Framingham Earns Baystate A Division Championship

Managed by Rob Marifiote and assistant coaches Jim Gavagan and Bob Modica, Framingham 12 year old boys took home the grand prize, the Baystate A Division Championship.

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Over 28 games, the team had record of 21-7 (tied with the most wins), batting average of .350, 40 Home Runs, 235 total hits, 212 Runs For and 109 Runs Against as they powered their way through each round. They had strong pitching to go along with their powerful offense as well.

Team members were Jarrod Marifiote, Jake Modica, Michael Gavagan, Jake Brockway, Sam Phipps, Michael Gill, Joey Tramontozzi, Patrick Watton, Brendan Wilcox, Mason Witherow, Craig Tucker and Simon Cahill-Farella

Round 1: Framingham started out very strong going 5-1 and took home the Gold trophy behind 6 shutout innings from Tucker vs. Brookline White and  Modica and Cahill-Farella only allowed 1 run while scoring 12 runs total through both days.

Round 2: Still on a high from winning Gold in Round 1, Framingham lost the opener to Melrose 12-6 and started Round 2 with a 1-2 record also losing to Andover Gold. Wilcox, pitched a solid game while Watton (3rd) and Gill (1st) hit HRs. They showed great resilience by winning the next 3 games to finish 4-2 and made it to Round 2 trophy weekend. Faced with untimely vacations, they played a Wilmington team that was well rested after not playing in Round 1. Framingham lost a tough one 13-0, getting shutout for the 1st time all summer walking away empty handed.

Round 3: After missing an opportunity to collect another trophy, Framingham wanted to start round 3 with a win. It was not the case as they lost a tough one to Medford 11-10 in a rain-drenched game that included 5 HRs in the Game. 2 by Medford and 3 by Framingham (Watton-2 and Mason Witherow-1). Framingham would eventually get their revenge against Medford in the Finals. Belmont would give Framingham their 2nd loss again starting a round 1-2. They would eventually finish with a 4-2 record. On Saturday, they shut down Brookline Red on Sam Phipps and Modica’s pitching. Phipps contributed with 2 Solo shots along with Craig Tucker’s 2-run Bomb to advance
to play Sunday. They met up with Belmont for a 3rd time for the Gold trophy only to lose 8-4 on some great defensive plays by both sides. By making the Trophy weekend in the 3rd round solidified Framingham’s position in the overall standing in 4th place to be in the Tournament of Champions.

TOC POOL Play

On Sunday afternoon, the Framingham A division Baystate Baseball team
defeated Medford to claim the title of number 1 in Massachusetts.

For the coaches, this game had been three years in the making, each one
edging closer and closer and finally winning it all this year.

Framingham opened tournament pool play with a splash, defeating the Winchester Sachems by a score of 12 to 2. The potent Framingham offense led by Gill (who hit a 3 run home run in his first at-bat after dental surgery) and Brockway with a 2 out 2 run double, took pressure off the pitching, as
the game only lasted 4 innings due to the score. Phipps threw 3 innings of no-hit baseball and Modica finished the game in the 4th inning, only giving up 2 runs. Center fielder Gavagan stole home in the fourth inning to score the walk off game ending run.

The following day Framingham was matched up against Andover Gold, who was on the brink of elimination. The Framingham bats picked up right where they left off the night before (Gill with another 3-run homer), propelling themselves to a double-digit score. With the run support provided, Tucker threw 6 strong innings, holding the Andover bats in check and limiting them to 4 runs.
With the 11-4 win, Framingham guaranteed themselves a spot in the semi finals.

On Thursday night Framingham hosted emerging rival Belmont. In the interest of a higher number seed for the semi finals, Framingham did not take this game off. Tramontozzi, Cahill-Farilla, and Watton all stepped up to pitch, with Cahill-Farilla solidifying himself as the 4th man for the Framingham rotation. With Belmont only scoring 4 runs, Framingham cruised to another double digit score, earning the number 1 seed with an 11-4 victory.

In the semi final matchup against Waltham, the Framingham bats were somewhat quieted, but Marifiote, not known for his speed, smacked a line drive deep to right field for a triple! Phipps not only shut out the Waltham bats, but hit a home run in the bottom of the third inning to push Framingham to the 5-0 victory in the semi final game.

Championship

To the finals we go. Medford had won in dramatic fashion in extra innings against Belmont to meet Framingham in the championship of the 2012 Baystate Summer season. Framingham came out hot, scoring two runs on a Tucker double. In the following inning, Marifiote blasted a home run far over the centerfield fence and deep into the woods surrounding the field. Medford refused to surrender though, as a home run kept the score close. Tramontozzi almost added to the HR fest but hit a line drive shot to left field hitting the top of the fence and bounced back in play for a double. Jake
Modica handled the pressure with the mastery of a veteran, working out of a 1st and 3rd, no out jam in the 5th inning. The defensive tandem of Phipps (shortstop), Gavagan (center), Cahill-Farella (2nd base/catcher) and Mason Witherow (1st base) repeatedly put down any chance of a Medford
comeback. In the top of the 6th inning Phipps hit a 3 run home run to add some insurance and make the score 9-3 and effectively seal the deal for Framingham. Modica set down the Medford batters in order ending the game on a grounder to third baseman Marifiote.