Medford High baseball team falls to King Phillip in D1 State Tournament

It’s been said that all good things must come to an end.

Unfortunately for the Mustangs baseball team, that end came Sunday afternoon at King Phillip High School.

Warriors catcher Leo Dowling went 2-for-3, driving in three RBI, as No. 36 Medford High (14-8) fell to No. 4 King Phillip, 9-0, in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 State Tournament.

Medford originally advanced after bumping off No. 29 Brookline, 8-6, in preliminary round action Friday. Jayden Burns provided a clutch two-run double in that classic comeback.

However, the Mustangs were unable to conjure any more magic against King Phillip senior Cam Hasenfus. The burly right-handed hurler held Medford’s lineup in check retiring the first six hitters he faced, including a perfect nine-pitch inning to open the game.

“We played a very good team today,” said Medford coach Orazio Azzarello. “Fundamentally they were sound. They made their plays We had our opportunities, but we didn’t get the big hit when we needed it. All year we’ve been executing, today we just did not. Hats off to King Phillip. They’re No. 4 in the state for a reason.”

The Warriors ace, Hasenfus pitched six shutout innings of three-hit ball, walking none, while fanning seven.

“From the start, Cam was having a good day on the mound throwing nine straight strikes,” said King Phillp coach Jeff Plymton. “He was solid.”

Medford threatened in the top of the third, with three consecutive hitters reaching base. Mike Morando laced a single to shallow right appearing to put runners in scoring position.

But King Phillip right fielder Brady Herlin had other ideas, pegging Medford senior tri-captain Mike Piccolo out at third with a 9-5 putout. And when centerfielder Johnny Prater robbed Travers Moodie of extra bases with diving catch the threat was squashed.

“We said we were going to be aggressive at the beginning of the game to try to get a run anyway we could,” said Azzarello. “Hats off to their right fielder for making a great throw. He got us there.”

The defensive gems seemed to spark King Phillip, sending nine men to the plate during a three-run rally. Dowling delivered the biggest blow lacing a two-run single to grab the 2-0 lead. The backstop added an insurance run with an RBI single scoring Alex Lutfy in the fourth and never looked back.

“We bounced Leo around the lineup, but we know he’s got a good bat,” said Plympton. “He came up in some clutch situations and calls all the pitches behind the plate. He’s a tremendous athlete.”

KP added two runs in the fifth, and three more in the sixth to seal the deal.

Medford was unable to generate much of a counterattack against Hasenfus. Mustang senior tri-captain senior tri-captain Justin Marino launched a two-out standup triple in the fourth, generating some buzz. But it was all too brief.

The pitcher retired the next seven hitters he faced, with Prater making another circus catch denying Dave Crohan of extra bases in the middle of the sixth.

“We knew their background was pitching,” said Azzarello. “And they made their plays behind them. We wish them the best, but the Mustangs put up a fight.”

Medford senior co-captain Rocco Pucci made a great defensive stab in the first with a runner at second. He snared a Drew Herlin liner, before doubling off Vinny Menendez, completing a relay throw to shortstop Justin Marino for the inning-ending double play.

Despite the loss, the Mustangs held their heads high.

Azzarello 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.

“This team really came together,” he said. “I know they’ll be back next year.”