FRANKLIN — An undefeated season, a Massachusetts state championship and now a chance to compete against the best American Legion teams in the Northeast.
Franklin Post 75 will begin its quest for a regional title on Thursday at 2 p.m., taking on Bedford, New Hampshire at Fitton Field on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. Entering the tournament with a perfect 22-0 record, Franklin is one of eight state champions vying for a berth in the American Legion World Series.
Despite the flawless record, head coach Tyler Pasquarosa says his team has never allowed the winning streak to become the focus.
“We never talk about being undefeated or our record or anything like that,” Pasquarosa said. “We go into every night with a motto that it’s Franklin versus Franklin. We’re just playing against ourselves, making sure we’re playing up to our standard. If we do all those things, then we’ll get good results.”
That mindset has helped build one of the state’s premier American Legion programs. Franklin has now won three of the last five Massachusetts state championships, while its Junior Legion team also captured a state title this summer, marking what Pasquarosa believes is the first time both Franklin Legion teams have won state championships in the same season.
He credits much of the program’s sustained success to the foundation established by Franklin High School head coach Zach Brown.
“We’re extremely lucky,” Pasquarosa said. “All these kids play in Zach Brown’s program at Franklin High School. He’s a guy I have a tremendous amount of respect for. He kind of started the ‘Franklin versus Franklin’ mentality, and the kids adopted it well for the summer as well.”
Franklin’s roster also features talent that will continue playing at the collegiate level. State Tournament MVP Colin Mott is headed to Division I Sacred Heart University, while catcher Owen Miller will attend Salve Regina, shortstop Jack Sullivan is committed to Babson College, center fielder Sean Kryzak will play at Brandeis University and left fielder Gavin Heneghan is headed to Gordon College.
Mott has anchored Franklin’s pitching staff all season, but Pasquarosa says the team’s depth on the mound has been equally important—especially after losing one of its top starters before district tournament play.
Sophomore Aidan Clark was called up from the Junior Legion team and responded with a save and a win during the state tournament, including escaping a bases-loaded jam against Milford before pitching a scoreless eighth inning in the championship game. Pasquarosa also praised Owen Lewis, Cal McKenna, Brady Short and Ethan Edmonds for stepping into key pitching roles throughout the postseason.
Franklin’s toughest tests of the season came in the Massachusetts State Championship against Milford, with the two rivals battling through a pair of tightly contested games before Franklin secured the title.
“There’s a lot of history between Franklin and Milford,” Pasquarosa said. “Their lineup is one of the best lineups we faced. Their pitching has more depth than any team we faced this year. It really came down to Franklin making really good plays in high-pressure situations and coming up with timely hits.”
Pasquarosa believes those pressure-filled games will serve his team well as the competition only intensifies at the regional tournament.
As for Thursday’s opponent, Bedford, New Hampshire, Franklin has done its homework. Pasquarosa credited assistant coaches, Steve Sloan and father, Mike Pasquarosa for helping scout opponents and prepare the team, while emphasizing that Franklin’s biggest focus remains its own execution.
“With the internet now, you can get a lot of different information,” Pasquarosa said. “But it really comes back to Franklin versus Franklin.”
Franklin opens Northeast Regional play against Bedford, New Hampshire at 2 p.m. Thursday, with the tournament continuing through Sunday, Aug. 9. The regional champion will advance to the American Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina.
