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Boston Globe
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Wally Seaver Invitational has become the place for summer basketball fans, and the fight vs. ALS
Proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Peter Frates Foundation. Final numbers for the tournament were not yet available. 'It's humbling, it's grounding, and I know what we're fighting for,' said Paul Seaver, the tournament director and son of Wally, who passed in 2013. 'It's good to keep my dad's name and legacy alive, but it's about helping those who are fighting ALS now and unbeknownst will fight ALS as this disease will continue to be fought.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In the blue division final, New Hampshire powerhouse Trinity outlasted Mansfield, 53-45, at Mass Premier. Trinity bested Attleborough, 68-58, in the semifinals to clinch their place in the championship. Advertisement 'We just saw one of the best teams in Massachusetts and one of the best teams in New Hampshire,' said Paul Seaver. 'Before that, in the semifinals, we saw the same thing. It's amazing.' Trinity's Jordan Torres (right) cuts past Mansfield's Darrian Sanders for a layup try during Sunday's blue division championship game of the Wally Seaver Invitational in Foxborough. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE Jordan Torres hit clutch shot after clutch shot down the stretch, taking over offensively to seal the deal. He supplied 15 points, 7 rebounds, a steal, and 2 blocks. Xander McBournie added 15 points. Advertisement 'ALS is a really big thing for us and playing for a cause is all that really matters,' said Trinity coach Ray Farmer. 'We talk about being bigger than basketball and basketball being the message that's used to be better men. This is a great opportunity for us to seize that and exploit that even more. 'I'm happy that my guys stepped up to the plate for something that actually mattered.' The Pioneers implemented suffocating defense, consistently engaging in full-court defense and contesting every shot, refusing to let opponents find any sort of rhythm. The Hornets — who bested Portsmouth (N.H.), 78-72, in the semifinals — couldn't sustain the furious pace in the second half of the final. The resilient Hornets, who played with seven players (including six for the most of the championship game) and without a coach, showcased why they will be a team to watch when the temperature drops this winter. The Mansfield duo of Tom Muldoon (left) and Troy Lasbury-Casey converge on Trinity's Jamar Gregory-Alleyne. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE Kacyn Connor paced all scorers with 20 points, adding 3 rebounds and a block. Troy Lasbury-Casey dominated the glass, recording 14 rebounds to go with 7 points, an assist, a steal, and a block. Darrien Sanders did it all, as the point guard finished with 7 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and 3 blocks. In the girls' purple division, St. Mary's downed Catholic Central League rival Bishop Fenwick, 55-47 at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton. Cam Kerry can be reached at
Boston Globe
09-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
In Lincoln, the community rallies around a farmer facing personal loss and the end of federal funding
He also faces another crisis. Last year, as with every year since it launched, the farm's biggest buyer was the Get Winter Soup Club A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter. Enter Email Sign Up Jennifer Hashley, director of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, a program of Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Mohammed Hannan view young organic greens last month. The plants were being grown in a high tunnel, one of two on the property at Hannan Healthy Foods in Lincoln. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE Advertisement Established in 2005, the Food Hub aggregates and distributes vegetables grown by more than 35 beginning, immigrant, and refugee farmers in the Boston region. It is an initiative of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, which was founded in 1998 to integrate recent immigrants and refugees with farming backgrounds into Massachusetts agriculture. New Entry director Jennifer Hashley explained that, thanks to four years of unprecedented support prior to the cuts, her organization was just beginning to 'transform how we do work and how we do agriculture and distribute food and get it to people that need it the most,' especially beginning, historically underserved and socially disadvantaged farmers. In addition to the food grant programs, in 2025, the Trump administration halted the Climate-Smart Commodities Partnership, land-purchase grants, and multiple initiatives linked to the 2018 Farm Bill. This sudden termination of multiple streams of support disrupted many long-planned efforts and, in some cases, left farmers holding the bill for purchases they had already made based on awards that were withdrawn. Farm garlic at Hannan Healthy Foods in Lincoln. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE It's no coincidence that Hannan is the steward of a successful farm. He's always had close ties to agriculture. He grew up on his family's organic farm in Bangladesh, which was both a source of food and income. Hannan went on to earn a master's degree in wildlife biology, studying the country's ecologically critical coastal areas. In 2014, he gave up an opportunity to accept a Duke fellowship when his wife received a Advertisement Afsheen Hannan, the fifth-grade daughter of Mohammed Hannan, has an interest in growing and selling flowers. