton. Kelsey White earned the win with four strikeouts over three innings with Alexa White and freshman Olyvia Mendonca each taking one inning in the circle. Katie Abreu drove in Emma Varella with a fifth inning double for OA’s lone run. Katie Mills and Colleen Larson each had hits for the Tigers.

Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield, 3 vs. St. John’s Shrewsbury, 19 – Final
Milford, 13 @ Northbridge, 15 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 12 vs. Wellesley, 15 – Final
Milford, 11 @ Assabet Valley, 3 – Final

Boys Tennis
Mansfield, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalMansfield picked up a sweep on the road, winning all five matches in straight sets. Senior Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, senior Luke Devine earned a 6-1, 6-0 decision at second singles, and junior Nilay Pangrekar won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Sethu Odayappan and Max Bank won 6-1, 6-2 at first doubles and Sam Donellan and Sam Schirmacher picked up a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second singles.

King Philip, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – FinalKing Philip’s second doubles team of Tyler Dowd and Jake Mager pulled out a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 win to give the Warriors a 3-2 win over rival Franklin. The Warriors also got wins from Nick Putney (6-3, 4-6, 6-3) at second singles and Jack Cannon (6-4, 6-0) at third singles. Franklin’s Liam Marr won 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3 at first singles and the team of Saketh Saripalli and Vayshnav Malhotra won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – FinalStoughton sophomore Waseem Sablon won at first singles but North Attleboro won at the other four matches to get the win at home. Junior Alex Pfeffer won 6-1, 6-0 at second singles and sophomore Sam Gallagher earned a 6-0, 6-1 decision at third singles for the Rocketeers. The team of Vikram Senthilakumaran and Saketh Uppuluri pulled out a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles while Tomas Bentley teamed up with Justin Strom to pick up a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles. Sablon earned a 1-6, 6-3, 10-8 win at first singles for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – FinalTaunton didn’t drop a game at first or second singles as well as first doubles in a win on the road at Oliver Ames. Brett Beaulieu (first singles) and Charlie Fiske (second) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Dylan Kullas earned a 6-4, 6-1 win at third singles. Taunton’s Ryan Hebert and Alex Pugh won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles.

Sharon, 4 @ Milford, 1 – FinalSharon swept doubles play and earned two more wins in singles action to defeat Milford. Danujan Thirumavalavan (first singles) won 6-2, 6-3 while Ruemon Bhattacharya (second singles) earned a 6-0, 6-1 victory. The team of Max Chen and Max Brody won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles and the team of junior Jake Ross and freshman Deyan Kassev won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles. Milford senior Riley Lynch won 6-4, 6-0 at third singles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalAttleboro senior Bri Aronne overcame a one-set deficit to win the next two and help the Bombardiers clinch a 3-2 win over Mansfield. Aronne won 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 while the first doubles team of Nicole Matheson and Lauren Anthony won 6-0, 6-4 and the duo of junior Rena Danho and junior Jordan Benardo earned a 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 win at second doubles. Mansfield’s Lizzy Elsner won 6-1, 7-5 at first singles and sophomore Aryann Khosravani picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles.

Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – FinalFoxboro picked up a win over division rival Canton, winning all five matches in straight sets. Pam Nelson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Sarah Prag earned a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second singles, and Julia Muise won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. Foxboro’s first doubles team of Kendall Milender and Paige Krockta won 6-1, 6-1, and the Warriors’ second doubles team of Maggie McAuliffe and Lindsey Young won 6-1, 6-2.

Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final

North Attleboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro earned a sweep on the road, winning all five matches in straight sets. Tara Nair won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Mae McLoughlin earned a 6-1, 6-4 decision at second singles, and Jayli Carmichael prevailed 6-1, 6-3 at third singles for the Rocketeers. North Attleboro’s first doubles team of Olivia Willis and Sam Martino won 6-3, 6-1 and the second doubles team of Hayley Strom and Brotiti Nandi didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – FinalTaunton defended home court, winning all five matches in straight sets. Jillian Pagliuca (6-2, 6-2), McKenzie Lucie (6-1, 6-2), and Jocelyn Pagliuca (6-1, 6-0) won at first, second, and third singles, respectively. The team of Sam Martin and Briana Fevrier won 6-1, 6-0 at first doubles while Ogechi Ariguzo and Kayla Parrett secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalSharon didn’t drop a single game in singles play, winning all three 6-0, 6-0 and all five matches in straight sets to beat Milford. Senior Nupur Shukla (first), freshman Valeria Barajas (second), and sophomore Charlize Martinez swept singles play for the Eagles. The first doubles team of Sachi Bhasin and Sophia Fein won 6-3, 6-4 while the duo of Lauren Glass and Makaila Cheung won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles for the Eagles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Millis, 1 – FinalKing Philip picked up its second win of the season, earning a 3-1 (25-20, 26-24, 22-25, 25-9) win on the road at Millis. The Warriors rode the strong serving of Max Armour (11 service points) and Kyle Desrochers (16 service points), both of whom went on big runs at the service line. Desrochers added 10 digs and Alex Bernhard had a strong game with seven digs. Senior middle Jimmy Peterson paced the net defense with seven blocks.

Milford, 3 vs. Nipmuc, 0 – Final

2019 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Oliver Ames baseball
Oliver Ames’ Jake Erlich (left) and Reid Latham celebrate after recording the final out to beat Duxbury in 2018. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

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.”

Canton

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.”

Foxboro

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.”

Franklin

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

2018 Record: 7-14
2018 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Greg Kessler

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”

Mansfield

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.”

Milford

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.”

North Attleboro

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.”

Oliver Ames

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.”

Sharon

2018 Record: 6-14
2018 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Kee Arguimbau

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.

Stoughton

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.”

Taunton

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.”

2018 Hockomock League Golf All Stars

Below are the official 2018 Hockomock League Golf All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Matt D’Errico, Franklin

Hockomock League All Stars

Chris Lavoie, Canton
Thomas Dimock, Canton
Thomas Singleton, Canton
Noah Hicks, Foxboro
Matt D’Errico, Franklin
Kayla Schuberth, King Philip
Nate Ihley, King Philip
Ryan Dow, Mansfield
Jason See, Mansfield
Nate Morreale, Mansfield
Riley Lynch, Milford
Jillian Barend, North Attleboro
Matthew Wanless, North Attleboro
Marcus Costa, North Attleboro
Nolan Donze, Oliver Ames
Liam Barry, Oliver Ames
Thomas Walsh, Oliver Ames
Corey Carter, Sharon
Ethan Skelly, Sharon
Luke Bainton, Stoughton

Honorable Mentions:
Ethan Johnson, Attleboro
Michael Leonetti, Canton
Matthew Lathrop, Foxboro
Quinten Faro, Franklin
Jack Hastry, King Philip
Ava Haggis, Mansfield
Justin Applebee, Milford
Patrick Roberts, North Attleboro
Tate Hadges, Oliver Ames
Max Brody, Sharon
Josh Hough, Stoughton
Jack Giebel, Taunton