Jackman's Walk-Off Gives Stoughton High Baseball Big Win over Sharon

The Stoughton High baseball team (7-6) walked off with a win against the Sharon Eagles (8-6) by a score of 2-1 Monday afternoon, on a game-ending RBI double by senior captain Pat Jackman in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The win snaps a two-game losing streak and moves Stoughton three wins short of a tournament berth with seven games left to play this season.

Both Stoughton and Sharon received strong performances from their pitchers.

Stoughton's Will McGrath and Mike Gallagher split the game, with McGrath pitching the first four innings, and Gallagher relieving him for the last three. 

Sharon sent senior Jake Fishman to the mound, who suffered his second heartbreaking loss pitching against Stoughton this season.

Stoughton scored its first run in the bottom of the third inning when junior Kaleb Ballou singled to center field, and later came around and scored on a passed ball to give Stoughton a 1-0 lead.

Sharon tied the game at 1 in the top of the sixth inning when Fishman led off the inning with a single, and then came around to score when third baseman Frank Sullivan tripled to deep center to bring Fishman home.

Sharon threatened again in the top of the seventh inning with runners on first and second, but with two outs senior Mike Romaine made a huge catch in shallow left field, calling off Jackman, the shortstop, to end the inning.

Gallagher was the first to get on base in the bottom of the seventh when with one out he reached on a Fishman throwing error to first, advancing himself to second base. 

Sharon intentionally walked Pat Raeke to put runners on first and second, and create a potential force-out situation.

After Ballou flew out to center for the second out, Jackman stepped to the plate 0-3 on the day. On a 2-2 count Jackman crushed a ball to left center field scoring Gallagher, as the Knights piled on to the field to celebrate the victory.

After the game Stoughton coach Mike Armour talked about how McGrath and Gallagher were able to keep Stoughton in a position to be able to win this game.

"You know when Will stepped on the mound he was going to compete, and he threw four strong innings. He started to tire out a little bit, but he set the tone." 

Armour continued, "Being able to have other guys step up allowed us to have Mike Gallagher in the wings to really pick us up with three action packed innings at the end there."

Armour also complimented Sharon's pitcher. 

"You got to tip your cap to Jake Fishman. He is a great player they have over there." he said of the standout lefty.

Armour knew Jackman was due for the walk-off after having a rough day at the plate prior to that at bat.

"There is no one you would rather up in that moment. He is going to compete. That was with two strikes, and Pat is a seasoned hitter, so he was still tough, he just went with the pitch and put some nice pop on that." 

Armour added, "That was really big for the kids. We needed that . We have been kind of up and down. We still need to get the bats going a little better, but we will take [a walk-off win] all day."

Stoughton will next take the field when they host Foxboro, Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

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