Historic Baseball and Softball Matchups

By Brian Doherty, Milton's 350th Committee

Softball Matchup Milton High v Milton Academy

Sunday, April 15, 2012 will go down as a great day in the annals Milton sports history.  Early Sunday morning the girls took on the softball team at in a classic matchup which is believed to have been the first ever to celebrate for the Anniversary of the town. 

The game was scoreless through three innings when the Academy Mustangs took a 1 -0 lead in the top half of the fourth following an RBI single by outfielder Jamie Murray.  In the bottom half the lady Wildcats loaded the bases and scored two runs on an infield hit by Emily Brink with another run scoring on an errant throw to first.  High School was up 2 -1 after four innings.  In the bottom of the fifth inning Wildcat Haley Dunn doubled to left center knocking in two more runs to make it High School 4 – Academy 1.  After walking with one out on the bottom of the sixth inning High School outfielder Amy Maher came all the way around to score following a Mustang error. High School 5 – Academy 1.

In the final inning, the Academy’s Katelyn Courturier doubled with two runners on base closing the gap 5 -3 and the Mustang’s threatened to tie when Sarah Anderson singled her home and went to second on a wild pitch. But wildcat ace pitcher Sydney Fitzgerald held off the charging Mustangs and got a complete game victory for the Milton High. Final score High School 5 - Academy - 4.  Following the game, the Wildcat women were ecstatic about winning the 350^th Anniversary trophy and Coach Kelly Losi called the victory the highlight of their young season.  Coach Losi congratulated all her players for a fine victory and named Captains Sydney Fitzgerald and Christine Brink as well as Emily Brink and Haley Dunn stars of the game.

Baseball Matchup Milton High vs. Milton Academy

On Sunday afternoon, April 15 at 2PM the Milton High School Wildcats matched up against the Milton Academy Mustangs in the Town of Milton’s 350^th Anniversary historic baseball classic. The last time the two teams met each other for the town anniversary was 1962 when the High School defeated the Academy 6 -4 in the 300^th Anniversary game.  Before that the Academy handed Milton High a 7 -5 defeat in the 250^th Classic played in 1912.  Fittingly, Paul Dorsey, a legendary Milton High School athlete and coach of the 1962 high school team threw out the first pitch for Sunday’s game. The game was held at Curry College under a warm sun, a wind driven American flag and a sizable crowed on hand.

The Academy men struck first when Jake Farabee of Cicero, N.Y. hit a triple to drive in two runs in the first inning of play.  A leadoff walk and single followed by a wild pitch put the Academy ahead 3 – 0 in the top of the second and then Milton native Tyler Starks added to the Mustang lead by doubling home two more runs before the charge ended – Academy 5 – High School 0.  The Wildcats came storming back in the bottom of the third with four runs but the Academy onslaught proved too much for the High School hurlers.  Before it was over the Academy had amassed 15 runs to the High School’s 6 but the result was taken in stride by both teams considering the honor of playing in the 350^th Classic for the Town of Milton.  Stars of the game for the Academy included Tyler Starks (2 hits, 3 RBI and 1 run scored), and fellow Miltonians Jared Friedberg (2 hits, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored), Brooks English (triple and 3RBI), and Josh Ellis (2 hits, a run scored and 5 RBI).  Jesse Francese of Sharon picked up the win for the Mustangs with three strong innings in middle relief.

The Wildcat stars have nothing to look down about in this young season, giving their all after 27 innings of baseball in less than a week before this game.  Terrance Walsh (a double and 2 RBI), Paul Curran (triple, 2 RBI) and Derrick Curley (a double and 2 RBI) led the Milton challenge.  But the undefeated Mustangs showed they have plenty of punch this season and should be on to a very successful finish.  The Milton 350^th trophy was presented to Academy coach Matt Petherick and his players following the victory.

The Milton 350^th Anniversary Committee wishes to extend its sincerest congratulations to all players, coaches and athletic directors of Milton’s longtime historic sports rivals for playing in each of the softball and baseball classics in honor of Milton.  We wish you all success in your future athletic and academic endeavors.  We also are especially grateful to the entire staff at Curry College for making possible these two historic events.   The fields were in immaculate condition and the hospitality was as welcome as the weather.