Tag: Luke Figueira

The Campus Report: 2016-2017 School Year Wrap Up

Campus Report
The HockomockSports.com Campus Report is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

While David MacKinnon selected in the MLB draft earlier this month, two other former Hockomock players also had success in the America East this season. Brendan Skidmore finished a memorable career at Binghamton University, leading the Bearcats to a 30-win season. Skidmore, a Franklin graduate, started in 148 games in his four years as a Bearcat and recorded 152 hits, 117 RBI, 84 runs and 20 home runs. He posted an impressive .997 fielding percentage during his senior campaign. A broken wrist kept the former Hockomock League MVP out of postseason action.

And at Maine, former Taunton ace Connor Johnson made a team-high 23 appearances for the Black Bears, who reached the America East Championship game. The southpaw posted a 4-4 record with one save in 39 innings of work, coming out of the bullpen for all of his appearances. He struck out 30 while allowing just eight extra base hits all season.

Last year’s HockomockSports.com Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year Hana Caster had a terrific first year at UMass Lowell. She led all River Hawk freshmen with 22 points and notched 14 goals and eight assists on her way to becoming one of six River Hawks to record over 20 points this season, while leading the squad with 12 points (9g, 3a) during conference play. The midfielder was named to the America East All-Rookie team and finished the season third on the team in assists and draw controls (16), while her 17 ground balls tied for fifth best.

A pair of former Hockomock hurlers were both named to National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Northeast Region teams for their work this Spring. North Attleboro grad Meg Colleran was named to the first team as well as the Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference. Colleran was also named A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player after helping UMass Amherst reach the final. On the season, she posted a 20-14 record with 22 complete games and a 2.60 ERA. King Philip alum Renee Poirier was selected to the third team, posting a team-best 2.19 ERA with a 14-8 record and five saves. She tossed 15 complete games in 21 starts with four shutouts and had two no hitters on the season (Columbia and Lafayette). She finished with 78 strikeouts on the season.

Taunton graduate Aimee Kistner, last year’s HockomockSports.com Softball Player of the Year, was selected to the NFCA DIII All-New England third team for her tremendous rookie season at Western New England. On top of that, Kistner was tabbed Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and named to the All-CCC Second Team. Kistner hit .393 (33-for-84) with six doubles, one triple, four home runs and 27 RBI while scoring 24 runs and drawing 16 walks. She emerged as one of the top players in the CCC over the second half of the season, batting .568 (21-for-37) with four doubles, four home runs and 21 RBI in 14 games since April 11. She was also a top pitcher for the Golden Bears all season, appearing in 12 games with seven starts (four complete games), posting a record of 5-3 with a 2.53 earned run average and 44 strikeouts in 58 innings.

The 2015 HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Kali Magane saw plenty of time in the circle for Boston University this spring. Magane tossed a team-high 155 innings as a freshman, striking out 70 while posting a 13-11 record. She had 11 complete games and one save. Milford’s Rachel Levine also saw a lot of time for the Terriors, starting in 39 games. She finished with a 0.240 batting average with 24 hits, including a home run, and 10 RBI. Levine also had an impressive 0.938 field percentage.

Katie Notarangelo was named to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse All-Conference Second Team for the first time in her career. Notarangelo, a starting midfielder for MIT, is 10th in the NEWMAC in draw controls (42) and as a midfielder she is fifth on the team in goals (23), points (29), groundballs (26), and caused turnovers (13).

Former Panther Jared Trainor was second on the Wheelock men’s lacrosse team in scoring despite being just a freshman. Patrolling the midfield for the Wildcats, Trainor recorded 15 goals (second) and 14 assists (first) for 29 points. He also scooped up 26 ground balls with 38 caused turnovers.

Luke Figueira, last year’s HockomockSports.com Baseball Player of the Year, saw plenty of action in his first season at the collegiate level with the Bentley Falcons. The Taunton graduate played in 34 games and was fourth on the team with 34 hits, batting .245. He added 10 RBI, 16 runs and one home run. Figueira had a seven-game hit streak in April and had a season-high four hits against Merrimack in early May.

Taunton’s Kelly Reading had a successful sophomore campaign with Cedar Crest on the softball field. The former Hockomock League MVP batted 0.313 on the year, belting out 31 hits with 22 runs scored and eight RBI. She also stole four bases on the season while drawing a team-high 11 walks. She finished the season with 15 hits in the last 14 games.

Sharon graduate Ryan Riley posted a 3-1 record during his sophomore campaign at Clarkson University. Riley started two games and made relief appearances in 11 more games. He recorded two saves over 28.8 innings of work, allowing 21 earned runs while striking out 25 – third most on the team. Riley finished the season with a five-inning outing, allowing just three hits and striking out five in a win against Union.

Former Canton Bulldog Sam Sullivan was named to the Little East Conference Women’s Lacrosse First Team following a stellar season for Plymouth State. Sullivan has scored more than 50 goals for the second year in a row, just the second player in school history to achieve that feat. She has scored a team-high 53 goals this spring, fourth-most in the Little East, and ranks ninth in the conference with 61 points. A two-time LEC Offensive Player of the Week this spring, Sullivan was also named Most Outstanding Player in the Little East Conference Tournament.

Milford’s Steve Morganelli had a solid senior season at Endicott, helping the Gulls win 25 games this season. The former Scarlet Hawk appeared in 33 games, recording 26 hits – including three triples, 15 runs and 17 RBI – posting a .310 batting average. Morganelli finished the season strong, notching two hits in three straight games and 15 hits in the last 14 games.

Franklin graduate Nicole Ellin earned All-Liberty League Women’s Lacrosse Honorable Mention for the second straight year. Ellin started every game, leading Bard with 41 draw controls. She had 18 goals (on just 30 shots) and added two assists; two of her goals were game-winners, including the overtime goal that beat Nichols in March.

A pair of former Hockomock rivals both had superb seasons up north at Keene State. Foxboro’s Connor Longley got it done at the plate and Sharon’s Nate Pederson was just as effective on the mound, helping the Owls make an impressive run in the Little East Conference. Longley was selected First Team All-Little East Conference as well as the D3Baseball.com Third Team All Region after batting .395 in 30 games with four home runs, 24 RBI and a .605 slugging percentage. On the mound, Pederson made 15 relief appearances for the Owls, tossing 30 innings while allowing just six earned runs (1.80 ERA) and striking out 12.

Former North Attleboro star Mycala Moody continued her ways at Framingham State, earning MASCAC Softball Rookie of the Year and first team All-MASCAC honors. Moody batted .348 on the year with a pair of doubles, a pair of triples and 12 RBI. She also crossed the plate 21 times, stole 10 bases and had a .402 slugging percentage. Moody, who was selected as Rookie of the Week five times, was also named a Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III New England All Star.

Canton’s Michael McMahon saw action in 16 games during his rookie season with Becker College’s baseball team. The former Bulldog recorded eight hits (batting .306), scored five runs and knocked in three runs with a pair of stolen bases.

A pair of former Hock rivals teamed up to help the Bridgewater State women’s lacrosse team. King Philip alum Alex Lynch, a senior, scored 29 goals in 19 games played, adding seven assists for 36 points. Brooke Buckner, a junior and former Foxboro standout, finished with 12 goals and five assists, adding 19 ground balls and 35 caused turnovers.

Canton’s Meghan Lennon and King Philip’s Jennifer Lacroix played pivotal roles in helping Endicott College claim the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship this season. Lennon, a senior, was named to the All-CCC First Team for the second time. After missing last season to injury, Lennon has started all 15 games for the Gulls thus far and currently leads the team in points (66), goals (41), and assists (25). Her 66 points is tied for the fifth-most in the CCC. Lacroix was also named to the All-CCC First Team and was named CCC Rookie of the Year – just the second Endicott women’s lacrosse player in program history to earn the honor. Lacroix is third on the team in points (47) for the most among rookies and tied for third overall in goals (32). Additionally, she is fourth on the team in assists (15) for the most helpers among the Gulls’ rookies. Lacroix leads the team in draw controls (72), which is good for fourth-most in the conference. She is second on the team in ground balls (28) and fourth in caused turnovers (14).

