Pitching, Timely Hitting Lead Stoughton High Baseball Past Silver Lake

With the leading visiting Silver Lake 4-2 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Jamie Connors broke the game open with a bases-clearing triple to drive in three runs and increase the Stoughton lead to 7-2.

Stoughton scored one more run in the inning, beating Silver Lake 8-2 Friday afternoon at home, improving to 3-5 on the season. The Black Knights received another solid pitching performance from Mike Gallagher, who picked up the victory.

In the bottom of the sixth, Silver Lake intentionally walked Pat Raeke (who had reached in his previous three plate appearances) to load the bases and face Connors, who was hitless on the day. With two outs, Silver Lake, trailing by two at the time, was looking for a force-out situation.

Big mistake—and Stoughton coach Mike Armour knew it.

“I knew the kind of bat Jamie’s been swinging all year. It was just nice to see it come to fruition,” Armour said.

Connors ripped a drive deep to left field, scoring Gallagher, Mike Connelly and Raeke.

“I know that left fielder was not expecting that laser being hit over his head,” Armour said. “Like I said to Jamie after the game, I think that was really the dagger in Silver Lake and it couldn’t have happened to a harder working, better kid.”

Gallagher pitched seven innings, for the complete game effort, striking out eight on the afternoon. He helped his own cause in the bottom of the sixth, driving in Pat Jackman to increase the Stoughton lead at the time from 3-2 to 4-2.  

“He’s just a competitor, an athlete—you know what you’re going to get,” Armour said of Gallagher’s performance. “He bared down the couple of times Silver Lake got some guys on base and really slammed the door. He’s only a sophomore. He’s got a lot more good games ahead of him.”

Gallagher (first inning) and Connelly (third inning) scored Stoughton’s first two runs to give the Black Knights a 2-0 lead. Silver Lake responded with a single run in the fourth, but Will McGrath scored in the bottom of the inning, to give Stoughton a 3-1 lead. Jackman’s second double of the day brought McGrath home.

When Silver Lake scored in the top of the sixth, again cutting the deficit to a single run, Stoughton answered with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Stoughton picked up its second straight win, also on Wednesday.

The 8-2 win over Silver Lake avenges a on April 14.

Stoughton looks to keep the positive momentum going when the Black Knights host North Attleboro Monday afternoon.

“We feel like we can compete with anybody,” Armour said. “We got North [on Monday] and they kind of took it to us [on April 16] but we’re ready to compete with them.”