Legion Post 24 team is in the playoff hunt

Halfway through the season, the Canton American Legion Post 24 baseball team finds itself in the playoff hunt with a 4-5 record through Sunday night, June 27. Canton is currently in seventh place and just a game away from the fifth spot. The top five teams at the end of the regular season on July 9 will make the playoffs.

It was an unusual day for Canton on Sunday as the team split a doubleheader with Franklin. The first game was delayed after fans and ballplayers were caught in traffic on Rte. 95 because of an oil truck turnover. Then the game was called as a forfeit in Canton’s favor when the head umpire threw out both Franklin coaches for vociferously arguing an alleged balk, even though Canton catcher Chris Puliafico and the Franklin batter had asked for a timeout.

Canton was ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning when the umpire called the forfeit. The second game started two hours later with Canton losing 14-7 despite leading 7-6 in the fourth inning.

Earlier in the week, Canton beat Medfield 8-7 and Needham 10-5, but lost to Walpole 14-0.

Legion head coach Junior Medina said the team is playing better and is much more aggressive at the plate. He was particularly pleased with the team’s aggressive base running in the first Franklin game as Trevor Boyce and John McGonigle executed a perfect squeeze play for the game’s first run. Boyce had two hits and two stolen bases before the third inning and Adam Freedman knocked in two with a long double. Canton pitcher Dan Friedman pitched well through three innings, striking out three batters.

In the win over Medfield, the game seesawed back and forth with Canton finally pushing across the winning runs on RBI hits by Brennan Sullivan and Brad Asnes. Reliever Rob McCarty pitched the seventh inning to post a win. The Legion team had a good hitting attack with Garrett Ewanouski, Dave Krakovsky, and Dave Zabinsky each collecting two hits, and Boyce, Sullivan, Friedman, Asnes, and Adam Abboud each getting an RBI.

In the win over Needham, Friedman threw four and two thirds of an inning for the victory. Boyce had three hits and two RBIs, Zabinsky had two hits and three RBIs, and Matt Bernstein had two hits and an RBI.

Canton had a busy week before the July 4 holiday with games against Dedham and Norfolk, and a doubleheader tomorrow in South Norwood beginning at 6 p.m.

After the holiday, Canton resumes the final part of the regular season schedule with an away game July 5 at 5:55 p.m. against Walpole, and home games July 6 against Foxboro and July 7 against Westwood. The final regular season game is Friday, July 9, at Needham at 7 p.m.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jul 1 2010. Filed under Beyond CHS, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.