Hingham Legion Baseball's Special Run

The Hingham Baseball team made believers out of many of their fans this summer. After getting off to a horrible start, Hingham turned their season around and almost won the South Sectional.

A Dreadful Start

It wasn’t pretty at the beginning of June, Hingham Post #120 looked lost from the beginning.  On June 10, they were blown out at Cronin Field by Wareham Post #220 by a score of 14-7.  Two days later they were officially slaughtered  again at home, this time to Brockton by a score of 12-0.  “They got off to a rough start and everyone said they weren’t going to make the playoffs,” said Hingham Head Coach Vin Murray.

But Murray along with assistant coach Rick Carlson never had a doubt that his team would quit.

The Comeback Kids

With the regular season ending, Hingham Legion Post #120 needed to win their final game to make the playoffs. In pressure situations, Hingham played well this year . Coach Murray said they were 5-0 in one run games.  Going into the final game, they were in a close race in the standings with Marshfield and Hawkeye for the final two playoff spots.  In a close game, Hingham’s PJ Falvey hit a huge 3- run home run and Hingham never looked back against Duxbury.  The Hingham Legion Baseball team finished in a three-way tie for seventh, eighth and ninth place with Hawkeye and Marshfield and since Hingham and Hawkeye both defeated Marshfield, Hingham received the number eight seed.

Hingham Stuns Brockton in three games.

The No.8  ranked Hingham Post #120  stunned the No.1 ranked Brockton team in the first round of the playoffs by defeating them 2-1 in a three game series.

“ It was Absolutely phenomenal,” Coach Murray said.  “It was the biggest upset in the history of our zone.  No one ever thought we’d beat them.”

Hingham won the first game by slaughter rule, 17-6.  They lost the second game 12-2.  In game three they were trailing 6-5 in the sixth inning when they made another comeback. 

“They needed runs and they did it, “ Murray said. “And that’s why I give my kids so much credit because they come back from adversity.”

Hingham scored 7 runs late in the game to defeat Brockton 12-9, knocking them out of the tournament.

The Future

Hingham would go on to the South Sectional only to be knocked out of the tournament by Norwood in the twelfth inning.

Coach Murray believes this team has a bright future as almost everyone is expected to return next season.

Murray pointed out how great Sean Greene was.  He remembered Alex Pompeo’s four hits and 3-run home run against Brockton in game one of the playoffs was great and another guy who was tremendous was Al Pompeo  huge 3 run homer in first game  against Brockton.  He pointed out Falvey’s   3 run triple game against Brockton.  He remembers solid defense played by shortstop Chuckie Flowers and second baseman Mark Mainini.  He was impressed by the coaching moves of Carlson at third base.

“They all really just believe in each other all year long,” Murray said.  “We won everyone of our 1-run games.  We’ve been down so many times this year.  They always found way to come back.  They  really believe they can win no matter what the odds are.”