Max Goodman (pictured) is all smiles standing at second following an RBI double. Photo by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Walpole Legion Post 14 traveled to Medfield Post 110 on Monday night looking to make it five consecutive wins to begin the 2021 season. Meanwhile, Medfield, which includes Dover-Sherborn players on its roster, entered at 1-2 and looked to climb back to .500.
Behind six strong innings of work by starter Drew Baacke, Medfield put an end to Walpole's winning streak with a resounding 10-0 victory in just six innings (slaughter rule).
Ben Leonard singled with one out in the bottom of the first before taking second on a passed ball. Leonard advanced over to third on a sacrifice fly by Sam Palmer and later came around to score, thanks to an RBI single Sam Kornet, putting Medfield ahead 1-0.
Baacke retired Walpole in order with a pair of strikeouts mixed around a groundout to short in the top of the second. The bottom half saw Medfield plate three more runs. Ryan Murray wore a pitch on the leg to lead off the inning, followed by a walk to Jack McDonald. Max Goodman then ripped a double down the right field line to score Murray and move McDonald over to third. Drew Cookson then cleared the bases with a single down the left field line to make it a 4-0 game. A hit-by-pitch by Matt Donahue moved Cookson to second before a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Dennis Folan then drove in Cookson with an RBI sacrifice fly to right to push Medfield's lead to 5-0 after two innings.
Walpole appeared to get a run back with two outs in the top of the third. Jake Preto led off the inning with a double and later advanced to third. Will Domineau then grounded a ball to short and appeared to beat the throw to first with Preto coming in to score. After initially being ruled safe, the umpires convened and called Preto out to end inning and take the run off the board, keeping the game at 5-0.
Medfield pushed its lead to 8-0 in the bottom of the fifth following three consecutive RBI singles by Palmer, Folan and Leonard with runners at first and second. Following a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, Cookson and Mike Gilio drew back-to-back walks. Matt Donahue then crushed a two-RBI double off the centerfield fence to score Cookson and Gilio as the final two runs, and the River Rats won 10-0 via slaughter rule.
For funny and incisive sports analysis as well as video highlights of games, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram handles @flano0.
