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Jake Brodeur helped the Medway Senior Babe Ruth team remain perfect this summer with a 4-2 win over Franklin in the first game of a best-of-three playoff series.

MEDWAY With runners on first and second base, and two outs, Franklin found itself down two runs in the top of the seventh of its Central Mass. Senior Babe Ruth playoff game with Medway.

Still, all Franklin needed was an extra-base hit to tie the game.

What Franklin received, however, was a single from Thomas Houlihan.

The hit wasnt smacked hard enough to plate Cam Benham from second base, however, but it loaded the bases or so it looked with Colin Flaherty coming up to hit.

Yet, Flaherty didnt even get a chance to step into the batters box.

After each runner advanced one base following the hit from Houlihan, Andrew DiLeo, who advanced to second base on the single, was caught too far off second base making a turn for third and was tagged out.

It was the final out in Medways 4-2 win over Franklin in Sundays playoff contest at Medway High School.

The Medway win is the first it needs in the best-of-three South Final playoff series.

The two teams will meet again at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at Fletcher Field in Franklin.

On Sunday, however, it was Jake Brodeur who led the charge for Medway (19-0) from the mound.

He pitched the entire game, striking out six, while allowing seven hits and walking three. The biggest help he received was from his defense, which didnt commit an error as Medway remains perfect on the summer.

[The fielding] changes everything, Brodeur said. You just let them hit it. Thats the only thing you need to do, especially when you have this defense.

Brodeur allowed a run in the first inning and another run in third inning, but retired the side in the fourth and fifth innings to halt any other threats. He allowed three runners to reach base in the seventh two on singles and one on a walk but got out of the jam to earn the win.

In the beginning, not really much was working for me, Brodeur said. Then I settled in [and] let the defense do the work. You [have to] try and keep them off balance so they dont know whats coming.

Medway manager Ted Coppinger was more than happy about his star pitchers outing.

Hes as good a competitor as there is in this league and whatever other leagues are around here, Coppinger said. Hes the leader of this team.

Medway trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning. But thats when its luck turned.

Cam Forbes hit a dribbler in front of the mound but on an overthrow by Franklin pitcher Matt Dumart allowed Forbes to scamper to third base.

Dumart then threw a wild pitch, which allowed Forbes to score Medways first run. Brodeur and Joe Downing then drew walks before Adam Cookson hit a pop-up. Ryan Pepin followed with a walk to load the bases.

Thats when Chase Phenegar hit a groundball to second base, which was bobbled by Franklins second baseman, allowing Brodeur to score.

Matt Kaplan then knocked in two runs on a base hit to center field, giving Medway its third and fourth runs of the game, which was all it needed behind Brodeur.

Kaplan is not an everyday regular for our team, but throughout the course of year, especially in games were not hitting, hell step up there and bang a hit, Coppinger said. The kid can hit, so hell be fun to coach for the next few years, I hope.

Though Medway only managed three hits compared to Franklins seven Medway walked five times and also stole four bases, while taking advantage of two wild pitches. We make pitchers work, Coppinger said. There is concern [with only three hits]. We have good hitters. We had a couple balls on the barrel that got caught. We [have] batting cages so hopefully our guys will be hitting there tomorrow and will get it going.

Matt Dumart pitched 3 2/3 innings as Franklins starter. He allowed four runs on two hits and four walks, and he also struck out four.

Franklins Bryan McGrath had a sacrifice fly in the first inning, which scored Joe Corsi. Steve Ferguson had an RBI single in the third inning, which scored Mike Skaza.

But thats all Franklin could muster off of Brodeur.

It comes down to making a couple more plays and thats exactly what they did, Franklin co-manager Phil Chisholm said. Nothing to hang your heads at. We get to go home tonight and hopefully get the win tomorrow and tie things up. We just have to play a clean game.

Thats the big thing.

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Medway 4, Franklin 2: Brodeur big in Senior Babe Ruth playoff win - Milford Daily News