Stoughton Legion Baseball off to Solid Start

The high school baseball season has just , but the season continues for some as part of American Legion Baseball.

Stoughton is coached by Jim Derochea, who is in his fourth season with the team. Stoughton finished with a 6-10 record last summer, with a very young team, and is still rather young this season. The team is comprised of 17 players, mostly current or former varsity baseball players.

The team is off to a solid start (2-1 record), winning its first two games, in close encounters, over Holbrook and Jamaica Plain, both at home, but losing on the road to a strong Weymouth team.

“We lost the close games last season (six by one or two runs), but in the early-going we have won these games this season,” said Derochea.

“We now have a lot of pitching depth and we’ve become better in the fundamentals and we have been able to utilize a sacrifice and hit to the right side to advance runners and manufacture some runs. It’s a hard working team with good chemistry and a lot of balance throughout the lineup.”

Kyle Connors is a first baseman, but, like the rest of his teammates, can play multiple positions. Connors was very instrumental in the team’s first two games, both wins. Connors is a 2010 graduate of Stoughton High School and now attends Curry, where he continues to play.

Alex Fernandes will be a senior at SHS in the Fall and can pitch and play infield, but is solid behind the plate as a catcher and beside it as a hitter with speed.

Pat Jackman will only be a junior, but is outstanding at shortstop, but versatile enough to play outfield and pitch, as well. Brendan Johnson just graduated and is a third baseman, but also will share time at other infield positions and pitch. Brett McDonald is a 2010 graduate that plays all positions, mostly left field, third base, and is yet another player that can pitch.

Eric McPherson recently graduated and has great speed in centerfield and on the bases, and can also pitch. Kyle Phillips is a junior at BC High and usually minds the second base position, but can also be seen pitching and in the outfield. Luca Venterosa recently graduated from SHS and is a right fielder and pitcher.

Steve Pike is another 2011 graduate, played for Catholic Memorial, and will attend Stonehill, this Fall. Pike will be an important pitcher. He’ll also see action at first base and in the outfield.

Sean O’Malley also recently graduated from SHS and will attend the University of Maine. O’Malley is touted to be one of the aces of the pitching staff and will also see action in the infield.

Brian Mokrisky is a 2010 graduate and is an outfielder and pitcher. Will McGrath is another solid young player. He will be a junior at Stoughton High School in the Fall and plays numerous positions and pitches.

Jay Distefano is a 2010 graduate and will play mostly at second, third and in the outfield. Mike Connelly will be junior at SHS in the Fall and will see action at first base, on the mound and behind the plate. Myles Comeau will be a junior at Blue Hills and is an outfielder.

Two extra players to watch out for is incoming senior Jamie Connors and the youngest player, Spencer Dennis, who will only be a sophomore. Both are SHS students.

“All the players on the roster have great versatility and can play many positions which helps us become a very deep team and allows me to do more during the games with our defense and lineup,” said Derochea.

Stoughton began its schedule with two home wins. The opener was a 5-4 walk-off victory over Holbrook Post 137.

Stoughton trailed 4-1 in the sixth inning. Kyle Connors was the starting pitcher and did well with little offensive support, going six innings, allowing only three earned runs and striking out eight batters. Connors was relieved by McDonald who pitched the seventh and got the win.

McPherson went three-for-four, scoring three runs and added two stolen bases. Jackman had two hits and Connors was the hero with the game winning, walk-off RBI.

This past Wednesday, Stoughton got its second win in as many games, a 4-2 victory over Jamaica Plain Post 76.

After Stoughton scored in the first, JP tied it in the second inning. Stoughton responded by retaking the lead in the second, with a single run, and two more in the third, to take a 4-1 lead. Pike went the first four innings and was relieved by O’Malley. Holbrook rallied in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 4-2 on a bases loaded walk.

O’Malley was relieved by Johnson, with the bases loaded and two outs, and was asked to get the last four outs. Johnson did just that, retiring the four batters that he faced to preserve the Stoughton victory.

Jackman had another solid effort with two hits, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Connors went two-for-three with two RBI’s and Phillips had two doubles and scored a run.

Against Weymouth, in the first road game of the season, this past Thursday, Stoughton came up on the short end of an 8-3 score against a perennial top team. Stoughton could only muster five hits and had three errors that led to four unearned runs.

The highlights for Stoughton included the continued solid play of Jackman, who went three-for-four with two runs scored and now has seven hits in three games. McDonald pitched a great game for Stoughton, going the distance and allowing only four earned runs against a vaunted Weymouth offense, striking out ten in the process.

Stoughton will next play a doubleheader at Milton on Saturday. Stoughton will then play at Morrissette (Quincy) on Monday before returning home to begin a home-and home with powerhouse Braintree on Tuesday at 5:50 p.m., followed the next night under the lights at Braintree.

Legion baseball is for players aged 19 and under and is the premier baseball league for the town level throughout the United States. Legion Baseball has been played in summers since 1925. The Stoughton Post 89 team is in the East Division of District 6 with eight other teams.

Teams play a tough schedule of 18 (seven inning) games over 27 days, from June 12 to July 8, with District Playoffs to follow amongst East and West divisions in each district. District winners then head out to he states and possible national competition, which takes the games into August.