Stoughton High Softball Falls to Attleboro, But Still Controls Postseason Fate

Tough times continue for the Stoughton High softball team, but its postseason aspirations remain alive entering the final week of the regular season.

The Black Knights lost at Attleboro 10-1 Friday afternoon, suffering their fifth consecutive defeat, and their .

With only three games remaining, and an overall record of 6-10, Stoughton can’t finish the season at or above the .500 mark, which is an automatic bid to the postseason.

The only other way Stoughton can qualify for a berth to the postseason is to finish in first or second place in the Hockomock League’s Davenport Division (small schools).

Currently, Oliver Ames is 6-5 in divisional play and holds the top spot with one league game remaining against Foxboro.

Stoughton is now 4-6 in divisional play with two league games left, at home against on Monday and at on Tuesday.

Stoughton will end its season with a crossover game, that will not have a bearing on the standings on Wednesday (three games in three days), against the team that finishes in the same spot in the standings in the Hockomock’s Kelley-Rex Division (large schools).

If Stoughton can defeat both Canton and Sharon, two teams that it has already beaten by five runs, it will finish either first or second in the Davenport Division and gain a postseason berth.

“We have put ourselves in a tough position, but we know that we still control our own destiny,” Stoughton coach Janet Sullivan said. “Our bats have gone silent and we need to turn it around very quickly.”

Against Attleboro, the first nine Stoughton batters were retired by Bombardiers’ freshman pitcher Jess Alverez. Stoughton then broke through with two hits in each of the fourth and fifth innings, but stranded all four runners.

Megan Flaherty, a junior, who just missed a home run in the fourth inning with a long double, cleared the wall in the sixth inning, for a round tripper and the lone run for the Black Knights.

Stoughton had six hits off of Alverez, including singles by junior Michelle Bisbee and seniors Liz Roch and Katherine Chlus.

Attleboro got off to a very fast start, scoring four runs in the first inning off Stoughton sophomore pitcher Emily Cramer. The Bombardiers added single runs in the third and fourth innings and then had a four run fifth inning.

The Attleboro offensive attack had 12 hits and was led by lead off hitter Keely Vidu who had three hits and scored three runs and Alverez who helped herself with three hits, as well. Attleboro keeps its slim playoff hopes alive with the victory.

“We know what we have to do and we remain confident that we can nail down a berth to the [postseason] tournament,” Sullivan said.