Medford High baseball team ready for tourney time

The Mustangs continue to master the possibilities on the baseball diamond.

Fresh off winning its first Greater Boston League title in a decade, the Medford High baseball team hope to slide into the state tournament with equal effectiveness.

The No. 36 seed, Medford (13-7) play No. 29 Brookline (12-8), in preliminary round action of the MIAA Division 1 State Tournament Friday, May 30 at Parson’s Field, on the campus of Northeastern University. The winner earns the right to face No. 4 King Philip (17-4) in first round action next week.

It’s another ambitious test that Medford coach Orazio Azzarello and his squad will face this season.

“I know Brookline plays in a tough league and each game they play is always competitive,” said Azzarello. “It should be a great game.”

Azzarello is no stranger to facing this kind of adversity. He first joined the Medford High staff as pitching coach in 2012, before serving as interim head coach in 2021. Since taking the head coaching reigns full time in 2022, he’s continued to lead the Mustangs in an upwards trajectory. The team won four games in 2022, improving to six and eight victories over the next two seasons.

This year, the Mustangs hit double figures compiling a 13-7 overall record. In the process, they took the Greater Boston League by storm going 12-2, clinching their first GBL title since 2015.

“We’ve built this team from the ground up,” said Azzarello. “We had two goals that the team spoke about since last year, the tournament bid and GBL title. We were able to get them both.”

Leading the way for Medford this season has been senior tri-captains Justin Marino, Rocco Pucci and Mike Piccolo.

The power trio have provided plenty of pop at the plate. Pucci is hitting.333 with 18 hits. Piccolo has made solid contact batting at a .309 clip with 17 hits and nine stolen bases. Marino has also been a mainstay batting in the cleanup spot.

“Each captain has different leadership roles, but are well respected by their teammates,” said Azzarello. “They’re like having additional coaches.”

They front an impressive lineup with lead-off man Travers Moodie setting the table. A junior pitcher/shortstop, Moodie made his mark both on the mound and the plate. He’s currently second on the team in hitting (.375), with 21 hits and a team-high six doubles.

Junior John Wright leads the squad with a team-high .414 average and 24 hits. The pitcher/corner infielder has been an RBI machine with 15, along with a team-best 22 runs scored. A returning veteran, junior catcher Dave Crohan has also come through in the clutch.

Newcomers Jayden Burns and Alex Gazzola have been welcomed additions. A junior third baseman, Burns has thrived at the hot corner playing elite-level defense.  A senior rightfielder, Gazzola found his niche with a team-high three triples and 12 stolen bases.

On the mound, Moodie, Wright and Pucci anchor the starting rotation. A workhorse, Moodie has gone a perfect 6-0 nailing down with three saves. The righthander has surrendered just three earned runs in 41 innings, with 54 strikeouts. Wright sports a 3-2 mark with 34 punchouts in 32.1 innings. Pucci has been consistent pitching 22 frames, getting Medford out of plenty of jams. Freshman Jaren Sanchez, Mike Morando and Crohan provide sweet relief when needed.

Together, these Mustangs have forged some unforgettable moments. From a pair of wins over archrivals Malden, to overcoming a 6-3 deficit to defeat Lynn English, 9-6, keeping them in contention for the GBL crown. Sanchez nailed down a hard-fought 7-5 road win against Woburn to clinch their ticket to the tourney. 

Azzarello credits the tireless work of coaches Mike Nestor Jr, Charlie Pagliarulo Sr., Cory Bright, Nick Longo and Cam Quinlan, with getting the Mustangs at full gallop.

As they gear up for Friday, he remains positive. 

“Focus, but also understand to enjoy the moment,” said Azzarello. “It’s an exciting time of year.”