By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

Covid-19 began surfacing in March of 2020 and quickly put an end to all local sports. 

As summer began to get closer the American Legion Baseball program decided to follow suit and shut down the season. However, while the teams were not allowed to play for their Legion teams nor represent their team in any shape or form, a handful of coaches got together and formed the Massachusetts Independent Baseball League (MIBL) to allow the kids to get onto the field and play some baseball.

While it wasn’t legion baseball, it had a lot of the similarities. Ashland finished the regular season 14-1 with 28 points giving them a four-point lead over both Braintree and Medfield entering the double elimination tournament. Under the guidance of Coach Jake Obid, Ashland went on to capture the MIBL Championship highly due to their offensive fire power at the plate and efficient pitching on the mound.

As the calendar turned forward and 2021 began to play out, the majority of the country was heading to the clinics to receive their Covid shots and by the time summer came rolling around, things were opening up once again, including American Legion Baseball. Obid and his Post 77 team are ready to get back onto the field and play baseball.

“Playing in the MIBL last year allowed us to play a bunch of different legion teams throughout the state without the legion status,” the Ashland Coach said. “It was a great experience and the people who put it together did a really great job allowing us to play a lot of good competitive teams.”

Last year Obid found that with Covid surfacing in just about everything possible, the team seemed to get more kids coming to each game more frequently. On a good Legion year with a team of 18 players, the teams often found itself three or four guys short each and every game due to work and vacations. Last year the squads were increased to 25 and the Ashland Coach could rely on having close to a full roster every time they took to the field. 

As Ashland begins the season, they will rely on the same formula that won them the MIBL Championship last summer. 

“We can really swing it. Having so many good bats on the team it’s tough to find spots for them all in the lineup, but I guess that’s a good problem to have,” Obid said. “We also have three good starters and a decent bullpen and are looking to make another run.”

Through the first three games of the season, Ashland has averaged 15 runs per contest leaving everyone to believe that Ashland can and will capture the district 5 Title while making a push at the States. 

On the mound Ashland will go with a three-man rotation that includes Dom Cavanaugh, Owen Radcliffe, and Tyler Dossas. The trio of college freshman hurlers are all considered the aces of the team.

“I consider them all number ones and am comfortable starting any one of them. It’s like having a 1A, 1B and a 1C with Owen edging out the others for the top spot,” the Ashland skipper said.  “They faced a lot of great competition last summer and there are a lot of good lineups in District 5, so they’ll be challenged but should be ready.”

Leading the relief corps will be Luis Denison, who will be attending Nichols College next year. Denison is a submarine pitcher who will see the bulk of the work out of the bullpen for Post 77. Other arms that will see action this year for Ashland will be Max and Mason Dushney, in addition to Jason Cody.

Obid has five athletes who will be rotated throughout the outfield this season depending on who’s hot and who happens to be at the park on a given night. Roaming the outfield will be Matt Neal, Sam Farrell, Nick Calabrese, Andrew Denison, and Kevin Balewicz.

The infield will also see a rotation of players moving around, but Obid believes it will be much easier to figure out who’s playing when, as each is also a pitcher. Connor Coweran and Dossas will see time in the middle infield, while Lawrence Tang will hold down the corner positions and Mason Dushney and Cavanaugh can play just about anywhere the coach needs them to play.

In the past Obid has had more depth at pitching but will manage with the arms he has as Ashland challenges for the Legion State Championship.

“We are a team that will always make a run as we’ve been pretty good at picking out the talent for the team,” the Coach said. “Last year I knew that we were the best team to take the field. This year we have some new guys, and I am just waiting for the team to click and flip that switch.”

Obid is not only optimistic that his team will once again make a run at the district 5 and State titles,  but believes that even the kids who are on the squad only as pitchers have the talent to play in the field if the situation calls for it.

Ashland will play a very compact schedule, taking to the field 12 times in roughly two weeks having all their games completed by the 18th of July before the District Playoffs begin on the 20th. And if all goes well after the District Tournament Ashland will be playing into August looking to capture the State Title.

Post 77 swept Needham in a double header remaining undefeated and, in the process, capturing the District 5 Title. Ashland took the opener 11-1 behind a complete game from Denison while Radcliffe went four strong innings in the night cap to grab a 14-3 victory.

Displaying a perfect 9-0 at the time of the writing Ashland had 18 points with its closest competitors at 4 wins and 8 points.