Plenty of players dream of hitting the big hit to earn their team a big win, but former Foxboro Warrior Mike Slaby saw his dream turn into reality in the New England Collegiate Conference Baseball Championship in early May. Slaby’s fourth-seeded Lesley University and top-seeded Mitchell College were tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning. With the bases loaded, Slaby launched a game-winning walk-off grand slam to hand the Lynx the title. Slaby was named the tournament MVP for his heroics. On the season, Slaby led Lesley in at-bats (142), RBI (23) and stolen bases (10) while batting .289 during his senior season. You can watch Slaby’s walk-off grand slam below.

King Philip graduate Malorie Knowlton was named to the Commonwealth Coast Conference women’s lacrosse All-Conference First Team following a great season for Curry. She made 17 starts and led the team and the conference in caused turnovers with 71. Knowlton finished second on the team and tied for third in the conference with 52 ground balls. She tallied 43 goals and dished out seven assists for 50 points which ranked her second on the team for both points and goals. Attleboro’s Kayla Merritt, a freshman, also started in 17 games and scored three goals, four assists and 25 draw controls.

Two former Hockomock rivals completed their collegiate careers at Wheaton College this season. Franklin’s Rebecca Seifert was one of the team’s top hitters, batting .306 with 34 hits (both second on the team). Seifert was second on the team with 18 RBI and scored 30 runs in 36 games played. Milford’s Caroline Fairbanks had 21 hits on the season, including two home runs and 15 RBI, while leading the Lyons in walks. Fairbanks had 120 RBI in her four-year career at Wheaton.

Foxboro alum Alex Pacitti concluded his lacrosse career at Saint Anselm this past spring, notching double figures in points for the second straight season. For his senior year, Pacitti scored 18 goals and added seven assists for a total of 25 points. He also had 25 ground balls this year. He finished his career with 43 goals and 62 total points.

Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Max Lancaster continued his strong career at MIT with a stellar junior season. The Attleboro High grad batted .299 (sixth) on the season with 27 RBI, 10 stolen bases, five home runs, 11 walks and 31 runs scored to help the Engineers record 21 wins.

Franklin’s Maegan Schmauder had the best offensive season of her collegiate career so far for RIT. A junior captain, Schmauder scored a career-high 20 goals this season with five assists. She also had 23 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers and 22 draw controls.

Although just a freshman, Franklin graduate MacKenzie Pleshaw was one of top offensive producers for Stonehill women’s lacrosse. Pleshaw netted 29 goals and had two assists for a total of 31 points. She also had 15 ground balls during her rookie season.

North Attleboro graduate Matt Hardy concluded a successful career with Nichols College with a strong season, helping the Bison earn 23 wins. Hardy was fourth on the team with a .309 batting average, starting in 40 games this season. He collected 43 hits, including eight doubles, knocked in 16 runs and posted a perfect fielding percentage.

Carrie Long, who previously was a standout player for Foxboro, had a strong junior season for Fitchburg State and was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III North Women’s Lacrosse First Team. Long scored 27 goals (third on the team) and added seven assists for 34 points. She finished with a team-high 94 ground balls and 88 caused turnovers, while leading the nation in caused turnovers per contest (4.63) and being seventh nationally in ground balls per game (4.95) as of May 16th.

Mansfield’s Kimmy Foley was also named to the MASCAC All-Conference First Team as well as the ECAC Division III North Women’s Lacrosse Second Team. Foley, a midfielder for Framingham State, tallied a team-best 56 points on the year which included 37 goals and 19 assists to go along with 54 ground balls, 46 draw controls and 22 caused turnovers. Canton’s Casey Bradley, a freshman, was just one of four players to start all 19 games for the Rams this season and recorded 26 ground balls.

Former HockomockSports.com Baseball Underclassman of the Year Nick Santucci made a big splash in his first year at Rollins College. Just a freshman, Santucci appeared in 35 games, including 23 starts, and posted a .313 batting average. Of his 25 hits, eight were doubles and he knocked in 10 runs while recording a .923 fielding average.

Franklin’s Samantha Jones was named to the Mountain East All-Conference Second Team after a tremendous freshman season for the University of Charleston. Jones started in all 13 games for the Golden Eagles, netting 24 goals and adding two assists. She also had 34 ground balls and 33 draw controls during her freshmen season.

Although it feels like just yesterday that Shannon Smith was winning back-to-back state championships at Milford, the Massachusetts high school strikeout record holder concluded her career at Kentucky. In her senior season, she posted a 6-3 record, making 17 appearances and 11 starts. She had two complete games, striking out 55 batters in 50.1 innings of work. She limited batters to a 0.203 average with just five doubles allowed. In her collegiate career, Smith struck out 207 batters.

Jack Vail, the only male athlete to win HockomockSports.com Player of the Year in consecutive seasons, is continuing his strong play at Springfield College. After getting his feet wet with with just three games played last year, Vail tied for a team-high 32 goals in 17 games played in 2017. He also recorded 16 assists, good for 48 points, while adding 28 ground balls.

The only female athlete to win HockomockSports.com Player of the Year in consecutive seasons, Marta Versprille, had her best offensive production of her collegiate career during her junior season at Saint Anselm. Versprille scored 15 goals along with seven assists for 22 points, her career best in all categories. She also had 38 draw controls and 29 ground balls.

Two Hockomock alums were a big part of Salve Regina’s pitching staff this season, helping the Gulls to 36 wins. Canton’s Jimmy Fitzgerald, who was named to the 2017 ABCA//Rawlings NCAA Div. III New England All-Region Second Team, posted a 6-2 record for the Gulls this season, striking out a team-high 73 batters with just 16 earned runs allowed in 52.1 innings of work (2.75 ERA). Sharon’s Will Ginsberg made nine appearances, including six starts, posting a 2-0 record with 37 strikeouts in 34.1 innings of work (3.15 ERA).

Fitzgerald wasn’t the only former Hockomock standout to be on the 2017 ABCA//Rawlings NCAA Div. III New England All-Region Second Team: Taunton grad Matt Nunes was also on the list as a pitcher. Nunes, a star pitcher for Westfield State, posted a 6-2 record, including five complete games, a 2.04 ERA and allowed just 36 hits in 54.2 innings of work.

North Attleboro grad Anthony Rinaldi posted a 3-1 record this season for the Endicott men’s tennis program. He went 2-0 at No. 5 singles and 1-1 at No. 6 singles play. He also went 1-0 in doubles play. He was named to the 2017 CCC Academic All-Conference Team.

Former King Philip standout Brandon King continued to impress for the Clark University men’s lacrosse team. As a sophomore, King led the Cougars with 42 goals in the 2017 campaign. He also added eight assists, finishing with 50 points (second on the team). King was just one of three players to start all 18 games this season.

Attleboro’s Hannah Smith had a very impressive junior season for UMass Dartmouth. Smith was the Corsairs’ top pitching option, tossing a team-high 157.0 innings while striking out 89 batters. She started in 23 games, earning 11 wins with 15 complete game efforts, posting a terrific 1.78 ERA for the year.

Former Sharon Eagle Jacob Berish emerged as one of Skidmore College’s most reliable pitchers during his sophomore season. Berish was the lone pitcher on the team to post a sub 3.00 ERA, allowing just 12 earned runs in 39.2 innings of work (2.72 ERA). He had nine appearances – six of them starts – and posted a 2-3 record while striking out 21 batters.

Brian Buckner had a strong rookie season with the Colorado Mesa men’s lacrosse team. The former Foxboro standout appeared in 14 of the team’s 18 games, helping the Mavericks to an 16-2 overall record. Colorado Mesa won its second straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 20-7 win over Westminster, a game that saw Buckner record his first two collegiate assists.

