The Hopkinton High School baseball team punched its ticket to the Division 2 South sectional championship game with a 7-2 victory over visiting North Attleboro in Friday’s semifinal.
Hopkinton next will play at second-seeded Milton on Monday at 4 p.m. [Editor’s note: The start time has been changed to 5 p.m.]
As was the case in their two previous postseason wins, the Hillers were led by their pitching. This time it was Conor Kelly. The senior pitched a complete game, with the only blemish a two-run single in the sixth inning.
By that time Hopkinton was comfortably ahead. Kelly started the Hillers’ decisive five-run rally in the third inning. Hopkinton started the frame by loading the bases as Kelly reached on an infield single, Ronnie Shamus singled to center and Dylan Locke was hit by a pitch. Nick Paharik (who also made a couple of nice plays defensively at third base) then singled to left to drive in a run, Matt Cooper followed with a bases-loaded walk for an RBI, and Cam Jerrett singled to left to make it 3-0. Scottie Pagliuca followed with a two-run single to center for a 5-0 Hopkinton lead.
In the fourth inning, Locke drilled a ball over the outfielders’ heads in left-center for an RBI triple, scoring Shamus, who had singled. Locke eventually scored on a fielder’s choice by Jerrett.
That proved to be more than enough for Kelly and the Hillers (15-3), who now have allowed only four runs in three postseason games.
Boys tennis falls in sectional final
In other tournament action Friday, the HHS boys tennis team fell to host Duxbury, 4-1, in the Division 2 South sectional final.
Girls tennis visits Wellesley on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Division 1 South sectional final.
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