Eagles Baseball Clinches State Tourney

The clinched a state tournament spot Thursday, although the Eagles lost on the scoreboard.

Host Stoughton won, 5-2.

The loss made Sharon 7-9 overall, 6-8 in the Hockomock League. However, the Eagles clinched at least a share of second place in the Hockomock's Davenport Division, making them postseason bound. The first and second place teams from both Hockomock divisions advance to the state tournament.

Last season, Sharon finished 15-5, earning the fourth seed in the MIAA Baseball South Division 2 bracket and receiving a first-round bye. .

Thursday, Stoughton received another strong pitching performance from Mike Gallagher, received some timely hitting and took advantage of some uncharacteristic Sharon miscues.

The Black Knights led 2-0 after a two-run first inning, capitalizing on Sharon errors. 

Mike Connelly struck out in what should have been the final out of the first. But, he reached base on an overthrow after the ball got away from Sharon catcher Mitchell Goldenberg.

Pat Raeke then crushed a double over Brad Kaufman's head in center, scoring Connelly. Raeke scored when Gallagher reached on an error. 

Stoughton added to its lead with single runs in the second, third and fourth, for a 5-0 lead. 

Pat Jackman singed Zach Gibb home with two outs in the second to make it 3-0; Gallagher scored on a Gibb single with two outs in the third to make it 4-0; and Will McGrath singled, scoring Jackman with one out in the fourth to make it 5-0.

On the mound, Gallagher allowed two runs in six innings, not allowing a hit until the fifth.

"There was no question that the kids would be ready to go," Stougthon head coach Mike Armour said. 

"Pat Raeke really set the tone when he hit that double to drive in the first run and from there on out just chipping away, getting the lead early. Gallagher did what he's been doing all year in terms of challenging these guys."

Sharon head coach Joel Peckham agreed.

"He pitched very well," Peckham said.

"His defense played very well behind him and our defense did not play well."

The errors were "tough because we haven't done that all year long," Peckham said.

"We just came off a huge 10-inning win over Oliver Ames [4-3 on Tuesday] and we did not make a mistake in 10 innings. We did not make one error," he said. 
"I don't know if it was a letdown, but we just weren't ready to play at the level [Stoughton was]."

Down 5-0, Sharon started chipping away at Stoughton's lead in the fifth inning.

Goldenberg reached on an error and then scored to make it 5-1 after back to back singles by Nate Pederson and Eric Lesser (RBI). But, both Pederson and Lesser were left on base.

Sharon made it 5-2 in the sixth when Nandhu Mohan scored.

Mike Dixon came in and closed the game for Stoughton with an eight-pitch 1-2-3 seventh inning.

Kevin McLaughlin and Matt Thomas pitched for Sharon.

The Eagles host Seekonk at noon Saturday.

Meanwhile, Stoughton (8-9) travels to Quincy on Friday before a must-win showdown at Canton on Monday.