Former Taunton girl’s tennis head coach Dave Purpura led the Bridgewater State Bears to a Little East Tournament Title this past fall and an NCAA tournament berth this spring. Another former Tiger, Alisha Silva, was the top singles player for the Bears, playing 18 matches at first singles. Mansfield’s Rachel Tarantino played 18 matches at No. 5 singles, recording six wins.

After losing his first year to injury, former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Brendan Welch, a redshirt freshman with Southern New Hampshire, finally got his first taste of collegiate baseball. Welch made 19 appearances, all in relief, and posted a 3-1 record with one save for the Penmen. It won’t come as a shock to former players to faced Welch but the left-handed pitcher struck out 27 in 23 innings of work.

Sharon’s Spencer Aubin and North Attleboro’s Marshall Blackman both played pivotal roles for the Lyndon State men’s lacrosse program this spring. Aubin, a sophomore, started in 15 games, netting 28 goals (second on the team) as well as recording 18 assists (third on the team) for a total of 46 points (third on the team). Blackman was one of four players on the team to start in all 17 games, shoring up a strong defensive unit. Blackman had 36 ground balls on the year.

Alyssa DeLuca, a King Philip alum, was named Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference (MWLC) Co-Attacker of the Year and was also a First Team All-MWLC selection. Also garnering first-team honors for a second straight season, DeLuca led the MWLC in goals scored with 77, ranking her sixth in all of NCAA Division III and also 15 more than the league’s next-closest player. She is also tied for the league-lead in points (84), ranked 15th in draw controls (40). DeLuca set a school record with 10 goals in a single game back in April.

Attleboro’s Nate Tellier had no problem making the transition from high school to college, based on his production in his first season with UMass Dartmouth. Tellier led the Corsairs in at-bats (177) and stroked 52 hits – nine doubles, two triples and two home runs – with 18 RBI total. He led the team with 27 stolen bases and posted a .294 batting average. While making just seven appearances on the mound (7.2 innings), Tellier only allowed two hits with nine strikeouts and no runs allowed. Former Mansfield Hornet Zac Courier also enjoyed a nice season, batting .310 with 19 RBI and three home runs, playing in 30 games.

Former Oliver Ames standout Lexi Soucie had a strong senior year at the plate at Salve Regina. Soucie was fourth on the team with 33 hits, batting .311 with a .387 slugging percentage. Her eight doubles were tied for the team lead, and she added 23 runs scored and 12 RBI and 11 stolen bases. For her career, Soucie had 159 hits at Salve Regina and a career batting average of .322.

Canton’s Carly Scanlon posted an impressive 13-1 record in singles action for the Regis women’s tennis team. After starting the season 1-1, Scanlon rattled off 12 straight wins, including the last two in April. Another former Hockomock tennis player, Emma Prinos, had a strong season in singles action for Stonehill College. Prinos went 10-6 playing at a variety of different singles spots for the Skyhawks. Prinos rattled off seven wins in a row back in the fall. Taunton’s Mollie McCaffrey went 8-6 for UMass Dartmouth over the past year, including a 5-0 record at third singles.

King Philip alum Jake Cavanagh had an immediate impact during his freshman year with Utica College. He made four appearances out of the bullpen for the Pioneers, posting a 2-2 record in 18.1 innings of work, striking out 13 with just 10 earned runs allowed.

After setting the record for hits at Oliver Ames, Mike Ferrara has continued to rake at Worcester State. A sophomore, Ferrara was third on the team in at-bats (149) and posted a .322 batting average with 48 hits this season. Of his 48 hits, six were doubles and four were home runs, totaling 30 RBI for the year with a pair of stolen bases.

Former Franklin goalie James Keane had a strong year for Nichols College. Keane started in nine games this season, making 12 overall appearances, and posted a 7-3 record. He made 107 saves with a .601 save percentage and a 7.18 goals against average. North Attleboro alum Pat Nally won 51 face-offs, second most on the tam, in 18 appearances in his rookie season.

Milford graduate Allie Piergustavo was a reliable option for the St. Bonaventure softball squad this season. Piergustavo started in all one but game for the Bonnies this spring, recording 38 hits (second on the team) for a .273 batting average. She added seven doubles and six home runs, scoring 15 runs with a team-high 29 RBI. She had a team-high 316 putouts with a .976 fielding percentage.

The 2016 Hockomock Baseball All Stars & HMs

Below are the official 2016 Hockomock Baseball All Stars.

Hockomock League MVP

Luke Figueira, Taunton

Hockomock League All Stars

Nate Tellier, Attleboro
Darren Kelly, Foxboro
Aaron Wentling, Foxboro
Ryan Hodgkins, Franklin
Mike Skaza, Franklin
Jake Cavanagh, King Philip
Jack DiCenso, King Philip
Jon Rolfe, King Philip
Will Weir, King Philip
Jack Neureuter, Mansfield
Aidan Wilde, Milford
Brian Poillucci, North Attleboro
Ryan Adams, Oliver Ames
Josh Minuskin, Oliver Ames
Chris Romero, Oliver Ames
Jacob Gibb, Stoughton
Justin Hutchinson, Stoughton
Doug Seaman, Stoughton
Luke Figueira, Taunton

Honorable Mentions

Tyler McGovern, Attleboro
Joe Peccia, Canton
Nick Wright, Foxboro
Josh Macchi, Franklin
Tyler Dalton, Mansfield
Blake Hill, Milford
John O’Donnell, North Attleboro
Zach Sato, Oliver Ames
Jordan Chabot, Sharon
Jack Connelly, Stoughton
Max Bowden, Taunton

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/02/16

Today’s playoff games are listed below.

Baseball
D1 South
#2 King Philip, 3 vs. #15 Catholic Memorial, 4 – Final

#4 Taunton, 1 vs. #13 Brookline, 2 – Final (8 inn.) – Luke Figueira pitched seven innings without surrendering an earned run but the Tigers couldn’t overcome a run by the Warriors in the top of the eighth inning. Figueira struck out seven and allowed three hits and four walks in a no decision. Christian Simoes, Jack Moynihan and Matt Machado each had two hits for Taunton, which totaled 11 hits as a team.

#9 Franklin, 4 @ #8 Durfee, 6 – Final – Franklin took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning but the Hilltoppers climbed back into the game with four in the bottom half and added single runs in the second and third. Offensively, Nick Santucci went 1-3 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored, Brad Jarosz was 2-3, Mike Skaza knocked in a run and both Steve Ferguson and Alex Bissanti scored a run for the Panthers. Sophomore Jake Noviello pitched well in relief for the Panthers, tossing four innings with just one run allowed while striking out five.

#12 Attleboro, 1 @ #5 Norwood, 0 – Final (9 inn.) – Click here for a recap of the game.

D2 South
#12 Oliver Ames, 0 @ #5 Nauset, 9 – Final – Oliver Ames only registered a pair of hits against Nauset pitcher Paul Prue, who tossed a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts. Senior Josh Minuskin had a triple and sophomore Matt Muir had a single for OA.

#14 Canton, 1 @ #3 Middleboro, 0 – Final (9 inn.) – Canton senior Kevin Powers tossed a complete game, nine inning shutout to lead the Bulldogs past the defending D2 State Champions. Powers worked around a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the eighth and the Bulldogs went on to score the winning run in the top of the ninth. Jim Jenkins had his second hit of the game, a double, and moved to third on a bunt from Jimmy Hamrock. Sean Doyle then connected and Jenkins came home to score on an error. Powers stretched his scoreless inning streak to 24 straight, scattering five hits while striking out six batters. Mike McMahon also had two hits for Canton while Joe Peccia (11 putouts), Joe Bires and Matt Casamento each had a hit.

D3 South
#17 Foxboro, 1 @ #16 Scituate, 2 – Final

Softball
D1 South
#14 North Attleboro, 7 vs. #19 Walpole, 8 – Final – North Attleboro rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning but were unable to push the tying run across the plate. Liz Morehouse connected for a two-run home run and Kaylea Sherman had three hits on the day.

#15 Franklin, 4 vs. #18 Somerset Berkley, 6 – Final (8 inn.)

