Middleboro reaches D3 state finals with 10-1 win over Whittier

(Lynn)  A week ago Whittier committed five errors at Fraser Field against Newburyport in the D3 North semi-finals and still won, 6-2.

Today the Wildcats committed five errors at Fraser Field against Middleboro in the Division 3 state semi-finals and were not nearly as fortunate getting routed, 10-1, on a cloudy, drizzly Wednesday afternoon.

Middleboro (20-5) will be in Lowell on Saturday at Lelacheur Park facing Hopedale (21-3) for the D3 state title.

The Sachems had four tainted runs and a 4-1 lead before collecting five more runs in a three-error fifth inning to ice this one.

The pitching of Taylor Frazier (4 hits/7 K’s) and the tight Middleboro defense (one error) made the out-of-character performance by the Wildcats all the more noticeable.

Whittier (18-7) had won six straight before today’s game.

The Sachems have now won nine straight and eleven of their last twelve.  They are 15-2 in their last seventeen games and are averaging at least three runs each game.

The Whittier/Middleboro matchup was one in which either the bats of Whittier (27 runs in four tourney games) or the pitching of Middleboro (3 runs allowed in four tourney games) would prevail.

The Sachems pitching prevailed as junior Taylor Frasier faced only twenty-five batters which is four over the minimum.  Taylor recorded five of his seven K’s in the fifth and sixth innings.

Whittier got their run in the fourth inning.  Jaylin Deveau singled and took second on Paul Sances throwing error.  Ralph Francesconi’s single scored Jaylin.

The Sachems tallied a run (Neil Perry) in the first inning thanks to two walks and two wild pitches (starter Devan Doucette).

Middleboro added two more runs in the second inning.  An error (3B Jaylin Deveau), two steals, and a misplayed flyball to left enabled Taylor Frasier and Cody Braga to cross the plate.

In the third inning, Kevin Huscher singled, reached second on a fielder’s choice, and third on a wild pitch.  A sacrifice fly by Andrew Card brought Kevin home.

Three walks, three Whittier errors, and two Middleboro hits combined to give the D3 South champs five additional runs in the fifth inning.  The Wildcats turned a nice 6-4-3 double play in the inning but by then the damage was done.

Sophomore Kyle Flanagan pitched the sixth for Whittier.  Neil Perry reached on an error in that inning and was driven home by Alex Bean to garner the tenth Middleboro run.

Paul Sances and Cody Younger each had two RBI for Middleboro.  Neil Perry scored three runs and Kevin Huscher scored two runs for the winners.

Nate Frongillo, Jaylin Deveau, Ian Bates, and Ralph Francesconi had singles for the team from Haverhill.

The Wildcats had three different third basemen and each of them had an error.

Whittier had runners thrown out at first and at second.

The Wildcats were the champs of the Commonwealth Conference.

Middleboro won the Patriot Conference for the second straight year.

Middleboro boxscore

Whittier boxscore

(All of the pictures above and below enlarge considerably if you click on them.)