Legion baseball hoping to recapture magic of ’17

Although much younger than last year’s squad, the 2018 American Legion Post 24 baseball team returns some key veterans, a deep pitching staff, and several talented homegrown players. Despite losing the opening game 5-4 Sunday night in Weymouth, the team showed glimpses of good defense, clutch hitting, and a patient approach at the plate.

Last year’s team went the furthest that any Canton American Legion team had ever gone in the playoffs, advancing to the District 6 semifinals before losing in extra innings to Quincy. Canton also defeated the eventual league champs, Braintree, three times over the course of the season and finished with an overall record of 15-9.

Coming from the CHS baseball roster are .400 hitter Matt Casamento, Nate Quan, Matt Pigeon and Rob Wilkinson. Other players from Canton include Andrew Bryant, Justin Wenstrom, Andew Spinella, Robert Sullivan, and Steven Walker. Sharon players include Aidan Arnold, Noah Kamens, Jake Marglous, Spencer Singer, Max Tarlin and Brad Zonghetti. Stoughton natives are Ruben Gonzalez-Torres, Pat Hagerty and Matthew Hadley.

In Sunday’s season opener, Tarlin drew the start on the mound and pitched well, giving up four runs in six innings as Weymouth scored the winning run on a passed ball. Canton came back from a 3-0 deficit with a bases-loaded double by Casamento and a single by Sullivan. Quan made two good defensive plays at shortstop.

Canton did have some communication issues with popups and fly balls. But head coach Greg Lyons believes his team has plenty of talent and just needs some time to jell. “We have a pretty solid all-around team. Time will tell,” he said.

Tarlin, Wikinson, Kamens, Bryant and Sullivan will be used as starting pitchers with Zonghetti coming on in relief.

Canton plays in the District 6 East Division, which includes Weymouth, Braintree, Cohasset, Dedham, Holbrook, Hyde Park and Quincy. This week’s schedule includes a home game Thursday (today) against Hyde Park and an away game Friday at Dedham Memorial Field at 7:45 p.m. The team will then travel to play Quincy next Wednesday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. at Adams Field.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Jun 16 2018. Filed under Beyond CHS, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.