#16 Mansfield, 4 vs. #17 Notre Dame Academy 0 – Final – The Hornets scored all four runs in the third inning and senior pitcher Maddie Letendre struck out 12 while allowing just two hits as Mansfield advanced in the tournament. Megan Letendre and Marissa Staffier (2-3) each knocked in a run and Maddie Letendre (1-3) singled to score them both to take a 4-0 lead. Bri Homer and Jocelyn Reardon (1-2) scored runs for the Hornets. Mady Bendanillo, Kara Bendanillo and Rachel Carafa each added a hit for the Hornets.

#23 Oliver Ames, 4 @ #10 Norwood, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames scored three runs in the first inning and added another in the second but the Mustangs offense proved to be too much. Missy Krim (2-3, run scored) reached on a single to left, advanced on a bunt single from Rachel Han and bunt single from Victoria Ziner (2-4, run scored) loaded the bases. Jamie Gottwald (1-4, RBI, run scored) batted in a run for OA and then scored off a two-RBI hit from Caroline Mahoney (2-3, two RBI).

D3 South
#21 Foxboro, 9 @ #12 Westwood, 6 – Final

Boys Lacrosse
D1 South
#5 Franklin, 17 vs. #12 Bridgewater-Raynham, 2 – Final – Austin Kent scored four goals and had three assists for the Panthers, who also got four goals and an assist from Eric Civetti. Chase Tanner added three goals for Franklin and Jake Alexander had two, as well as winning 21-of-23 face-offs.

#11 King Philip, 6 @ #6 Mansfield, 5 – Final – Click here for a recap of the game. Click here for a photo gallery from the game.

D2 South
#8 Oliver Ames, 0 @ #1 Hingham, 17 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
D1 East
#1 Franklin, 11 vs. #8 Newton North, 3 – Final – Franklin raced out to a 7-0 lead at half and held the Tigers of Newton North scoreless for the first 35 minutes of the game. Kenzie Pleshaw had four goals to lead Franklin while Julia Jette had one goal three assists, Diana Griffin scored twice and had a pair of assists. Head coach Kristin Igoe credited her defense with a very strong game, led by Sam Jones, who won six draws and two ground balls.

D2 East
#8 North Attleboro, 10 @ #1 Walpole, 20 – Final – Hana Caster scored four goals for the Rocketeers and Mackenzie Rosenberg added three in the loss.

Boys Tennis
D1 South
#13 Mansfield, 1 @ #4 Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin got a pair of wins in both singles and doubles to advance in the MIAA tournament. Junior Eli Brooks battled back for a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 win at second singles and freshman Dan Barrow won 6-4, 6-2 at third singles. Tom Mancini and James Johnston continued their stellar seasons with a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles and Jeremy Gan and Derek Wu won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles. Mansfield’s Benny Lin won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles.

#6 North Attleboro, 5 vs. #11 Brockton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro won four of the five matches in straight sets to knock out the Boxers. Mitchell Dyer won 6-4, 6-3 at first singles, Zack Pfeffer won 6-1, 6-1 in second singles and Barsomo Nuay won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. Jeff Yao and Ben Pfeffer won 3-6, 7-5, 8-6 at first doubles and Jake Fontes and Daniel Zhang won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles.

D2 South
#13 Canton, 3 @ #4 Dighton-Rehoboth, 2 – Final
#14 Foxboro, 0 @ #3 Plymouth North, 5 – Final

Girls Tennis
D1 South
#14 Taunton, 4 vs. #19 Bridgewater-Raynham, 1 – Final

#18 Franklin, 5 @ #15 Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Franklin won all three single matches in straight sets and won both doubles matches in tie breakers to get the sweep. Hannah Sweeney won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Anna Humphreys won 6-1, 6-0 at second singles and Anja Deric won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. Stephanie Schaivo and Katelyn Davenport won 0-6, 7-6 (8-6) at first doubles and Selma Wu and Halle Love won 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (10-2) at second doubles.

#20 Mansfield, 3 @ #13 Marshfield, 2 – Final – The visiting Mansfield Hornet swept doubles play and sophomore Sarah Doyle scored a big win at third singles to get the upset win. Doyle won 6-1, 6-2 to get Mansfield’s lone point in singles play. Senior Cathryn Heavey and junior Chloe Peterson won 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) and freshmen Tessa Garufi and Elizabeth Elsner won 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles.

D2 South
#4 Foxboro, 3 vs. #13 Westwood 2 – Final

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/25/16

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 6 vs. Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final (8 inn.) – Attleboro rallied from a five run deficit, scoring four runs in the fifth inning and tying the game with a run in the sixth inning. Tyler Stowe brought in the game-winning run, his third RBI of the day, drawing a walk in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded. Will Carter, Brent Cook, John Burns and Cam Hochwarter each had two hits apiece for Big Blue. James Weir came on in relief for Attleboro, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings without giving up a hit.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of the game.

King Philip, 4 @ North Quincy, 1 – Final

Mansfield, 6 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 4 – Final – The Hornets concluded the season by winning their fourth game in the last five, upsetting a tournament bound Trojans squad. Sophomore Tyler Dalton earned the win in six innings of work, striking out one. Jack Neureuter came on to get the save, pitching the seventh inning. Zach Peterson with 2-4 with a pair of RBI singles, Jake Tryder was 2-4 with an RBI single, Colin Gibbons had a pair of hits and an RBI and Max Boen went 1-3 with a squeeze bunt RBI.

Taunton, 10 @ New Bedford, 2 – Final – Sophomore Jacob Crawford broke open a scoreless game with a two-out, two-run double in the top of the fourth. Crawford, along with Kevin Griffin, Luke Figueira, Christian Simoes and Joe Manchester each had two hits. Max Bowden pitched four shutout innings for the Tigers, scattering three hits while striking out three.

Softball
Attleboro @ Bishop Feehan, 3:30

Stoughton @ King Philip, 3:30

Taunton, 3 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 2 – Final – Taunton experienced a taste of the tournament with a close win over a talented Dighton-Rehoboth team. Aimee Kistner knocked in Jaime Brown in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Tigers the walk off win. Brown’s lead off walk preceded a single from Jordan Wade. Kistner singled up the middle to bring Brown home for the winning run. Wade went 2-3, scoring the Tigers’ first two runs while Meghan Navarro was 2-3, recording Taunton’s first two RBI. Kya Enos went 2-3 while Brown reached base three times via a walk. Kistner earned her 14th win of the of the season, tossing a complete game, scattering five hits and striking out five.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 4 @ Canton, 14 – Final – Canton freshman Mike Shaw paced the Bulldogs’ offense with four goals and two assists for a team-best six points. Senior Nick Gustafson netted his first career goal while CJ Martin, a converted midfielder, made two saves in the cage in the fourth quarter.

Foxboro, 4 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Foxboro did all of its scoring in the first half, building a 4-0 lead just before the midway point of the second quarter and held off King Philip the rest of the way. Anthony Truini set of both of KP’s goals in the second quarter while Sam Agricola had a goal and an assist and Harry Fallon found the back of the net twice. Conor Khung had a strong game defensively, Steven Eaton recorded seven ground balls and Paul Macrina made 12 saves in net for KP.

Franklin, 7 vs. Dover-Sherborn, 8 – Final

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final

Taunton, 4 @ Bristol Plymouth, 8 – Final – Andrew Wellington netted a hat trick for Taunton while Tommy Joyce scored once. Kyle Hebert added a pair of assists for the Tigers.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 15 @ Attleboro, 9 – Final – Mary Nee and Mary Kent scored scored four goals apiece, leading the Bulldogs to a win. With the victory, Canton punched their ticket to the postseason.

King Philip, 13 @ Foxboro, 15 – Final – Click here for a recap of the game.

Milford, 3 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Sophomore Kate Morse found the back of the cage twice and had four draw controls for the Panthers. Abby Egan added two goals and two assists and Shannon D’Arcangelo registered a hat trick in the win.

