05/06/202205/07/2022

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/06/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro took the lead with a run in the bottom of the second but Canton surged ahead with a three-run fourth, tacking on an insurance run in the fifth to take a 4-1 verdict on the road. Owen Taber had a leadoff double in the bottom of the second, moved to third on a groundout from Matt Harvie, and scored on a passed ball to make it 1-0. Canton jumped ahead on a two-run home run from Hayden Rose and Matt Lesser added a two-out RBI double in the same inning as the Bulldogs took a 3-1 edge. Matt Hart added a two-out RBI double to push across an insurance run in the fifth. Rose got the win on the mound, allowing just the one run (unearned) on three hits and two talks, striking out three in a complete game effort.

Foxboro, 1 @ Taunton, 7 – Final – Foxboro pushed across the first run of the game to stake a 1-0 lead through four innings of play but Taunton grabbed the lead away with two runs in the fifth and put the game away with a five-run sixth inning. Louis Carangelo doubled home Ryan LeClair to give the visiting Warriors a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth but a solo home run from Ryan MacDougall and an RBI single from Colby DeCouta in the bottom of the fifth had the hosts ahead. MacDougall added an RBI double to start the fifth, AJ Lewis brought in two runs with a single to left, and DeCouta recorded two more RBI with a base hit to left. Evan Cali earned the win on the mound, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out three in four innings of work. Shawn Cali pitched three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three.

North Attleboro, 7 @ King Philip, 6 – Final (9 inn.) – North Attleboro rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning to keep the game going, and then used aggressive base running in the ninth inning to score the winning run in a close game against King Philip. North pushed across a single run in each the second and third, but KP answered with two runs in the bottom half each time for a 4-2 lead. Rudy Gately had an RBI ground out in the bottom of the fifth as KP extended its lead to 5-2, which lasted until the final inning. North loaded the bases to start the seventh as Dillon Harding and Gavin Wells each singled and Aidan Conrad with hit by a pitch. Tyler Bannon drew a bases loaded walk and an infield error allowed Derek Maceda to reach and Wells to score to make it a one-run game at 5-4. A fielder’s choice allowed the tying run to come home and Danny Curran put the Rocketeers ahead with a sac fly. Shawn Legere walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh for KP, stole second, and scored after an error to force extra innings.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield senior Jimmy Gilleran capped a big comeback from the Hornets with a walk-off home run to left field in the bottom of the seventh inning. Oliver Ames jumped out to a 4-0 lead after just a half an inning but Gilleran, who also started on the bump, settled in and pitched six scoreless innings after that. The Hornets cut the lead in half with two runs in the third and then pushed two more acrsos in the fifth to tie the game, setting up Gilleran’s heroics in the final inning. Patrick Finnerty brought in two runs after reaching on an error, Joe Cicchetti drew a bases-loaded walk for another run, and Lucas Riley had an infield hit for an RBI to make it 4-0. Both Conner Zukowski (single) and Anthony Sacchetti (walk) came around to score on a pair of passed balls in the third to make it 4-2, and Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak had back-to-back RBI singles in the fifth to tie the game. Gilleran got the win, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks, striking out nine in a complete game effort.

Stoughton, 0 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Milford took the lead with two runs in the first inning and that was enough for junior Evan Cornelius, who tossed a complete game shutout to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a 6-0 win over Stoughton. Cornelius scattered five hits and two talks, striking out eight to get the win. Alex McColl put the hosts ahead with a two-run, two-out double in the bottom of the first, and that 2-0 lead lasted until the fifth inning. Damien Carter extended the advantage with an RBI single and Keith Lee added a two-out RBI double to make it 4-0 in favor of the hosts. Mason Baldic tacked on two key insurance runs with a two-run single in the sixth inning.

Softball
Attleboro, 12 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Riding the combination of timely hitting and good defense early, Attleboro picked up a 12-3 win on the road at Canton. The Bombardiers had 12 hits as a team and the first seven hitters in the lineup came around to score in a big first inning for the visitors. Attleboro tacked on four more runs in the fourth and one more in the seventh. Lauren Eby made her return to the lineup with a splash, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, Sarah Maher (two RBI), Kayla Goldrick (two RBI), and Emily Eby (RBI) each added two hits in the win and Lindsey Perry had one hit, two walks, and two RBI in the win. Lily Routhier picked up her fifth win of the season in the circle, scattering seven hits with four strikeouts for the win.

