Canton A’s in dogfight for last playoff spot

With a recent stretch of five consecutive victories, the Canton A’s have vaulted into position for the sixth and final playoff spot in the nine-team Cranberry League. A key doubleheader with Plymouth, which sits just a half-game back, will be held this Sunday at CHS and will likely decide who will earn the last playoff spot.

As of Monday afternoon Canton stood at 8-11-1, while Plymouth was right behind at 7-11-1. In addition to the doubleheader, Canton was also due to travel to fourth-place Weymouth (11-9) on July 17 and will end the regular season next Tuesday against Weymouth at home. The first round of the playoffs starts next Thursday, July 26.

A’s head coach Kee Arguimbau said consistent pitching and timely hitting and the ability to manufacture runs have been the keys to the team’s recent success. The A’s also have one of the league’s top pitchers in Tyler Hitchcock, who is 5-0 with an earned run average under 1.00.

In a 4-0 win over Middleboro last week, Hitchcock pitched a complete-game one hitter while striking out four batters. John Garabedian, who leads the team with a batting average over .300, finished with a triple and a single. Joe Belmosto added two hits and two RBIs, and Alex Posch also drove in a run.

In last week’s 6-2 win over Rockland, pitcher Drew Larusso threw a complete game, scattering five hits and striking out six as Canton won its fifth in a row. Sean Keady was the sparkplug on offense with three doubles and two RBIs, and catcher Chris Puliafico also knocked in a pair of runs with a double.

Canton’s winning streak eventually came to an end on Sunday, as the A’s dropped both games of a doubleheader against first-place Braintree (18-2). In the first game, Nick Radcliffe pitched a complete game, but the A’s could not rebound from a 3-0 hole against a powerful Braintree lineup and eventually lost 5-2. Belmosto and Brian Williams both had RBI hits, while Keady and Garabedian had two hits apiece.

In the second game, starting pitcher Giovani Abreau kept the A’s close through four innings, but Zack Walker had trouble in the fifth and Arguimbau had to put himself in the game to finish as the team ran out of pitchers. Chuck Erickson hit a long double, knocking in two runs, and Garabedian threw out a runner at the plate with a long, accurate throw from centerfield. Steve Perry, a Pembroke High School student and one of the youngest players in the Cranberry League, had his first hit playing for Canton.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jul 18 2012. Filed under Beyond CHS, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.