Mansfield, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 10 – Final

Sharon, 7 @ North Attleboro, 17 – Final – Erin Holley totaled nine points and Hannah Caster recorded five assists for North Attleboro. Brooke Ebert recorded 15 saves in the cage for the Rocketeers.

Taunton, 12 @ Bristol Plymouth, 2 – Final – Taunton finished its inaugural season with a win on the road at BP. Abbey Kingman and Annie Tate each scored a hat trick to pace Taunton’s offense while Layne Kingman scored once and had four assists. Tatum Speicher, Lindsay Sneyd, Bre Conlon, Hannah Moniz and Alexis Bissonnette each found the back of the net once.

Boys Tennis
Canton, 5 @ Quincy, 0 – Final

North Attleboro, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – The Rocketeers won three matches comfortably but needed three sets to win the final two matches. Mitchell Dyer won 6-2, 6-3 at first singles and Barsomo Nuay won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Jake Fontes and Daniel Zhang won 7-6, 6-2 at second singles. Zack Pfeffer won 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (12-10) at second singles and the team of Jeff Yao and Nick Lockavitch won 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 (10-5) at first doubles for North Attleboro.

King Philip, 5 @ Walpole, 0 – Final

Mansfield vs. Hingham, 4:00

Milford, 1 @ Hopedale, 4 – Final

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Brockton, 3 – Final

Sharon, 4 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – The Eagles won at second and third singles and swept doubles play to get their 18th win of the season. Sophomore Fred Bondar won 6-2, 6-2 at second singles and Han Cui won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Adam Dobbin and Alex Romantz won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles and Tilak Mehta and Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-3, 6-2 at second doubles.

Taunton, 5 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton finished their season with a sweep on the road against the Whalers. Brett Beaulieu won 6-2 6-0 at first singles, Charlie Fiske won 6-1 6-3 at second singles and Mike Briggs won 6-1 6-1 at third singles. Tom Morrissey and Connor Briggs won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles and Kyle Medas and Zack Taylor won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Canton, 5 vs. Milton, 0 – Final

Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final

King Philip vs. Walpole, 3:45

Milford, 1 vs. Hopedale, 4 – Final

Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Brockton, 1 – Final – The Tigers got wins at second and third singles and swept doubles for the win. Jackie Sulkala won 6-1, 6-3 at second singles and Sarah Leger won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. Lark Warner and Valeria Tueme won 6-2, 6-4 at first doubles and Claudia Ferrara and Rachel Stryke won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles for OA.

Taunton, 5 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final

Late Runs Help Mansfield Sneak Past Taunton

ByJarettLeonard_2016FollowJarettLeonard_2016
 
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – Despite being limited to just two hits over the first five innings, a single and stolen base paired with a key Taunton error allowed Mansfield to break a scoreless tie in the sixth and slip past the Tigers, 2-0.

With one out in the top of the sixth inning, Mansfield left fielder Zack Peterson grounded one through the hole on the left side for only the third Hornet hit of the game. After Peterson advanced to second on a ball in the dirt, Max Boen hit a grounder to short, and attempting to nab the lead runner at third, a throw from the Taunton defense went out of play, allowing Peterson to cross the plate with the eventual winning run.

“That’s a key in baseball, any opportunity you get you’ve got to capitalize on it and you’ve got to try to limit the other team’s opportunities,” Mansfield coach Joe Breen said. “That’s kind of been the story of our season this year. We’ve had a lot of opportunities with a lot of runners on base and haven’t been able to get them in, and the last two weeks of the season so far we’ve been executing a little bit better, we’ve been putting a little bit more pressure on other teams and guys have been doing their jobs, so it’s been good to see.”

Mansfield added an insurance run in the seventh inning as designated hitter Colin Gibbons was hit with a pitch, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Aidan Cahill, to third on a single by Charlie DeMassi, and home on another Peterson grounder that found a hole in the Taunton defense. DeMassi took off on the pitch, forcing Taunton second baseman Kevin Griffin to cover the bag and leaving the right side vacated for Peterson to drive one through into right field and bring home the run.

“We were eliminated on Thursday but we knew we had two big games against two really good teams in Taunton and Bridgewater-Raynham,” Breen said. “Our guys, to their credit, said we’re not giving up, we’re not laying down and we’re going to come out and play the two hardest games we can to end our season with some pride and, led by our seniors, those guys came out today.”

Hornet senior starting pitcher Jack Neureuter kept the Tiger offense off the board over six innings of work, scattering six hits while striking out five and walking only two, one intentionally.

“He’s come out and demanded the ball four out of the last five games and he’s delivered in every single one of the those opportunities,” Breen said. “Jack was the key to today’s victory for sure.”

Taunton did have opportunities to take the lead early in the game, but Neureuter’s pitching combined with stellar defense behind him ended multiple Tiger threats. In the second inning, Taunton first baseman Charles Hearrold III doubled to right center field with one out. Right fielder Dan Noonan then lined one to left center, but DeMassi made a diving catch moving to his right, gained his footing, and fired into second base for an inning-ending double play.

“Charlie is a senior captain who struggled a lot through the beginning of the season and has not been in the lineup for a little bit,” Breen said. “We put him back in the lineup today as a senior captain to try to lead us to a late season win, and he did just that. Those are the types of plays he makes, that’s just a senior captain being a senior captain right there.”

An inning later, with Griffin on second base, Cahill, the Mansfield third baseman, went to the backhand to stab a hard Luke Figueira groundball and throw him out at first. Taunton later had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning, and after Neureuter induced a strikeout, Figueira laced one to center field, but DeMassi was there again to make a sprawling grab and end the inning. Taunton left eight runners on base in the game.

“Their center fielder did that to us the first game as well,” Taunton coach Jeff Sylvia said. “He has a great first step, and that’s a matter of talent and coaching. He expects the ball every pitch, and credit goes to Coach Breen for having his kids ready to go today.”

Though he was charged with the loss, Figueira pitched the complete game for Taunton, allowing six hits while striking out three. He allowed just two runs, one unearned, and stranded runners on the corners in both the sixth and seventh innings to give his team a chance.

“They wanted it more than we did, which is a shame,” Sylvia said. “That’s on me, not getting my team physically or mentally ready to play today. Unfortunately I feel like I failed the kids today. Mansfield showed up, they played hard, they played with heart, and they wanted it more than we did.”

Taunton also missed a chance to claim a share of the Kelley-Rex Division title and will now await the result of King Philip and Stoughton on Saturday. If KP wins, the Warriors win the division outright, but if Stoughton wins, Taunton and KP will share the title.

“They beat us, they took it from us, and that’s pretty much it,” Sylvia said. “We’ve got to get back to the drawing board and now we have to work on finding our groove again for the tournament.”

Mansfield baseball improves to 8-11 overall, 7-9 in the league and will travel to Bridgewater-Raynham on Wednesday afternoon. Taunton, now 13-5 overall and 11-5 in the league, will play the first of two non-league games to close out the year with a trip to New Bedford on Wednesday evening.

Oliver Ames Has The Answers In Win Against Taunton

Oliver Ames baseball
Oliver Ames sophomore Matt Muir earned the win with six innings of work against Taunton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – Any time that Taunton made a move on Saturday, Oliver Ames had an answer.

OA had an answer for both times that Taunton scored and added two late insurance runs to pick up a 7-4 win at Frothingham Park.

Taunton had an idea start with junior Matt Machado battling through a 10 pitch at-bat to earn a leadoff walk and senior Kevin Griffin followed suit with a walk. Sophomore Christian Simoes hammered a one-out double to score both Machado and Luke Figueira, who had reached on a fielder’s choice. It looked like the Tigers would add some more but a nice catch in right field by Matt Mancini turned into a double play to end the inning.

It didn’t take long for Oliver Ames to answer, rallying to tie the game and then take the lead in the bottom of the first. Chris Romero and Matt Muir started off with back to back doubles. Josh Minuskin flew out to right but an errant throw to third trying to catch Romero on the tag sailed out of play allowing a run to come home. Ryan Adams walked and with runners on the corners, Kyle Gagliardi connected for an RBI double. Mitch Goulet followed up at the next at-bat with an RBI single to plate Adams and senior Kevin Geary hit a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it 4-2.