Taunton, 15 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton got off to a great start with six runs in the top of the first inning and then tacked on nine runs over the final three innings to take down Foxboro. Angie Lynch (five RBI, two runs, home run) and Kylie Thorpe (one RBI, three runs) paced the Tigers offense with three hits apiece, and Hayley Krockta had two hits, including a home run, and three RBI and two runs scored in the win. Liv Mendonca (3.1 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K) and Cate Larson (2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K) combined for the win on the mound for the Tigers.

King Philip, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Kelly Colleran set a new school record for strikeouts in a seven-inning game with 19, but the Warriors were able to get the one run of the game to sweep the season series with North. KP pushed across the lone run of the game in the top of the third as Maddie Paschke reached on an error to start the inning. Courtesy runner Liv Ali stole second and moved to third on a bunt single from Ava Lanza, who accounted for half of KP’s six hits on the day. Meg Sherwood then reached on a bunt single to bring in the lone run of the game. The Rocketeers had a chance to tie the game in the seventh with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with two outs but a bang-bang play at first ended things. For KP, sophomore Jordan Bennett tossed a complete game shutout, scattering six hit and a pair of walks while striking out nine. For North, Grace Simmons had a pair of hits and reached base three time, while Ally Levine, Mandi Hanewich, Shaelyn Burns, and Colleran each had one hit.

Mansfield, 12 @ Oliver Ames, 11 – Final – Mansfield pounded out 16 hits as a team and held off a furious OA rally in the final two innings to get the bounce back win on the road. The Hornets took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Callie Lake (five hits) singled and came in to score on a Cat Kipp groundout. Casey Moussette plated two more with a single. OA wasted no time getting back into the game, scoring six runs in their half of the first and making it 6-3. Mansfield closed within one with a pair of two-out runs in the third. Jill Koppy started the rally with a double and scored on a Julia Kelly base hit. Following singles by Olivia DeTrolio and Lake, Alanna Conley would make it 6-5 with a bases loaded walk. The game was tied in the fourth, Conley coming home on a deep sac fly by Molly Kucharski. The Hornets jumped back in front in the fifth. DeTrolio, Lake, and Kipp all reached and Liv Madeira drove in a run with a sac fly and Mansfield added two more to make it 9-6. The lead doubled in the sixth. Koppy (three hits) doubled in a run, Lake singled to score one, and Kipp’s base hit made it 12-6. OA nearly pulled off the comeback, scoring three times in the sixth (RBI double from Katherine Farley and a single from Maddie Homer [3-for-5, two RBI] plated two) and adding two more in the seventh (RBI single from Lexi Galsband and a sac fly from Emily Martin) but Mansfield was able to survive, stranding the tying run at second to take the victory. Katie Melendy had four hits, an RBI and two runs scored for OA.

Milford, 0 @ Stoughton, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Junior Kerry Driscoll tossed a five-inning no hitter for the Black Knights, striking out three to get the win. The defense backed Driscoll up in the circle as just the Hawks had just four base runners on the day. Offensively, Alyssa Edwards got the hosts off to a good start with a two-run home run and Stoughton scored in each of the next four innings. Driscoll and Maddie Hinds each had a pair of hits an an RBI while Sydney Menz (three walks, one HBP) scored three runs for the Knights. Camryn Whitman (triple), Julie Powers (double) and Melody Casna each chipped in with a hit.

Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 12 vs. Hopkinton, 1 – Final – Foxboro had eight players find the back of the net in a balanced scoring attack that led to a dominant win over Hopkinton. Lincoln Moore had a team-high thre goals, Conor Noone scored twice with three assists, and Tommy Sharkey had a multi-point effort with two goals and an assist. Finn Stapleton, Sully Kenneally, Ryan Cotter, Tony Sulham, John Sacchetti all added one goal for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 7 @ King Philip, 8 – Final

Oliver Ames, 11 @ Middleboro, 6 – Final – Junior Ben Reardon recorded seven points to lead Oliver Ames to a big non-league win on the road at Middleboro. Reardon scored a hat trick and added four assists to pace the offense while Wyatt Fritchman scored four goals and Ryan Jaco scored twice in the win. Noah Isleib made 13 saves in net while defenders Kyle Szumylo, Cam Tower and Adams Becerra had strong games.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton @ Quincy – Postponed to TBD.

Foxboro, 11 @ Hopkinton, 8 – Final – Foxboro went on the road and picked up an impressive victory over Hopkinton as both Mya Waryas (two assists) and Paige Curran each scored three goals apiece. Val Beigel added two goals and two assists in the win while Mary Collins (two assists), Grace Riley, and Kate Collins each scored once. Audrey Campbell made seven saves in net for the Warriors.

King Philip, 19 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – Emily Campbell and Haley Bright combined to make six saves in net as King Philip rolled on the road at North Attleboro. Morgan Cunningham orchestrated the offense with six assists, scoring once as well, while Julia Marsden (two goals three assists) had five points and Julia Marsden added four goals.

