MILFORD — Milford Post 59 continued its remarkable turnaround at the Massachusetts American Legion Baseball State Tournament on Tuesday afternoon, defeating Hyde Park Post 78 11-3 in an elimination game at Fino Field to advance to the championship round.
After opening the tournament with a loss to Franklin, Milford has caught fire offensively, scoring 52 runs over its last 17 innings while eliminating Northampton, Leominster, and Hyde Park to earn a spot in Wednesday’s championship round.
Milford wasted little time taking control, scoring two runs in the second inning and adding two more in the third to build a 4-0 lead. Hyde Park answered with two runs in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth to pull within 5-3, but Milford put the game away with three runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to secure the eight-run victory.
The Milford lineup produced 12 hits and drew eight walks, with several players turning in big offensive performances.
Gavin Metcalf led the charge, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Jackson Fournier finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Matt Pedroli collected two hits and drove in two runs. Ben Maiorano added an RBI double, Sam Schoenberg scored twice and drove in a run, and Joey McGee crossed the plate twice while collecting an RBI.
On the mound, Cole McGovern earned the victory, allowing three runs, just one earned, on three hits over four innings, striking out three. Brady Wajda was dominant in relief, tossing two hitless innings, while Jackson Fournier closed out the seventh to complete the win.
Hyde Park managed just three hits in the contest. Richie Curran, Jayden Lopez, and Jack Giordano each recorded a hit, while Colin Roache and Kevin Mills drove in the team’s two RBIs.
With the victory, Milford advances to the championship round, where Post 59 will face the winner of Tuesday night’s matchup between Franklin Post 75 and Sandwich Post 188. Hyde Park’s tournament run comes to an end after victories over Greenfield and Leominster before reaching the tournament’s final four.