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE He eked out a living at multiple minimum-wage jobs — Walgreens, Indian restaurants, and MIT facilities — before landing work in biotech, then as a lab manager at MIT. During the lean years, he yearned for the affordable organic food that was so accessible in Bangladesh. He wondered, 'How can I change my situation? How can I grow food here?' His aspirations grew: 'I need to get access to healthy produce. I realized that it is not only me. There are thousands of people here. They also do not have access.' This realization shaped his mission: 'Getting healthy food should be a fundamental human right. No matter whether you are poor or you are rich, everybody should have access to proper, healthy food.' Unsure about whether working a full-time job while running a farm would be feasible, Hannan spent the summer of 2017 volunteering mornings, nights, and weekends at Advertisement Volunteers sort organic greens at Hannan Healthy Foods farm stand in Lincoln. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE The weeds were chest-high on the 2.5-acre barren plot, and there was no potable water for washing produce. 'When I went to see the plot with my kids and my wife, they were super scared. They were saying, Oh my God, what are you doing?! I was also not sure how to make this into a farm; there was literally nothing, [just] a pond [to] irrigate the farm — that's it, that was the only thing I had.' Hannan didn't have a car, so driving to the new plot he had leased from the town would be difficult. Yet, 'Instead of getting discouraged, I was looking at the opportunities. I came up with a plan: I'll grow veggies that do not need washing: bottle and bitter gourds, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers.' As he expanded, Hannan connected with the Lincoln community through an online forum. There, he met Tom Flint, an 11th-generation Lincoln farmer. Flint introduced him to Lincoln Land Conservation Trust trustee Jim Henderson, who let Hannan use his backyard sink and cure garlic in his barn. These were the first of many new friends who welcomed him to Lincoln. Mohammed Hannan of Hannan Healthy Foods farm stand in Lincoln inside the CSA shed where members of the program pick up presorted organic greens. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE In 2021, Hannan expanded and leased a second 7.5-acre plot, using savings to buy a greenhouse, and obtained two high tunnels with funds from the Advertisement A member of the CSA program enters the shed where bags of presorted greens are packaged in reusable bags for pickup. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE For Hannan, giving back is a core value. Even when he operates at a loss, he donates produce to local food banks. He launched a food donation initiative with Cambridgeport Public School, where his daughter attends, providing produce for its pay-what-you-can farm stand fund-raiser — helping fifth-graders attend the Farm School overnight camp — and donates 10 percent of his CSA proceeds and 15 percent of sauce sales to support the school — many students and parents also volunteer at the farm (his second CSA pickup is in Cambridge). CSA members Andrew Robinson and Hannah Frankel of East Boston walk out of a shed with bags of presorted organic greens. At right is stand owner Mohammed Hannan. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE Most recently, Hannan's community rallied to support him when his wife died in March, putting in extra hours to lessen his load on the farm. This help, he said, has 'meant a lot to me.' Looking ahead, despite the termination of the food grant programs, the Food Hub will still buy produce from its 38 farmers, but, according to Hashley, 'it will be significantly less than [we] would have … were those funds in place.' She and her purchasing partners are urgently searching for ways to make up the difference. Organic greens are displayed at the farm stand at Hannan Healthy Foods in Lincoln. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE She's frustrated by the loss of momentum — not only in direct support for small farmers, but also in building infrastructure, from production to distribution and transportation. 'Finally, the government was stepping up in the middle, saying, we're going to use our purchasing power to bridge this transition to help both farmers and people that we need to help feed. It was beautiful.' Advertisement Despite his family's grief and the precarious financial landscape, Mohammed Hannan brims with excitement when he speaks about his farm. 'If you walk in the tomato fields, you feel the smell of the tomato plants. This is wonderful.' He plans to plant fruit trees in undeveloped fields and transform the farm into a fully integrated, certified organic system with a closed-loop composting operation. Eventually, he hopes to find a successor. Presorted greens are packaged in reusable bags for pickup at Hannan Healthy Foods farm stand in Lincoln. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE Hannan balances his full-time job and family responsibilities with 50 hours a week in his fields. The Trump administration's grant cancellations have disrupted his plans: 'My goal was to ramp up every season to see if I can do farming full time.' He asks, 'How can I go to the next step? How can I make a living from farming?' He's at a loss as to how to solve the problem of diminished sales. 'We can see if I can find more wholesalers. Or if we can sell more through the farm stand here.' Given his home and work responsibilities, he says, 'I have limited capacity.' Fortunately, Hannan's MIT job subsidizes his farm, and his volunteer community provides supplemental support. However, for many other small farmers affected by funding cuts, the consequences will be existential. As Hannan puts it: 'Small farmers like me … will definitely choose other options.' Visit the Hannan Healthy Food farm stand Saturdays and Sundays through October, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 270 South Great Road, Lincoln. Jocelyn Ruggiero can be reached at jocelyn@jocelynruggiero. Mohammed Hannan at the entrance to a high tunnel at Hannan Healthy Foods farm in Lincoln. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Toronto Sun
14-06-2025
- Toronto Sun
CRIME HUNTER: Is there a serial killer terrorizing New England?