Oliver Ames vs. Middleboro, 3:45

Sharon, 3 @ Holliston, 20 – Final – Bailey Garte continued her solid scoring form with a pair of goals for the Eagles and Anna Hertzel added the other. Sharon coach Shara Ginthwaine highlighted the effort of her defense, Serena Bien-Aime, Ava Jacobson, Keira Lydeard, and Lauren McLaughlin, for battling against the Panthers for the full 50 minutes.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Attleboro sophomore Tyler Rocchio overcame a one-set deficit to win two straight, clinching the third point to give Attleboro a 3-2 win over Canton. Rocchio grabbed a 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 win to clinch the victory at third singles. Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen added a 6-2, 6-1 first singles win and the Bombardiers also won in straight sets at second doubles. Max Kupferman (first singles) and Suraj Ramanathan (second singles) continued to roll, both winning in straight sets.

Taunton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final

King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Behind a pair of wins in singles action and one more in doubles, North Attleboro defended home court with a 3-2 win over King Philip. Senior Will Folan captured a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles and junior Brody Carter secured a 6-1, 6-4 win at second singles for the Big Red. Juniors Griffin Rodden and Brody Gaulin added a 6-2, 6-1 win to clinch the win for the hosts. Freshman Jackson Hom won 7-6 (15), 6-2 at third singles for KP and the team of Adam Gousie and Arjun Kollu earned a 6-3, 7-6 (1) win at second doubles.

Milford @ Stoughton, 3:45

Girls Tennis
Canton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro continued to have strong performances in doubles action and added another key win from third singles to knock off visiting Canton. Seniors Tina Lam and Saharla Yusuf continued to impress at first singles, overcoming a one-set deficit to earn a hard-fought 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory while the sophomore tandem of Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles. Attleboro junior Zoe Stanley added a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles to give the Bombardiers the edge. Canton’s Camila Cutter won 6-2, 6-4 at first singles while senior Laura Correal added a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-2 win at second singles.

Foxboro @ Taunton, 3:45

North Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip junior Ahunna James prevailed from a highly contested first singles match that went on for over two hours to help the Warriors claim a 3-2 win over North Attleboro. “Not many unforced errors by both players and the level of intensity was incredibly high,” said longtime KP tennis coach Bob Goldberg. “It was very high level tennis by both players.” James earned a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win for the point. KP also swept doubles play as senior Resha Ajoy and junior Lauren Casper used strong net play to secure a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles, and juniors Carlie Burns and Sammie Taylor played a consistent match for a 6-3, 6-1 verdict at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – OA senior Elizabeth O’Brien won a third-set tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets to get the win and complete the sweep on the road for the Tigers. O’Brien prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 10-3 while Hannah Farber added a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and Mia Corradini secured a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles. Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-1, 6-3 victory at first doubles, and the team of Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles for OA.

Stoughton @ Milford, 3:45

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Agawam, 0 – Final
Taunton @ Durfee, 5:15

04/13/2022

Richardson, Oliver Ames Take Down Milford

Oliver Ames baseball Jack Richardson — Oliver Ames senior Jack Richardson struck out 10 in a five-inning effort against Milford. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

NORTH EASTON, Mass. — Oliver Ames senior Jack Richardson had strike three called for the final out of the top of the fifth inning and headed to the dugout with five shutout innings under his belt.

But an umpiring mistake on the third strike, which was dropped with runners on first and third, ended up being corrected and it put the batter on first to load the bases instead of the third out.

Oliver Ames baseball

Milford cashed in when sophomore Keith Lee snuck a grounder up the middle to plate two to make it 5-2, and the tying run came to the plate. But Richardson quickly jumped ahead of the next batter and induced a fly ball to left that was hauled in by a sliding Ian Kelly to get the third out, again.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

That was the only damage done by the visiting Scarlet Hawks, as OA junior reliever Andrew Zagami pitched out of a bases-loaded threat an inning later and the Tigers secured a 5-2 win at Frothingham Park.

“We try to do one thing at a time and we focus on what we can control,” said Oliver Ames head coach Joe Abarr. “We don’t let the calls influence us, we ignore what’s going on in the stands, we just focus on the next pitch and try and be as competitive as possible. And I think Jack has bought into that completely. You see it at the plate, he’s unshakable in the box. He’s been a tremendous leader for us at the plate, on the mound, he’s been phenomenal.”

Richardson (5IP, 2R, 0ER, 4H, 2BB, 10K) worked around a leadoff walk (erased by catcher Nathan Carpentier at second) in the first, stranded runners at second and third with a big strikeout in the second, and retired the side in order in the top of the third.