“Offensively, we executed pretty well today,” Oliver Ames head coach Leo Duggan said. “That first inning was big for us to come back. Then we went into a little funk for a bit. We told them it wasn’t going to end a 4-2 game. It took us three innings until we got it going again. We had a chance in the fourth but we couldn’t anything. These remaining three games are going to be like tournament games and we have to act like they are.”

Both starters settled down after the opening inning. OA’s Matt Muir needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in order in the top half of the second and punctuated a 1-2-3 inning in the third with a strikeout for the third out. Taunton’s Charles Hearrold III induced three straight pop ups to get through the bottom of the second and got a strikeout in 1-2-3 bottom half of the third.

“That first at bat, that was a great at bat, and I think [Muir] was a little rattled after that because he walked the next guy,” Duggan said. “But after that, he was dominating. We tried to stay away from Figueira, we didn’t want him to get going. And then Mancini made a nice catch in the first inning, a really good catch and we might have been down more if he didn’t.”

Oliver Ames threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning when Chris Pearsons singled and Geary walked. Taunton’s Danny Keogh came in to pitch in relief and induced two straight pop ups to get out of the inning.

After Muir got the bottom of Taunton’s lineup in order on three straight groundouts, OA was able to tack on another run in the bottom of the fifth. Adams launched a one-out shot into deep center field for a triple and scored on a wild pitch with Gagliardi up at bat to make it 5-2.

Taunton’s offense was able to roar back to life in the top of the sixth. Machado was the catalyst, leading off by getting hit by a pitch and Griffin followed with a walk. Simoes picked up his third RBI of the game, a ground out to short to bring Machado in from third. Max Bowden followed with an RBI single to score Griffin from second and the Tigers cut into the deficit, making it 5-4.

But once again, Oliver Ames had an answer. Travis Campbell drew a lead off walk against new Taunton pitcher Tyler Medeiros. A single from Matt Muir put runners on first and second but Medeiros got the second out with a strikeout. Adams came through with two outs though with an RBI single to score Campbell and then on a hit and run, Gagliardi’s grounder got through on the left side and brought Muir home to make it 7-4. Taunton’s Owen O’Gara came in with the bases loaded to get the final out.

“Ryan came up with that big, big triple and then the RBI single the next inning,” Duggan said. “Gagliardi continues to get better. He was in a slump but he’s doing much better now. Give Taunton credit, they came back. After our start of 1-6, I think we’re playing pretty good baseball. It’s been much better, the kids are much more together.”

Taunton tried to rally again in the top of the seventh inning against OA reliever Zach Sato with sophomore Jacob Crawford reaching on a one out single and Machado walking again. But Sato was able to induce a ground ball to third and Pearsons tagged the bag and fired to first for the game ending double play.

“Credit goes to OA, every time we scored they seemed to respond very well,” Taunton head coach Jeff Sylvia said. “We came out flat, I don’t think we were prepared well for today.”

Oliver Ames (9-9, 9-5), which is postseason bound regardless of the results of the last two games due to a second place finish in the Davenport, will close out league play at home against Foxboro on Monday and Attleboro on Tuesday. Taunton (13-4, 11-4) will wrap up league play on Monday against Mansfield. A win against the Hornets will clinch at least a share of the Kelley-Rex title.

Ryan Lanigan can be contacted at RyanLanigan@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @R_Lanigan.

Taunton Pulls Into Tie For First With Walk-Off Win

Taunton baseball
Taunton players rush Luke Figueira (helmet) after his game winning RBI against KP. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – When Taunton senior Luke Figueira stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with the winning run at second base, it was the first at bat he had against King Philip reliever Jon Rolfe. But Figueira already knew what to expect, thanks to a little scouting he did two innings prior.

Figueira roped the second pitch he saw into right center field, bringing in senior Matt Machado for the winning run, giving the Tigers a 2-1 walk-off win over the Warriors and putting the teams in a tie for first place in the Kelley-Rex with three leagues to go.

Two innings prior with the Tigers trailing by a run, it was Figueira that knotted the game. His one out single, one of three hits in the game, brought in Machado to tie the game in the sixth and chased KP starter Jake Cavanagh. Figueira advanced to second, giving him a great view of Rolfe on the mound.

“When I was at second, I was seeing his curveball and I could see it right out of his hand so I knew that when I got up to hit, that I could see it,” Figueira said. “If I got a fastball, I was going to hit it and if it was a curve I was going to let it go. I got the fastball.”

Taunton scored both of its runs in nearly identical fashion. Machado led off the sixth with a single and stole second. A sacrifice bunt from senior Kevin Griffin moved him to third and Figueira drove him in with a hit through the left side of the infield.

In the eighth, Macahdo once again led off with a single. Griffin laid down a bunt and reached when Machado beat the throw to second. That set the stage for Figueira’s game-winning hit.

Danny Keogh earned the win, tossing a scoreless eighth inning for the Tigers.

“Today was a big one, for a lot of reasons,” Taunton head coach Jeff Sylvia said. “It was good to get the win. I’m proud of the team, they didn’t give up. For a while there, it was bleak there offensively. I thought Luke did a great job, he battled for seven innings. He didn’t have his best stuff and KP had a great approach offensively. When we scored the run, we loosened up a little bit and played better.

“Coach Weir has [KP] playing great baseball, he’s done a great job with that program. We knew going into today this game was big on many fronts. I’m proud of the team, they stepped up and got it done.”

It was a heavyweight battle between the Warriors and the Tigers and both teams’ aces delivered on the mound. Figueira threw seven innings with one earned run allowed and five strikeouts. Cavanagh allowed just the one earned run in 5.1 innings, striking out six and scattering four hits.

“He pitched his heart out,” Weir said of Cavanagh. “I knew what I was going to get out of him, he’s done it all year long. He’s going to give you his best every time and had just the one run allowed today. But today was about execution, period, end of sentence. You’ve got to execute in those situations, it’s a simple game.”

For Figueira, there was more than just the battle of supremacy in the division and the chance for revenge driving him. Figueira’s teammate, classmate and best friend Brendon Mazerolle, the team’s starting shortstop, had his season cut short due to a knee injury over the weekend.

“This was for Maz,” Figueira said. “This gives us a chance [in the division] now. We kind of shot ourselves in the foot on Monday, we didn’t play very well. Coming back today, it was a good bounce back win and it can give us a lot of momentum heading into the final games and hopefully another team can help us out.

“You can never give up when you’re down. They didn’t hit the ball hard, they just found the hole and there’s nothing you can do about that so you just have to keep battling.”

King Philip cashed in for its lone run against Figueira in the top of the fourth inning. Ryan Coulter had a two-out infield single to get things started and stole second base to get into scoring position. Cavanagh blooped a single into right field and Coulter came around to score.

The Warriors threatened in each of the last three innings but good defensive plays from Taunton – something they lacked in the first meeting between the two – kept KP off the board. Stephen Murray reached on a drop third strike and got to third on a pair of wild pitches. With one out, the Warriors attempted a squeeze play but there was no contact at the plate and Taunton catcher fired to sophomore shortstop Jacob Crawford, covering at third, for the out.

Ryan Guenette led off the seventh by getting hit by a pitch and took second on a sac bunt from Stephan MacMeans. Figueira then induced a ground ball to third where freshman Jack Moynihan fired to first for an out and Charles Hearrold III fired back to Crawford at third, catching the runner for a double play. In the final inning, Crawford took a toss from Griffin with his bare hand and completed a 4-6-3 double play.

“Because of an injury, we’re pretty young up the middle but those guys have been working hard in practice,” Sylvia said. “Jake Crawford, he got thrust into that position but when he plays short in practice, he looks like that on the field. And he’s got a sneaky strong arm. That double play he turned when he bare handed it, not many kids do that and that’s impressive.”

