Legion Baseball Team Finishes Successful Season
– Allison Goldsberry
After a 15-5 season the Medford Legion Post 45 baseball team competed in the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.
While the team was unsuccessful in its playoff run, the 45ers had one of the strongest seasons in recent memory.
The team was led by Ryan Kozul, an assistant varsity baseball coach at Medford High School. He is in his third season coaching Legion baseball and played Legion ball himself for four seasons.
Coach Kozul took some time to reflect on the season and his key players, who come from Medford High, Arlington Catholic, and other local schools.
John Lavoie and Jake Porrazzo
“Having John for the last three years and Jake for the last two has been a special experience for me,” said Kozul. “This program is where it is today in large part because of the two of them. JL has been a rock in the rotation his whole Legion career, and Jake is one of the most feared hitters in the state. I’m going to miss both of them tremendously, but I know they are going to do big things in college (John at St. Anselm and Jake at WPI). I’ve been really lucky, and I couldn’t have asked for two better guys to lead this team.”
Mark Fusco and Tim Conroy
“One of the most amazing things about our success this year is all the injuries we had to overcome, especially to the pitching staff. Without Mark and Tim, we would have had a very long season,” said Coach Kozul. “It was a thrill for me to have them back again after coaching both of them four years ago in my last year at AC. They are awesome kids off the field, and they fit in with this group so well. They carried us both on the mound and at the plate for large stretches of the season. They both had 4-1 records pitching and they each hit well over .300. Mark’s ability to play anywhere on the field was also invaluable to us. He played all over the infield and outfield, and he did a fantastic job as our backup catcher. They are both moving on to play at Suffolk next year, and I’m really excited for them.”
Dave Center
“Dave had an incredible year. The last year and a half was a big struggle for him at times, but he never gave up and kept working so hard,” said Kozul. “He was finally able to show what he was capable of this summer with a batting average over .450 and a remarkable 26 RBI’s. He was also our most clutch hitter. He had two game-winning hits in the 7th and two game-tying hits in the 7th. Every time we needed a big hit he came through. With his confidence back, he has a chance to be scary good next year if he keeps working like I know he will.”
A Committed Team
“We had unbelievable commitment from everyone all year,” said Coach Kozul. “We had a lot of talent and a lot of depth, which meant that some players didn’t always get the playing time they would have liked. However, everyone accepted their roles and each player got to contribute in a big way for us.”
“Kevin Andrew started every game in right field for us and came up with some huge hits to go along with stellar defense in the outfield. He’s someone who has improved so much over the last couple years because of all the work he has put in. Justin Alley helped us clinch our sectional playoff berth with an outstanding performance on the mound against Lexington after having limited opportunities most of the year. Mike Pizzi (the only other three year player with John Lavoie) finished up the season very strong both offensively and defensively, while Dom Ramasci played a key role in a couple big wins for us and continued to show great promise at the plate for such a young player. Mike Egitto was another one of our young guys who played very well at times and should be a big factor at MHS next year. One of our most pleasant surprises was Kyle Boudrias. I knew how good he was before the season started, but he surpassed any expectations I could have possibly had. He finished batting over .500 to lead the team. He has a chance to be a very special player if he keeps working at it.”
“Basically the theme of the season was that it was always “next guy up” if we were short handed or needed a big hit or a timely play defensively. It truly was a great team,” said Coach Kozul.
A ‘Tough Group of Kids’
“We had the toughest group of kids that I’ve ever been around. We were never out of a game and we had some amazing comebacks,” said Kozul. “In this picture, Jake hit a game-winning single in the sixth against Chelmsford. Later that same week against Chelmsford again, we trailed 2-0 in the seventh before Dave Center tied the game and Sean Doncaster won it. The next week, we trailed 1-0 against Newton in the seventh after a tremendous pitching performance from Chris Hayes. Once again, we never quit and John Lavoie started the winning rally with Center getting the game-winner. Then in fitting fashion, we clinched our sectional berth with a seventh inning comeback over Lexington.”
Medford Legion Baseball is Back
“It’s been an amazing ride. We’ve accomplished things that a lot of people said were impossible three years ago,” said Coach Kozul. “With the success during both the high school season and this summer, Medford baseball is back in a big way. As I told the guys after the Sudbury game, it’s been an incredible achievement to put this program back on the map, but it’s even tougher to stay there. The players and coaches are going to have to work that much harder to repeat this success moving forward.”
“I can’t say enough about these players. It was a really special group, and I feel blessed to have been a part of it. Thanks to everyone for all the support all year. I hope you all enjoyed the ride as much as we did.”