OA left a runner at second in both the first and second innings but finally broke through in the bottom of the third. Nathanial Lewis reached on a one-out single and advanced to second on a single from Patrick Finnerty. Lewis came in to score on a single from Ian Kelly, and both Finnerty and Kelly moved up a bag on the throw.

A walk to Jake Waxman loaded the bases and Richardson came through to help his own cause, smacking a single to bring in two runs. Two batters later, Joe Cicchetti was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Carpentier connected on a two-out single to bring in two more runs for a 5-0 lead.

“I think we’re getting a little more confident at the plate, we had good at-bats both yesterday (at Canton) and today,” Abarr said. “And it’s getting to be contagious too. Now we have a little bit of a gap until our next game next week so we have to keep that mindset rolling until then.”

Oliver Ames baseball

Milford sophomore Anthony LaPierre (6IP, 5ER, 7H 3BB, 4K) bounced back with a strikeout to end the inning, stranding runners at first and second.

LaPierre finished the game strong, only allowing three Tigers to reach in the final three innings. The tall righty sat the home side down in order in the fourth, erased a walk with a 6-3 double play by shortstop Damien Carter to first baseman Evan Cornelius, and ended the inning with a fly ball to center after an infield single from OA’s Jack Muir.

“I thought Anthony LaPierre did a really good job for his first varsity start as a sophomore, before and after that inning really settling down keeping them five to give us an opportunity,” said Milford head coach Alex Dion. “Obviously we didn’t capitalize on it, but for his first varsity start, I was impressed with that.

“I think we’re seeing some growing pains right now, when we have the opportunity to make a play, we just aren’t making. We were a play or two away from getting out of that inning with two runs instead of five, and then it’s a different game.”

After OA’s big third inning, Cornelius drew a one-out walk but Richardson got all three outs via strikeout.

“I told him that was one of the best high school pitching performances that I’ve seen,” Abarr said. “He had great stuff, he had swing and miss stuff, but he was willing to attack and get those swinging strikes. And he himself made a couple tremendous defensive plays. I give him a tremendous amount of credit and I think the rest of the guys saw what he was doing and bought into it.”

An infield error allowed Ian Carter to reach in the top of the sixth for the Hawks and a passed ball and wild pitch moved him all the way to third. After Tyler Lane drew a walk, the Tigers went to their second reliever of the day in junior Andrew Zagami.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Zagami got the second out with a pop-up to the shortstop Jack Morley but a two-out walk to Grant Scudo loaded the bases for the Hawks, with Scudo representing the tying run at first. Zagami induced a grounder to third and got the force out at the bag to escape any damage.

Zagami closed the game by retiring the side in order in the top of the seventh.

“He fills up the strike zone, that’s his thing,” Abarr said of Zagami. “He’s worked on holding runners and looked pretty good today in that regard. He loves baseball, he wants to get out and throw strikes, work with his catching staff, and he went out there and did exactly what we needed him to do today.”

Oliver Ames baseball (4-1 Hock, 4-1 overall) is off until next Wednesday when it hosts non-league foe Dighton-Rehoboth at Frothingham. Milford (2-2, 2-2) returns home for a date with Mansfield on Friday.

Oliver Ames baseball

04/05/202204/07/2022

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 5-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.

It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.

Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.

In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.

“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”

Canton

2021 Record: 8-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.

The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.

“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”

Foxboro

2021 Record: 5-10
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.

Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.

Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.

Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.

“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”

Franklin

2021 Record: 16-2
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.

Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.

King Philip

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.

King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.

Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.

“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”

Mansfield

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.

The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.

The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.

“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”

Milford

2021 Record: 5-9
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.

Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.

The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.

“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”

North Attleboro

2021 Record: 12-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.

Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.

One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 9-6
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.

A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.

“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”

Sharon

2021 Record: 3-12
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.

It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.

Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”

Stoughton

2021 Record: 4-10
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.

Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.

Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.

“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”

Taunton

2021 Record: 13-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.

The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.

Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.

“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”

11/12/2021

Milford Runs Over Natick and Into D2 Semifinal

Milford football — Milford senior Tyler Lane (21) rushed for more than 150 yards and scored a pair of second half touchdowns in a 21-7 win over Natick. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

MILFORD, Mass. – There are days when an offense can be creative, going with trick plays, receiver screens, deep throws trying to stretch the opposition and score in a hurry. In the playoffs, sometimes a more straightforward approach is required.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

In the second half of Thursday night’s Div. 2 quarterfinal, Milford decided to take a decidedly old school plan of attack. Over two drives, the Hawks ran 33 plays, covered 173 yards, used up nearly half of the clock in third and fourth quarters, and scored a pair of touchdowns. Out of those 33 plays, only five were passes.

