Medfield American Legion Season Ends in 2-0 Loss To Cohasset

Facing elimination, the Medfield American Legion baseball team did everything it needed to keep its season alive but win in a 2-0, season-ending loss to Cohasset in Game 2 of the District 6 American Legion Baseball playoffs Wednesday at Schilling Field.

“That’s great playoff baseball,” said Medfield head coach James Lagos. “That is fantastic baseball. Couldn’t ask for anything more other than victories. Flip it and new results twice for us but I couldn’t ask for anything more. That was just two good teams that battled. In the end they won.”

The game was called after Medfield’s Mark Poli struck out to end the seventh inning because of darkness. Post 110 managed just two hits off Cohasset starter Casey Burns, who finished with five strikeouts. Burns kept Medfield hitters off-balance in a complete game, shutout effort.

“We had two hits,” Lagos said. “I don’t care who you play, two hits nine out of 10 times isn’t going to do it. Then again, I’ve said it all year long, baseball is just not fair. Tip your hat to them, that kid [Burns] threw 100-something pitches and he kept us off-balance all night long and they made the plays.”

Sam Jordan toed the rubber for Medfield and went six strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six. Jordan was able to escape a first-inning jam (runners on second and third) but wasn’t as fortunate in the top of the fourth.

Cohasset’s Jeffery Cavanaro led the inning off with a single past Medfield’s TJ Valente at third base. Jordan got David Podurgiel to ground out to Valente, who threw on to second base to get the lead runner. Cohasset’s Jamie Timothy followed with a bloop single over the head of Medfield’s shortstop, Brian McCloud and Jordan walked Shane Haggerty to load the bases. Jordan struck out Post 118’s next batter, Patrick Stewart but Richard Roach singled up the middle between McCloud and second baseman Jim Magrath with two outs to plate two runs and provide the game’s only offense.

“[Jordan] put the fire out but it was one ball here and one bounce there,” Lagos said. “It was tough for us. We were that unlucky bunch that [those bad bounces] happen to. I tell the guys losers let things happen, winners make things happen, but we are not losers because we put ourselves into position and then they hit seeing-eyes [singles] and everything else. It’s just those things.”

Medfield’s lone threat against Burns came in the bottom of the sixth inning. McCloud opened the inning with a walk and Poli came in to pinch run for him. Mike Keleher then pinch hit for Nick Santangelo and sent a Burns' pitch deep to left field that had a chance to fall for extra bases but was ultimately tracked down and caught by Cohasset’s left fielder.

“I told him before [the at-bat], I said, ‘Michael, nobody deserves what they get more than you,’” Lagos said. “Nobody deserves it more than him. He deserves everything he gets and everything he has coming.”

James Sullivan drew a walk after Keleher’s fly out to put runners on first and second. Magrath then lined a ball off Cohasset’s first baseman’s glove for an infield single to load the bases with one out. Burns buckled down and struck out Will Cousins and forced Jordan to ground out to first base to end the inning.

Medfield’s Kyle Latosek replaced Jordan in the top of the seventh inning and worked around a lead-off walk to retire Cohasset in order, forcing an inning-ending double play.

With daylight all but gone, Post 110 had one last opportunity to keep its season alive but aside from a Valente walk could not string anything together against Burns in the final frame.

The loss ended Medfield’s season as Cohasset defeated Post 110, two games to none in the best-of-three District 6 playoff series. Cohasset beat Medfield 4-3 Tuesday in game one at Cohasset High School.

Despite the season-ending defeat, Lagos said he was “happy” with the team’s overall play this summer.

“We had a very long talk heading into this series about doing things the right way,” said Lagos. “Losing five out of six down the stretch and then bouncing back, down in Cohasset, that tells a lot about the guys. I told them tonight, I said ‘it’s all about what you do. If there’s a hurdle there are you going to jump it or are you going to go around it? Fight or flight.’ It’s the number one thing you’ll have in life. Baseball is great, it’s a game, nothing ever goes wrong, it just doesn’t go the way you want it. We came to life, we came together as a team. All year long we have been talking about how this team is a family and we stayed together.”

Medfield ends the year with an 11-9 record (11-7 regular season) and a third-place finish in the District 6 West Division standings. Cohasset moves on to the next round of the American Legion Baseball tournament. 

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