Stoughton High Baseball Downs Sharon; Knights Headed to Sectional Finals

Check out a postgame video interview with Pat Jackman, Mike Gallagher, Mike Dixon and Mike Connelly in the media gallery. A photo gallery will be posted Thursday on Patch. 
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For a Stoughton team that spent the better part of Wednesday afternoon mashing the ball in a 12-6 win, it was a hit which didn't even make it out of the Wheaton College infield which seemed to be the turning point in its Division 2 South Sectional semifinal victory against rival Sharon.

Trailing 4-3 after Sharon scored two runs in the top of the third, Stoughton loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the third. Will McGrath grounded to Sharon's Kevin McLaughlin at first. 

McLaughlin attempted to throw home for a force out, but overthrew the catcher, with Mike Connelly and Mike Gallagher coming around to score as a result, giving Stoughton a 5-4 lead. McLaughlin had replaced Nate Pederson, who left with an injury earlier in the inning.

Zach Gibb later squeezed pinch runner Luke Butera home giving Stoughton a 6-4 edge after three innings. 

After a back-and-forth first three innings of play, Stoughton never trailed again. 

Three more runs in the fourth opened the game up, with Stoughton going ahead 9-4. The Black Knights added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Sharon scored twice in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough, as Stoughton held on for a six-run victory.

It's the third time the Black Knights (16-7) have defeated the Eagles (14-9) this year, after sweeping the regular season series. 

Stoughton now advances to the Division 2 South Sectional final and will play #4 Hingham Sunday at 5 p.m. at Campanelli Stadium, home of the Brockton Rox. Hingham defeated #1 Nauset in the other semifinal game. 

"We came ready to play, determined to walk off this field one way, and to see our guys come through and do it feels pretty good," Stoughton coach Mike Armour said. 

After allowing four runs in the first three innings, starter Mike Dixon settled down and ended up tossing 6 and 1/3 innings, shutting Sharon down in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings as the Stoughton offense broke the game open. 

Most importantly, Dixon allowed the rest of the pitching staff to recuperate from a grueling game at Greater New Bedford the day before. 

"We had four guys throw [Tuesday]...so for him to come in and really pick up the team, let us rest our arms was huge," Armour said. 

Zach Gibb came in to get the final two outs, recording a strikeout to end the game. 

Sharon had beat #7 Dighton-Rehoboth and #2 Oliver Ames to advance to the semifinal, while Stoughton beat #11 Dennis-Yarmouth and #3 Greater New Bedford. 

Against Sharon, Pat Jackman had a pair of RBI, scored two runs and stole two bases; Mike Gallagher had 2 RBI and scored two runs; Pat Raeke also had 2 RBI and scored two runs; and Mike Connelly drove in a run and scored two runs.

After striking out in his first at bat in the postseason against Dennis-Yarmouth, Gallagher reached base 11 straight times over parts of three games before being retired in his final at bat against Sharon. He also closed out the D-Y and Greater New Bedford games on the mound with 6 and 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. 

"He's taken it to a new level," Armour said of Gallagher's offense. "It almost looks like he knows what pitch is going to come before it comes in."

"All these kids, they believe in one another; it's a great group, a great attitude and we're looking forward to keeping the ride going," Armour said.

Click here for a full Division 2 South Bracket.