The ground game and a stout defense proved to be Milford’s best weapons, as the Hawks pulled out a 21-7 victory that moved them within one win of a first-ever trip to Gillette.

“I just told them, buckle up, we need to run the football,” said Milford coach Dale Olson about his message at halftime. “Three down box and sometimes it was a 3-2 or a 3-1, they were so concerned about our pass game. It’s so simple, I told the quarterback if it’s a limited box then run the football. It wasn’t Evan’s best night throwing the football but he ran the ball like a man tonight.”

Natick was in Milford territory in seven of its eight drives on the night, but many times that was the result of great starting field position. The 35-yard-line was the furthest that Natick started any of its first half drives, but the Milford defense kept finding ways to keep them out of the end zone.

On the first possession, a big tackle on the edge by Nicholas Araujo and Jayden Archeval forced third and long. Grant Scudo broke up the third down play to end the drive. The second drive ended after Keith Lee stuffed a run on second down and then Scudo dropped a third-down screen pass attempt for a loss.

The visitors finally broke through on their third possession, which they started at their own 45. After converting on third down, Colby LeBlanc was able to buy time in the pocket, eluding the rush and giving time for a receiver to come free. Mathew Pole found himself open in the seam and it turned into a 43-yard touchdown.

Milford moved the ball on its second possession, with Evan Cornelius (13-of-25, 129 yards) hitting Cameron Phillipss for a big conversion on third and eight. Cornelius (11 carrries, 61 yards) also converted third and short with a 10-yard keeper. After getting inside the Natick 30, things stalled. David Seiche nearly intercepted a pass and on fourth and four a screen pass to Damien Carter was stuffed for a loss.

Its first possession after Natick took the lead ended with a Seiche interception, but Milford’s defense forced a punt and the Hawks took over at their own 20. Scudo broke an 18-yard draw up the middle that put Milford into Natick territory and, on third and eight, Cornelius looked down the near sideline to Isaiah Pantalone (four catches, 54 yards), who was finally able to get just enough separation to haul in a 34-yard touchdown and tie the game with 2:20 before halftime.

Momentum seemed to be with the home side, especially when Nizayah Montas fumbled near midfield and Scudo recovered. A big completion over the middle to Jayden Agnew (five catches, 45 yards) gained 17 and got the Hawks to the 26. They managed to spike the ball with one tick remaining on the clock, but Araujo’s 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Seiche had a big kickoff return to start the third quarter, putting Natick at the 46, but on third down and short Alex McColl was able to stop Montas for no gain and force a punt. The ball was downed at the nine and Milford went to work behind its big offensive line.

Scudo, Cornelius, and Tyler Lane were finding running room and grinding out yards and first downs. An 11-yard keeper got the Hawks out to the 35 and then Lane went up the gut for 11 more. On third and one from the Natick 35, Lane burst through the line and then bounced it out to the left, finally being dragged down after a 23-yard gain. Three plays later, he was able to cash in from the one to put the hosts ahead for good.

Milford’s pass defense continued to be excellent with Archeval and Matt Girard both breaking up passes to force another punt. This time, the Hawks started at their own 18 but 18 plays and nearly 9-1/2 minutes later they were back in the end zone.

Olson said, “I said to them we need a championship drive right now and we’re going to run the football right down their throats and, if we can do that, we’re going to go play for the right to go to Gillette.”

Cornelius started the drive with a 13-yard completion to Nick Schuler and he kept the chains moving with a five-yard pass to Pantalone for a first down at the Natick 43. Lane followed that with a 17-yard carry. Scudo, Cornelius, and Lane all got the ball, grinding down to the goal line and it was Lane (29 carries, 157 yards) who would punch it in from a yard out, making it 21-7 with just 4:27 to play.

“Tyler’s a dude,” Olson said. “I don’t want to give him the ball that much because he’s a great linebacker and early in the season we gave it to him 29 times in one game and the first two days after that game he was in an ice bath. He’s not the fastest kid in the world, but man he runs hard.” When told Lane’s stats for the game, Olson said with a smile, “That’s a great night.”

Milford (8-2) will face a rematch with a league foe in next week’s semifinal at a location to be determined. The Hawks will face either No. 3 King Philip, which beat Milford 17-14 on a last second field goal, or No. 6 Mansfield, which Milford beat 27-24 in overtime, for the right to play in the D2 Super Bowl.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this program in 20 months where it’s gone and it’s been the kids,” Olson explained. “They bought into the system and they’re playing well.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.