Wildcats Fall to Second-Seeded Duxbury in Baseball Playoffs

The Milton High School baseball team (14-8) was dropped from the MIAA South Sectional tournament on Monday night after a 3-4 loss to Duxbury (19-2) in a back-and-forth battle that featured few scoring chances for both teams.

After an inspired performance on June 4 when they eliminated Stoughton with a 5-0 rout, the Wildcats were ready to play. In their last 10 games, Milton only lost twice, both by just one run.

"I thought coming in, we were as good a baseball team as anybody," said Milton coach Ted Curley who added that Duxbury was the toughest team they'd face in the tournament.

The Green Dragons proved Curley right in the second inning; their only scoring frame. Senior Pat McWilliams led off with a solo homerun that just cleared the center field fence at Duxbury's Chandler Field.

Milton's Willie Archibald collected himself and struck out Greg O'Neal.  The Green Dragons' relentless onslaught was too much as the next two Duxbury batters knocked singles before DH Pat Sweeney launched a bomb over the left field wall to put his team up 4-0.

Like the last homerun, Archibald retired the next batter.

The next inning, the Wildcats took advantage of a few Duxbury mistakes to get on the scoreboard. Jeff Blout walked the first two batters of the third before Derek Curley singled to load the bases.

Mike Bortolotti reached first on an error that sent home James Eckel. Then, senior Mike Muse roped a single that scored two and put the Wildcats back in contention at 3-4.

On the next at bat, Archibald popped out for the second out. Bortolotti tagged up and headed home for a play at the plate. The senior was called out on a close play that would have tied the game with the winning run on base.

Curley chose not to comment on the play after the game. "It's just one of those things," said the coach.

After the third inning, both pitchers settled in and let very little get by.

"He really got going," Curley said of Blout, who pitched a compete game. "This kid is throwing about 88 (mph)."

It looked as though Milton might be able to revive the magic of the third inning at the top of the seventh. Kevin Lamere led off with a single, and was advanced by a well-placed Eckel bunt. Blout again gained his composure and knocked out the next three batters, stranding two runners.

Yesterday's contest was the final high school game for 10 Wildcats who graduated on Sunday.  Among the juniors who will be back next year are first basemen Kevin Lamere, DH Jack Davis, catcher Max Devin and pitcher Kerrigan Griffiths.