Milford finished second in Mass. state tournament

By Chris Villani

By any measure, Milford Post 59 American Legion baseball put together a summer to remember in 2026, and a group of Nipmuc standouts helped along the way. Milford finished the season with a 26-6 overall record, and a 3-2 mark in the state tournament that it hosted at Fino Field.

Post 59 dropped the opener of the double-elimination tournament, but rallied to blow out three straight opponents before falling to Franklin, 3-2 in extra innings, with the title on the line.

“It was a hell of a ride,” DiVitto said. “To get to the state final after losing on day one, it’s a tall task and I am proud of the kids for the commitment and sacrifice they made, all season long.”

Post 59 was nothing short of dominant through much of the state tournament, beating three of the top teams in Massachusetts by eye-popping scores of 24-5, 17-0, and 11-3.

“We told them after night one that it’s one game at a time, but don’t tell me you can’t win five games in a row,” DiVitto said. “You’ve done this all year.”

Milford’s roster boasted local talent from a number of area towns, but a contingent from Nipmuc definitely stood out. Josh Giancola, a recent NRHS graduate, proved himself to be a bona fide ace and started both the first and last games of the state tournament. But he was not the only player from his high school team to make a big contribution. Fellow recent graduate Sean Burchard played in nearly all of Post 59’s 32 games this summer and drove in 17 runs with four extra base hits. Gavin Metcalf made the most of his chances at the plate, batting .467 in 45 at bats for the year. 

On the mound, Cole McGovern posted a 4-1 record and pitched the third most innings of anyone on the Milford staff. Nipmuc rising senior Adam Dubowik and Jordan Martorano, a Blackstone Valley Tech graduate, both saw action on the mound as part of a deep and talented Milford pitching staff. That depth helped Milford bounce back from its first loss to Franklin in the states and march all the way to the final.

“It was such a gritty, gutty performance there throughout the season, but also over the course of the last five days,” DiVitto said following the state final loss. “Obviously, we are disappointed, but I really hope the kids understand that they have to keep their heads high.”

He added, “it was such a fantastic year. Our kids should be proud.”