Legion Post 24 team clinging to playoff hopes

With less than a week remaining in the regular season, the Canton American Legion Post 24 baseball team needs to win all of its remaining five games and hope that fifth-place Medfield loses some games in order for Canton to seize the final playoff spot.

As of Monday morning, July 9, Canton was tied with Brookline for sixth place, with a key battle looming Monday night against Medfield at CHS.

Canton was also due to travel to Needham on Tuesday and Brookline on Friday. The team’s other two remaining games are next Monday at home against Norwood and next Tuesday at Westwood (Xaverian HS).

Last week, Canton went 3-2 to improve its record to 8-9 overall, with wins over Norfolk, Brookline, and Foxboro. The team also lost to Foxboro 4-0 in an upset and then lost a heartbreaker to division-leading Norwood 6-5.

“We really have to win all of our remaining games and hope the teams above us lose a few,” acknowledged head coach Greg Lyons. “That’s why we were so aggressive on the bases against Foxboro. Every at-bat matters; every time we get on base matters; every run is important.

“When we don’t make any errors, get good pitching and timely hitting, we can beat anyone,” added Lyons.

Against Norwood on Saturday night, Canton appeared to be well on its way to a very exciting win as the visitors had a 5-1 lead going into the seventh inning with the team’s best pitcher, Dave Roberto, coming on in relief for Jimmy Fitzgerald, who pitched brilliantly for six innings, allowing just four hits and one unearned run.

Unfortunately, three Canton errors opened up the floodgates for Norwood in the seventh and spoiled a fine offensive game for Canton. Jake Fishman had three hits, two RBIs and a stolen base, while Justin Rudy and Drew Blake both had two RBIs. Nate Pedersen and Dan Friedman also chipped in with key hits.

With the playoffs on the line, Canton responded with an aggressive base-running attack Sunday against Foxboro, using several delayed steals and at times confusing the Foxboro defense.

With Canton trailing 1-0 in the top of the third, Blake tied the game with an RBI single and then took off for second on a delayed steal. Fishman scored on the play and Canton never trailed again. Other runs were delivered by Matt Potts, Colin Gray, Blake, and Friedman.

Fishman also had an outstanding day on the mound, notching his second complete game and second win of the week while finishing with five strikeouts. First baseman Pedersen made a pair of outstanding over-the-shoulder catches on two foul popups.

Pedersen also delivered the big hit — a three-run homerun — in the team’s 5-3 win over Norfolk earlier in the week. Fishman gave up four hits and struck out seven batters. Key hits were delivered by Blake, Friedman, Brennan Sullivan, Rudy, and Potts.

Potts was the hero against Brookline as he knocked in both runs with a seventh-inning double to give Roberto a 2-1 victory. Roberto went the distance in that game, striking out seven batters. Canton had seven hits, including two by Fitzgerald and others by Blake, Friedman, Steve Mullaney, and Sullivan.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jul 11 2012. Filed under Beyond CHS, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.