Get the latest from Brad Hunter straight to your inbox Victim Adriana Suazo. Behind the facades of Cape Cod homes and charming fishing villages, evil has long lurked in the shadows of the New England states. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Murder just seems creepier in the Northeastern United States. From the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600s to the Boston Strangler, Lizzie Borden, and Jesse Pomeroy, the world's youngest serial killer, the oldest settlements in the U.S. take a back seat to no one when it comes to the macabre. Serial killer Albert DeSalvo, aka The Boston Strangler. Photo by BOSTON GLOBE / GETTY IMAGES Now, like a spectre from the gothic past, a suspected serial killer may be preying on the women of New England. So far, there have been at least 13 mysterious deaths. *** Adriana Suazo is the latest suspected victim, sparking more fears. The 21-year-old's body was discovered by a passerby in a wooded area of Milton, Massachusetts, on the outskirts of Boston, on June 1. But cops said there were no obvious signs of trauma, and the death remains under investigation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Suazo's mysterious death would likely have been a line-item on Page 56 of The Boston Herald — if there weren't 12 other bodies since March. Remains have been found in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maine. Most were recovered in rural, wooded areas within a 115 km radius. In this Sept. 16, 2023, photo, provided by Alexina Jones, people dressed as witches gather near a newly installed marker, in Pownal, Vt., that recognizes the survivor of Vermont's only recorded witch trial. Photo by Alexina Jones / Associated Press And the circumstances of the deaths have also varied. That includes at least one dismemberment. 'I just want to know the truth about what happened to her. I'm not accusing anyone, but her circumstances are suspicious. She was with someone either when she died or before. My family just wants closure on the events leading up to her death,' Suazo's sister Melanie Pizarro told Fox News . *** Investigators, prosecutors and at least one serial killer expert have pooh-poohed the idea that a homicidal maniac is on the loose. So far, the investigations have remained at a local level, with each case examined on an individual basis. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Cops have torpedoed the notion that a single perpetrator is stalking New England. For starters, detectives have pointed to the paucity of forensic evidence. VICTIMS: Paige Fannon; Denise Leary; Michele Romano. GoFundMe; New Haven Police Department; Help find Michele Romano/Facebook 'There is no information at this time suggesting any connection to similar remains discoveries, and there is also no known threat to the public at this time,' Connecticut State Police told Fox News , adding that speculation has been fueled by 'internet rumours.' Then again, there are the bodies. *** The first body was found on March 6. Paige Fannon, 35, was discovered floating in Connecticut's Norwalk River. On the same day, a human skull was recovered in a forest near Plymouth, Massachusetts. On March 19, cops were confronted by the gruesome discovery of the dismembered remains of Suzanne Wormser, 58, stuffed in a suitcase in Groton, Connecticut. A roommate was arrested but died later in custody. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Six days later, on March 25, Denise Leary, 59, was discovered dead in New Haven. The next day, the remains of Michele Romano, 56, were found in the woods around Foster, Rhode Island. In Killingly, Connecticut, on April 9, police found unidentified remains. The pace of death continued. In two separate locations on April 20, unidentified bodies were pulled from bodies of water. One corpse was recovered from the Seekonk River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with the second body found in the Connecticut River near Rocky Hill. On April 22, the body of 45-year-old Meggan Meredith was found near a bike path in Springfield, Massachusetts. On April 27, another body was discovered in Taunton, Massachusetts. And 34-year-old Jasmine Wilkes was discovered dead in New Haven's Edgewood Park on May 30. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But do these bizarre, seemingly more than coincidental deaths point to the sinister hands of a serial killer at work? 'Most serial killers have some commonality in their victims,' said Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox. 'Usually it's the sex, race, age or physical features of the victims. That's not always true, of course, but they tend to have a particular preference for the victim type. 