Stoughton High Baseball Unable to Stop Canton Bulldogs

The small gnat-like bugs swarming the baseball field Friday afternoon at were a nuisance, but for Stoughton High the biggest pest was Canton’s shortstop Drew Blake. He had five RBIs in the Bulldogs’ 6-3 win over the Black Knights.

With the win Canton improves to 3-6, while Stoughton falls to 1-7.

Trailing Stoughton 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Blake stepped up with the bases loaded and hit a bases-clearing triple to deep right center field, scoring Mike Hallett, Mike Oldenberg and Andrew Vinciguerra to give the a 4-2 lead.

“It was huge,” Canton Head Coach Junior Medina said of Blake’s triple. “From there it built us some confidence, got us moving a little more, got the guys a little more pumped up.”

Then, after Stoughton cut the deficit to 4-3 in the top of the sixth, Blake came through again, this time with a double to left center field, plating Oldenberg and Vinciguerra, to give Canton some insurance heading into the final inning.

For Stoughton coach Mike Armour, the difference in the game was execution.

“They got it done, we didn’t. That’s pretty much it. We have to be better,” he said. “Someone’s got to step up and get the big hit when we need it. Right now we don’t have guys doing that.”

Stoughton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Alex Fernandes scored on an RBI single from Sean O’Malley. Canton answered in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.

Frankie Morris scored in the top of the fourth to give Stoughton a 2-1 lead, but then Blake did his damage for Canton.

In the top of the sixth, Morris led off the inning with a double to deep right center field and came around to score when Atticus Rentch singled, bringing Stoughton within one.  Will McGrath then singled, putting two men on with one out, but Hallett pitched Canton out of the jam, with some assistance from his outfield.

Hallett retired Stoughton in order in the top of the seventh, recording the first complete game of the season for a Canton pitcher. He was economical, throwing just 91 pitches.

Mike Gallagher pitched 5 and 2/3 innings for Stoughton, with Brian Kaplan getting one out in relief.

Morris led the Stoughton offense with a single, double and two runs scored. McGrath singled, walked and had a stolen base.

With the loss, Stoughton is now riding a six-game losing streak.

“We’re hanging in there,” Armour said. “When you’re losing games, it’s not fun. I’m not happy, nobody’s happy—I hope nobody’s happy, because I’m not.”

The Black Knights look to rebound Monday at King Philip (3:30 p.m. start). Canton hosts Attleboro Monday at 3:30 p.m.