By Jesse Kucewicz, Contributing Writer
(Photo/Jesse Kucewicz)
SHREWSBURY – First place Shrewsbury Post 397 fell to Milford Post 59 in a Massachusetts Zone Four Legion baseball matchup on July 29 at Fino Field in Milford.
The 12-3 final score was the largest defeat that Shrewsbury had suffered to date this season. Even with the loss, though, Shrewsbury’s 14-5 record kept Post 397 at the top of its region as the regular season drew to a close.
“It’s just one of those games where you get an old-fashioned beating,” said Post 397 Manager Frank Vaccaro. “Obviously we’re a much better team than that, we just didn’t play well today. It’s just one of those games, it happens, it happens in the major leagues too.”
Vaccaro was unhappy with Shrewsbury’s performance on the field, on the mound, and at the plate in the 12-3 defeat. But he said he was confident that the squad would be ready to perform in the postseason, which began this week.
With just two regular season games remaining before the regional tournament following this loss, Shrewsbury had immediately hoped to put this defeat behind them.
They did just that with a 5-0 win over Framingham on July 30 and a 5-4 victory over Leominster on July 31.
Shrewsbury ace Connor Schmautz is still looking to individually bounce back from this defeat against Milford, though, as he is next slated to take the mound in his first postseason game on Wednesday, August 4.
“We have the regionals at Holy Cross, so we better be ready,” Vaccaro said. “We went to the World Series in [20]17 and [20]19, finalist in [20]18. Last year with COVID nobody played, so we’re actually defending our northeast title starting Wednesday.”
That August 4 matchup has Shrewsbury set to face Vermont. Team staff said they are expecting to see over 1,000 spectators, and hear in-game messages from Lieutenant Governor and Shrewsbury resident Karyn Polito, among other prominent figures.
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