Baseball team still in contention for D3 playoffs

With three games to go and a 3-14 record, the CHS baseball team still has a chance to make the Division 3 south sectional tournament if the Bulldogs can win one of their two remaining games against D3 opponents this week.

Senior Justin Rudy (Mike Barucci photo)

Canton can enter the tournament, which begins after Memorial Day, with a win over Dedham at home on May 21 or a win over Cardinal Spellman at home on Friday, May 24. The Bulldogs beat Dedham last week 14-7 but lost to Cardinal Spellman 7-1 in Brockton earlier in the season. Canton was also due to face Stoughton at home on May 20.

Under MIAA rules, teams that play a majority of their games against higher division opponents can still make the playoffs if they finish .500 or better against teams in their own division, regardless of overall record.

Besides the win against Dedham last week, the Bulldogs also fell to Sharon 8-5 and lost a tough one to Foxboro 1-0 despite a stellar pitching performance by Sam Larson.

In the Foxboro game, Larson shut down 21 of 23 batters he faced and allowed just two hits while striking out seven batters. Head coach JP Scott said he decided to let pitching coach Greg Lyons call the pitching selections. “I think it really helped Sam get confidence in throwing all three of his pitches,” said Scott.

Against Dedham, Canton’s Jimmy Fitzgerald pitched a complete game, allowing five earned runs on five hits while striking out seven batters and walking two. The difference was Canton’s hitting attack, led by Justin Rudy, who went 3 for 3 with two runs and a stolen base, and Kevin O’Brien, who was 1 for 3 with two RBIs, four runs scored, and three stolen bases.

In the loss to Sharon, Pat Vartanian pitched five innings and allowed three hits, three runs and struck out two. He also chipped in offensively with two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Kevin Powers also delivered a hit which scored two runs.

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Posted by Mike Berger on May 23 2013. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.