Ashland vs Natick
Wednesday July 17, 2019
5:45pm–Ashland Middle School
Preview
-Ashland is 14-1 overall, 6-1 home, outscoring opponents 120-31 (106-31 excluding 6/28 and 7/08 forfeits), team hasn’t allowed more than 6 runs in any game
-Today’s game concludes the 2019 Regular Season for Post 77
Squad Goals
-Post 77 Head Coach Jake Obid was a guest on myFM’s Sports Buzz this past Saturday. He said that the team’s regular season goal was to win more games than last year. The team won 14 games last year and can get to 15 with a win over Natick in the season finale.
-The team played 18 games last year, going 14-4. They have equaled their win total despite playing less games (will be 16 including 2 forfeits). Sudbury folded prior to the season, knocking everyone’s slate from 18 to 16.
Today’s Zone 5 Schedule
Billerica @ N Chelmsford 5:45
Natick @ Ashland 5:45
Hudson @ Lowell 6:00
Recent Series History
06/27/16 @ Natick W 18-1
07/12/16 vs Natick W 9-8
06/13/17 @ Natick L 4-11
06/30/17 vs Natick W 10-0
06/21/18 @ Natick W 10-1
07/09/18 vs Natick W 3-0
07/22/18 vs Natick W 6-3 (Playoffs–at Mahan Field)
06/18/19 @ Natick W 9-1
-Ashland has won 5 straight games against Natick, outscoring them 28-5 in the process
-Post 77 has won the last 4 regular season meetings, outscoring Natick 22-2 in those games
-Ashland has scored 9+ runs in 4 of the past 7 meetings
Quite A Run
-Ashland was 1-10-1 entering play on 07/10/16. They are 50-16 since, good for a .757 win percentage
-Post 77 went 3-1 to finish 2016, 17-8 in 2017, 16-6 in 2018 and 14-1 so far in 2019.
Fun Fact
-Ashland is 14-0 when they have scored in a game this season, 0-1 when they haven’t
Up Next
-Ashland has clinched the #1 seed in the Zone 5 Tournament, which begins this weekend at Mahan Field in Natick
Alumni Update
-Shawn Babineau is pitching for the Worcester Bravehearts of the FCBL. He’s off to an excellent start: 5-0, 1.74 ERA, 31IP, 17H, 5BB, 36K. Last pitched 07/04 vs Nashua. Pitched in All Star Game last night.
History Lesson
-Ashland has never won a State Championship but the following Zone 5 teams have:
Lowell 1936, 1991 & 2000
Medford 1939 & 1947
Natick 1983
Billerica 2012** (Intrastate Tourney held after National Bound Tourney, winner didn’t advance to Regionals in 2012 or 2013)
-Zone 5 is in the midst of an 18 year State Championship drought
-The Zone 5 representative in the State Tournament will be saddled with the 10:00am matchup on Day 1 (July 27)
-Zone 5’s lone Massachusetts Legion Baseball “Graduate Of The Year” recipient was Head Umpire Tom Clews in 2017. The award was established in 1990.
