Stoughton Legion Baseball Ends Season on Down Note

The Stoughton Legion Post 89 Baseball team ended its grueling season of 18 games in 27 days with two games, played on Thursday and Friday night.

After a 2-0 start, the young Stoughton team ran into very strong teams from the District 6 Eastern Division and ended the season with a 3-14-1 record, including dropping their final two contests.

Stoughton lost to first place Morrissette (Quincy), 8-1, Thursday night at home. It was the third meeting, and against Morrissette, who swept the season series, outscoring Stoughton 27-8 in the three contests.

As has been the problem all season, Stoughton would have a bad inning, committing errors and digging itself a hole that it couldn’t get out of. In this game Stoughton gave up five runs in the first inning, with only two earned. Stoughton made five errors in the game, and had 55 through 17 games (about 3.2 per game).

Morrissette added two additional runs in the fourth inning with only one being earned, to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

“We have that one bad inning a game and it’s very hard to come back from against the teams on our schedule,” said Stoughton coach Jim Deroachea. “After that one bad inning, we play as well or better than our opponent. It may not lead to a win, but the character and effort of our team makes me proud.”

Stoughton scored its lone run in the bottom of the fourth, when Mike Connelly hit a triple to deep centerfield and then scored on an infield out from Kyle Phillips. Connolly hit .368 and had been superb all season.

But, Stoughton could do nothing else against Morrissette’s pitcher Sam Lawlor who pitched a complete game. Brendan Johnson and Brett McDonald both pitched well for Stoughton and deserved a better fate. Pat Jackman had another hit for Stoughton and continues to own a team high batting average of .412.

The season finale had Stoughton travel to Cohasset, Friday night, for a third meeting against its divisional opponent. Cohasset won the first two meetings, 8-0 at home, and 6-2 at Cohasset. Cohasset completed the season series sweep with a 4-0 victory, the fifth time Stoughton was shutout this season.

This game epitomized the hard luck season for Stoughton. The contest was a pitching duel, with a scoreless game in the bottom of the fifth.

Alex Fernandes, who hurled a complete game for Stoughton, had runners on first and second with two outs. The Cohasset batter hit a ground ball, and in a close play at first base seemed to be thrown out to end the inning. As the Stoughton players were running off the field, the umpires ruled the hitter safe, calling back the Stoughton team from the dugout.

The bases were then loaded and the next two batters hit doubles, scoring two runs each, and that was the ball game. Fernandez allowed only four hits throughout the contest, striking out eight, but had to take the hard-luck loss.

Stoughton only had two hits, one each from Fernandes and Connolly, and struck out eleven times.

“All throughout the season, one big play, one bad inning, with some our doing and some being just bad luck, but what we need to know is that good teams make their own luck,” said Deroachea.

The Stoughton season ends with disappointment, but with a very young and talented team that has gained valuable experience and has a lot of promise for 2012.