Machado finished 2-4 with a pair of runs scored, Griffin had two important bunts late and Figueira went 3-4 with a pair of RBI for Taunton.

“I don’t care how Matty gets on, he’s our fastest guy and the team can relax and we’re more aggressive when he gets on,” Sylvia said. “Getting on in front of Kevin, who does a lot great job with bat control and then Luke is in the right spot at the right time. We had the right scenario [twice], we don’t always get that but it worked out.

“They beat us the first time so today was a big one. It felt like we were focused all game. Even though it didn’t look good offensively early, they never gave up and I can’t be more proud as a coach.”

Taunton improves to 12-3 overall and 10-3 in league play. The Tigers final three league games will be against Sharon, Oliver Ames and Mansfield over the next five days. King Philip drops to 13-3 overall and 10-3 in the league. The Warriors will take on Sharon and Franklin in the coming five days before wrapping up league play against Stoughton next Saturday.

Ryan Lanigan can be contacted at RyanLanigan@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @R_Lanigan.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/16/16

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Senior Nate Tellier was masterful on the mound for the Bombardiers in a complete game shutout. Tellier struck out 13 batters while allowing just one hit to keep the Kelley-Rex leading King Philip Warriors at bay. At the plate Tellier had a pair of hits. Freshman Dakota Kirby was a perfect 3-3 for Attleboro, having an RBI single in the fifth inning that made it 2-0. Senior Tyler Stowe have Attleboro the lead two at bats prior, singling in Brent Cook.

Milford, 14 @ Canton, 6 – Final

Foxboro, 0 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Stoughton junior Ryan Sullivan had one of his best outings of the year on the mound for the Black Knights, striking out 10 in a complete game shutout. Sullivan scattered five hits with just one walk and didn’t allow a run. The Black Knights’ offense cashed in in the bottom of the third. After Doug Seaman singles and stole second, Jack Connelly knocked in his team-leading 16th run of the season with a two-out single. Seaman went 2-3 and Connelly reached base twice with a stolen base.

Taunton, 2 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin turned a two run lead in the fourth inning to a comfortable cushion in a league win over Taunton. Nick Santucci connected for a two-out RBI triple in the inning, finishing the game 3-4 with a run. Jake Lyons added two RBI while Joe Corsi was 2-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Josh Macchi added two hits, including a double, and scored a run for the Panthers. Sophomore Jason Ulrickson was solid on the mound in a complete game effort, scattering five hits while walking one to get the win. Ulrickson struck out four with just one walk. Taunton’s Kevin Griffin went 2-3 with an RBI while Luke Figueira (2-3) and Joe Manchester (1-3) each scored a run for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – North Attleboro’s Andy Katch had no-hit Mansfield through five innings but the Hornets were finally able to break through in the sixth inning. Aidan Cahill got the team’s first hit with a one out single and Mike Arnold was hit by a pitch to reach. A sacrifice fly from Tyrone Pascual advanced the runners and Jake Tryder connected for a two-RBI double to score the only runs of the game. Jake Neureuter got the win for Mansfield, allowing just three hits in a complete game shutout. Neureuter struck out three and issued three walks in the win.

Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (8 inn.) – Oliver Ames walked off with a win for the second straight game and seniors Josh Minuskin and Ryan Adams were right in the middle of it. After Minuskin’s home run tied the game on Friday against Mansfield, he led of the bottom of the eighth inning with a single. Two wild pitches later, Minuskin was at third and Adams, who scored the winning run on Friday, knocked in the winning run. Senior Zach Sato pitched a two-hit shutout complete game for Oliver Ames, striking out four. Sharon sophomore starter Max Tarlin pitched seven scoreless innings for the Eagles.

Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final

Canton, 1 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Milford’s Ali Atherton carried a no hitter through the sixth inning before the Bulldogs’ offense broke through. Atherton finished with eight strikeouts in a complete game to get the win. Offensively, freshman Emily Hartman had his first career home run for the Scarlet Hawks, blasting a two run shot. Jess Tomaso was 2/2 with a pair of walks and two RBI while Kaitlyn DeCapua was 2-4 with an RBI.

Stoughton, 5 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Stoughton scored all five runs in the fifth inning and held off a Foxboro four-run rally in the seventh. Bri Fernandez, Karly Estremera, and Gina Carafa each had two hits for the Black Knights. Shannon Flaherty threw a complete game with six strikeouts to pick up the win.

Taunton, 6 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – The Tigers’ offense cashed in in the fifth and sixth innings to get the win over the Panthers. Taunton scored four runs in the fifth and then tacked on two more in the sixth inning while Franklin scored twice in the seventh. Aimee Kistner got her 11th win of the season, striking out five while scattering four hits in a complete game effort. Kistner also paced the offense, going 4-4 with a pair of RBI while Jordan Wade was 3-3 with a triple, a walk and an RBI. Jaime Brown went 1-2 for the Tigers with a sac bunt, a walk and an RBI and Kya Enos added a double and an RBI. Allie Shea went 1-2 for Franklin with a pair of walks and knocked in both of the Panthers’ runs.

Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – The Rocketeers turned to small ball to get its offense going, plating all six runs in the fifth inning. With one out in the inning, North Attleboro had eight straight batters reach and it resulted in six runs. Big Red had a pair of infield hits and a pair of bunt singles to get the offense going. Kaylea Sherman and Megan Barlow each went 2-3 at the plate for North while Gina Miceli was a perfect 3-3. Amelia Murphy struck out nine in a complete game effort for the Rocketeers. Mansfield responded with its two runs in top of the sixth off of four hits. Marissa Staffier went 1-2, Megan Letendre was 2-3, Mady Bendanillo went 1-3 with an RBI and Maddie Letendre was 1-2 with an RBI. Maddie Letendre struck out 10 batters while allowing seven hits for Mansfield.

Oliver Ames, 14 @ Sharon, 10 – Final – The Oliver Ames Tigers belted out 17 hits on the day, using its offense to best Sharon. Victoria Ziner was 3-5 with two RBI, including a home run, and two runs scored, Katie Pursley went 4-4 with four RBI, including a pair of home runs and a triple and scoring two runs for OA. Jamie Gottwald was 3-5 with a triple an RBI and three runs scored, Rachel Han scored three runs and Dalene Gomes (2-5) and Emma Papargiris (1-4, two RBI) each had a triple and scored for OA while Caroline Mahoney (2-5) also had an RBI and a run scored for the Tigers.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final

Canton, 11 vs. Abington, 8 – Final – Canton built a 3-0 lead and that was all the separation that the Bulldogs needed to beat Abington. Shaun Kirby was the driving force behind the offense, registering a hat trick and adding a trio of assists in teh win. Thomas Monagle and Kevin Albert returned to net a goal each while Dan Nadeau stretched his goal scoring streak to two games. Canton got a boost from sophomore Charlie O’Connor, who dominated at the faceoff X for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 3 vs. Wayland, 8 – Final

King Philip, 6 @ Franklin, 13 – Final

Milford, 0 vs. Nipmuc, 19 – Final

Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 13 – Final – Oliver Ames kept its playoff hopes alive, moving within two wins of a postseason berth with the shutout win. Senior attack Matt Gilson had three goals and three assists, senior Middie Max Bamford had two goals and one assist, senior middie Aidan Connly added a pair of goals and one assist, senior middie Connor Howe had a goal and an assist and senior middie Mike Sullivan scored once. OA Senior goalie Jake Aronson had the shutout in the cage.

Sharon, 14 vs. Westwood, 22 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 19 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – It was a day of milestones for North Attleboro in a non-league win over rival Attleboro. Hana Caster found the back of the net for the 200th time in her career while teammate Erin Holley notched her 100th career goal in the win.

Canton, 13 @ Milton, 8 – Final – Canton head coach Chrissy O’Connor praised the defense of Lauren Peplau and Tessa Cudmore, saying they played excellent in the Bulldogs’ win. Lindsey Nolte paced the offense, potting four goals for Canton.