'But in these cases, there are so many dissimilarities.' And some of the mystery deaths may not even be murders, Fox told the Daily Northeastern . But those rational words have not calmed people's fears. MANJEET SINGH. PRPS Read More This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. MOST WANTED 411: On Monday, July 20, 2011, around 2 a.m., officers responded to the Tasty Bite restaurant located at 7079 Torbram Rd. in Mississauga for a report of a disturbance. Nittish Khana, 20, had visible signs of trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene. Cops learned that the victim and two pals were involved in a verbal confrontation and were assaulted with golf clubs by four accused as they left. The suspected killers were identified and charged with second-degree murder. Two were arrested shortly thereafter. Detectives are still hunting Manjeet Singh, 34, and Manmeet Kang. They are believed to have fled to India. If you know their whereabouts, contact Peel Regional Police or the RCMP. Inside the Mind of John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown is the new book by Toronto Sun National Crime Columnist Brad Hunter. AD LIB PUBLISHERS SERIAL KILLERS FOR SUMMER? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. John Wayne Gacy remains one of the most terrifying serial killers in history. For nearly a decade he terrorized suburban Chicago, kidnapping, torturing and raping young men and boys before murdering them. The Killer Clown got the big adios in 1994, but some of his victims remain unidentified. And cops always believed there were more than the 33 known victims. In my book, Inside the Mind of John Wayne Gacy: The Real-Life Killer Clown, I update the story. Love, money and sex are the three big-ticket items for homicide. And they're all there in my first book Cold Blooded Murder: Shocking True Stories of Killers and Psychopaths. (available through FYI: Both books were rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. bhunter@ @HunterTOSun Sunshine Girls Golf Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls
Boston Globe
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
A raucous night at the Elliot Norton awards
The cast of the Sullivan Rep performs a song from "A Little Night Music." JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE There were, as always, heartwarming stories. Jenny Tsai, who won outstanding music direction for Sullivan Rep's 'A Little Night Music,' told us that when she came to the US from Taiwan at age 23, she knew nothing about musical theater. Accepting outstanding lead performance in a musical for her work in 'Next to Normal,' Sherée Marcelle said, 'There was a time that I was told I was not cut out for this industry,' before confessing, 'This is only the second professional show of my career.' Advertisement Armando Rivera, who directed Gloucester Stage/Teatro Chelsea's 'The Hombres' (outstanding play and outstanding director in the midsize division), said, 'We Latino hombres are not bad men, we are human,' and 'If you tell stories in any language, I promise you will be understood. Because the heart is there.' Winners for outstanding sound design (large) for the Huntington's 'Toni Stone,' Lucas Clopton and Aubrey Dube hugged each other at the podium before Clopton explained that 'We haven't seen each other for a year' and Dube gave a shout-out to his native Botswana. From left, Aubrey Dube and Lucas Clopton celebrate their prize for Outstanding Sound Design in a large play for their work on "Toni Stone." JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE There's always room for humor at the Norties. When it seemed no one from American Repertory Theater was coming to accept the outstanding lighting design (large) award, BTCA member Bob Verini offered to fill in: 'I saw 'Gatsby' and I'll be happy to tell you about the lighting.' Presenting the outstanding featured performance (midsize) award, a cheeky Mishka Yarovoy caught the audience off guard with 'And the winner is' before the nominees had even appeared on the screen. A special citation honoring the Boch Center Wang Theatre's 100th anniversary was unexpectedly interrupted by the opening bars of 'The Music of the Night' from 'The Phantom of the Opera,' prompting the observation that 'There are ghosts in these old theaters.' Presenter Paul Melendy appeared in a T-shirt bearing the image of this year's Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence recipient, Kathy St. George, and announced he'd be selling copies from the back of his Subaru after the show. St. George's five-minute acceptance speech was a show in itself, as the Stoneham native told the crowd how at age seven she decided she wanted to be a second-grade teacher and that she actually taught second grade before becoming an actress. In New York, she played a life-size Lamb Chop alongside Shari Lewis; she answered an ad to 'Work on Broadway this Christmas' and got the part — as an elf at Macy's. Her real Broadway debut came in 1981 when she was cast in the Jerome Robbins–directed 'Fiddler on the Roof.' Advertisement But Boston called her back: 'You are my people. Being part of the Boston theater community is the best thing ever.' Channeling her one-woman show 'And Now Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Judy Garland,' she whispered mischievously toward the wings, 'Auntie Joyce?,' before concluding, three times, 'There's no place like home.' Even then St. George wasn't done: she appeared in the musical number 'Streets of Dublin,' from SpeakEasy Stage Company's ' Four awards were given in memory of theater luminaries whom we lost over the past