Navigating the Division 1 South bracket is tricky enough, but to do so while allowing just three runs in four games is particularly impressive.
That’s what the Taunton baseball team accomplished on Saturday at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton with a 6-1 win over Hockomock League rival Attleboro to claim the first sectional title in program history.
Junior Nic Notarangelo knocked in three runs while Logan Lawrence and Josh Lajoie combined to frustrate the Blue Bombadiers lineup in advancing to the state semifinals to face either Lincoln-Sudbury or Andover on Tuesday at Alumni Field in Lowell.
“Honestly, this is the best feeling I have had in a while,” said Notarangelo. “We haven’t won much over the last few years. The first round has been our enemy. It feels so good break through and go all the way to a sectional championship.”
Taunton (19-7) took control with a three-run second inning, stringing together four straight singles before Notarangelo ripped a two-run triple with one out for a 3-0 lead. The Tigers, who swept the regular season series with a Blue Bombadiers, added another run in the third when Lawrence tripled and was squeezed in by Jared Roderick.
Attleboro (14-10) had its chances against Lawrence, loading the bases in both the third and fourth, but only managed one run on a passed ball, helped by a pair of outstanding plays by shortstop Ty Cali.
Taunton added single runs in the fourth and sixth on RBI singles from Lucas Martins and Notarangelo, which was plenty of insurance for Lajoie as the senior right-hander worked three scoreless frames to close it out.
“All year our pitching has been our strength and that is what we have kind of relied on,” said Taunton coach Blair Bourque. “Early in the season I think we had a lot of close games where our offense kind of struggled and our pitching kept us in games. Going in, this was going to be how we win ballgames is our pitching staff, and if we could scrap in a couple runs here and there and our pitchers do what they do best, we were confident.”