Foxboro, 19 @ Sharon, 11 – Final

King Philip @ Hopkinton, 3:45

Mansfield @ Bishop Feehan, 3:30

Milford @ Nipmuc – Postponed to 5/26 to 3:45 at Milford

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – The Warriors of King Philip took care of business in singles play and got another win at doubles to beat Attleboro. Cole Ginter won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Garrett Schneider won 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles and Blake Ginter took a 6-0, 6-0 sweep at third singles. Justin Rohan and Marco DiStefano won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles for KP. Attleboro’s Zain Yusuf and Shaun Gordon battled for a 7-5, 6-4 win at first singles.

Milford @ Canton, 4:00

Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – It was a clean sweep for Franklin, who won all five matches in straight sets. Rahul Herur won 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Eli Brooks ton 6-2, 6-0 at second singles and Dan Barrow won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles. Cam Piana and James Johnston took home a 6-1, 6-1 win at first doubles and Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Junior Zack Pfeffer handled his match at second singles and classmate Barsomo Nuay battled for a three set win at third singles to lead Big Red. Pfeffer won 6-2, 6-2 while Nuay got a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win. Doubles teams of Jeff Yao and Nick Lockavitch (6-2, 6-3) and Jake Fontes and Daniel Zhang (6-3, 6-3) each won at first and second doubles respectively. Mansfield junior Benny Lin earned a 6-4, 6-2 at first singles for the Hornets’ lone win.

Sharon, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – After a weekend at the MIAA individual tournament, Sharon had an adjusted lineup but still clinched a win. Andre Olivei won 6-1, 6-3 at second singles and Andrew Tarnoff won 6-2, 6-0 at third singles. Alex Romantz and Adam Dobbin swept 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles and Tilak Mehta and Danujan Thirumavalavan also swept 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles. Oliver Ames senior Thomas O’Leary won 5-7, 6-1, 1-0 (10-7) at first singles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – Becca Ricci won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles for KP, Emily MacDonald won 6-3, 6-1 and Meghan Sepich took home a 6-0, 6-0 decision at third singles. The team of Kelly Masse and Carly Adams won 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles and Molly Citarell and Andrea Li won 6-3, 6-0 at second doubles.

Canton, 3 @ Milford, 2 – Final – The Bulldogs of Canton got a pair of wins in singles play and clinched the victory with a win at doubles. Carly Scanlan won 6-4, 6-2 at first singles and Skyler Jabbour won 6-3, 6-1 at second doubles for the Bulldogs while the team of Tiffany Ha and Sarah MacQuarrie won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles. Milford’s Kate Rosenblatt won 6-2, 7-6 at third singles and the team of Jess McIntire and Kayla Thongpul won 7-5, 6-4 at second doubles.

Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final

Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Franklin went on the road and extracted a bit of revenge by avenging an early season loss to the Tigers. The Panthers used a sweep in singles play to edge of the Tigers. Junior Hannah Sweeney won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles while senior Anna Humphreys won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles and junior Anja Deric swept 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. Taunton’s Ashleigh Eason and Emily Moor won 7-6 (7-2), 3-0 (forfeit) at first doubles and Caroline Hebert and Jillian Pagliuca won 6-2, 6-0 at second doubles.

Mansfield, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon singles players cruised through in straight sets to help the Eagles earn the win. Lulu Yuan won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Nupur Shulka won 6-2, 6-0 at second singles and Emily Wen won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. Pooja Puttigampala and Michal Kondratiev won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles for Sharon. Oliver Ames’ Claudia Ferrara and Rachel Stryke won 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 at second doubles.

Boys and Girls Outdoor Track
Hockomock League Championships (@ Taunton High), 2:30

Boys Volleyball
Taunton @ Barnstable 5:30

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/12/16

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Mansfield sophomore Tyler Dalton struck out six, scattering seven hits in his second straight complete game shutout. Aidan Cahill went 2-4 with a run scored, Jake Tryder was 3-4 with three RBI and Colin Gibbons had a double and two RBI for the Hornets.

King Philip, 5 vs. North Quincy, 1 – Final

Stoughton, 6 vs. Brockton, 8 – Final (8 inn.) – Justin Hutchinson struck out seven in a seven inning effort, allowing just six hits and one earned run. Hutchinson played a role on offense as well, going 2-3 with three RBI. Senior catcher Jake Gibb also went 3-5 with a double and a run scored for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 11 vs. New Bedford, 5 – Final – Freshman Jack Moynihan earned his first varsity win, allowing just one earned run in four innings of work. Moynihan allowed four hits while striking out four Whaler batters. Sophomore Joe Manchester paced the offense with a pair of hits and three RBI while senior Luke Figueira had two hits, two runs and an RBI and senior Brendon Mazerolle had three hits, three rubs and a pair of RBI.

Softball
Milford, 17 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final (5 inn.)

Taunton, 15 @ New Bedford, 1 – Final (6 inn.) – Jordan Wade had four hits and Meghan Navarro knocked in three runs to lead the Tigers. Wade went 4-5 with a triple and a pair of RBI while Navarro was 2-5 with the three RBI. Kya Enos went 3-5 with an RBI, Aimee Kistner had a home run, Becka Lajoie went 2-2 with a double and an RBI and Courtney Fisher was 2-2 with a double and three RBI. Kistner got her 10th win of the season, tossing four scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Fisher pitched the final two innings, striking out three while allowing one run.

Boys Tennis
Foxboro, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

Franklin, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – The Panthers picked up their third win of the week and second in as many days, sweeping Milford. Rahul Herur, Eli Brooks and Dan Barrow swept at first, second and third singles, respectively. Tom Mancini and James Johnston won at first doubles and Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu won at second doubles for Franklin.

Sharon, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – The Eagles of Sharon soared to a sweep at the road against a strong King Philip team. Griffin Fein won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Fred Bondar won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles and Andre Olivei won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles for Sharon. Alex Romantz and Adam Dobbin won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles and Tilak Mehta and Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-3, 6-2 at second doubles.

Mansfield vs. Holliston, 3:45

North Attleboro, 5 @ Durfee, 0 – Final – The Rocketeers won all five matches in straight sets on the road in Fall River. Mitchell Dyer won 6-2, 6-3 at first singles, Zack Pfeffer won 6-2, 6-0 at second singles and Barsomo Nuay won 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. The team of seniors Jeff Yao and Nick Lockavitch won 6-1, 6-2 at first doubles and seniors Ben Scott and Duncan Pickett won 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles for the Rocketeers.

Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – The Taunton Tigers picked up their third win in a row, sweeping doubles play and getting one win at singles to edge OA. Mike Briggs won 6-2, 6-3 at third singles, the team of Connor Briggs and Charlie Fiske won 7-6, 7-5 at first doubles and Kyle Medas and Dylan Kullas won 6-3, 6-3 at second doubles for Taunton. OA’s Thomas O’Leary and Greg Weinstein won in straight sets at first and second singles, respectively.

Girls Tennis
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon only lost a single game in all three singles matches combined to get the win. Sophomore Lulu Yuan won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, freshman Nupur Shulka won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Emily Wen won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. The team of Akhila Songadi and Sydney Gordon won 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 10-5 at first doubles and freshmen Sophia Fein and Sachi Bhasin won 7-5, 6-2 at second doubles.

Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final

North Attleboro, 5 vs. Durfee, 0 – Final – All three of North Attleboro’s single players won in straight sets without losing a single game to spark Big Red. Julia Mark, Jordan Willis and Shurobhi Nandi all won 6-0, 6-0 at first, second and third singles respectively. The team of Emily Chiasson and Gabby Duva won 6-1, 6-2 at first doubles and Katie Demontigny and Azka Siddiq paired up for a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 5 @ Coyle Cassidy, 0 – Final

Boys Outdoor Track
Milford, 83.67 @ Oliver Ames, 52.33 – Final
Sharon @ Stoughton 3:45
Taunton @ Mansfield, 3:30

Girls Outdoor Track
Milford @ Oliver Ames 4:00
Sharon @ Stoughton 3:45
Taunton, 54 @ Mansfield, 78 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Taunton vs. Durfee 4:45