year. Former BTCA member Terry Byrne remembered James Earl Jones. Lenelle Moïse recited a poem to honor South African playwright Athol Fugard. Paula Plum recalled getting her first job in Boston from Lyric Stage Boston co-founder Ron Ritchell. And Scott Edmiston extolled 'Falsettos' creator William Finn. As the ceremony wound down, I created a couple of unofficial awards. The Huntington's ' Advertisement Despite giving out 39 actual Elliot Norton Awards, the BTCA wrapped up the show in just over three hours. In what's become an Elliot Norton Awards Ceremony tradition, the entire BTCA crew assembled on stage to announce the outstanding ensemble winner. After they'd shouted out 'Titanic' and no one from NSMT immediately responded, Kulhawik peered anxiously into the audience and wondered, 'Did the ship go down?' It didn't; the award was accepted and the Boston theater community sailed exuberantly into the ceremony's afterparty. Jeffrey Gantz can be reached at
Boston Globe
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Armed with a surgically repaired right elbow, Walpole softball ace Sharlotte Stazinski is more dangerous than ever
Upon returning to school, the alarm began to blare in her head. What was wrong? Could she still hold a pencil? She lost feeling in the fingertips of her dominant hand. After the fall volleyball season, the injury was inhibiting daily activities. Stazinski underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery, a procedure that moves the ulnar nerve in the elbow so that it is no longer inhibited or pinched. Prior to surgery, her ulnar nerve was compressed in the inside of the elbow, leading to a loss of sensation. Advertisement 'Sometimes I couldn't feel my fingers, so that was the most alarming part,' said Stazinski. 'My fingers were a lot weaker and I didn't really realize [how much] until I got to the doctors.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Related : The surgery was a success. But in the healing process, she was not able to pick up a softball from before Thanksgiving until the start of April. Courtesy of rigorous physical therapy,she has been able to able to pitch as a senior. 'It means so much to be back here,' said Stazinski, a smile enveloping her face ahead of senior night festivities Monday against Natick. 'I really didn't think that I was going to be able to play this season. All of the hard work, it was worth it. It really feels special.' Even with her ailing right arm, Sharlotte Stazinski pitched five straight postseason shutouts to capture Walpole's first state softball title. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE In Advertisement In Walpole, she is revered. She mentors young players, teaching pitching lessons. 'I want to instill in them not just how to pitch, but how to go about it and how to have a positive mind-set and always be strong,' said Stazinski. A four-year starter, Stazinski has racked up 633 career strikeouts in 437 innings, with a sparkling 1.38 ERA. This season, she has a 1.42 ERA with 127 punchouts in 79 innings for a 12-4 Walpole squad ranked fifth in 'She's easily one of the best players, talent-wise, that has played for me,' said Walpole coach Rachael Sprague . 'She's changed the scope of this team over the last four years.' Related : Post-surgery, Stazinski has noticeably more spin and control and is back to feeling 100 percent. She's able to throw a riseball once again. She overpowers hitters, mixing speeds and locations, painting the frame of the strike zone. 'I was struggling to get the spin that I wanted,' said Stazinski. 'When I realized this, it all made sense because my fingers were so much weaker. Now, I feel like I have more spin and more control.' Committed to play at Colby College, Stazinski does not take her senior season for granted. She places balls on the tee for her teammates, expediting the process of getting hacks in midgame. As composed as she is in the circle — where she possesses the mental strength of a high-level goaltender or golfer, able to focus on the task at hand — she possesses the qualities of a natural leader and a great teammate. Related : Advertisement 'She's always played pretty stoically, but being a senior and being a captain now, she's a lot more outspoken,' said Sprague. 'She's really leading by example and leading vocally. She's just out there with so much more confidence, even after the surgery. She's in control, all the time.' In the MIAA, baseball pitchers have limitations on how many pitches they can throw before facing mandatory rest. Softball has no such restrictions. Combined with a nonstop schedule in the summer with college coaches looking on, pitchers can easily overdo it. 'In high school, we're throwing so many games in a short period of time,' said Stazinski. 'Everyone needs to take care of their arm.' Walpole senior Sharlotte Stazinski has mastered blocking out the noise and focusing when inside the circle. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE Extra bases ▪ Taunton, the On Saturday, the top-ranked Tigers (17-0) Related : Two days later, the Tigers Cate Larson and Aniyah Bailey . 'All I keep wondering is how are we not ranked?' said Taunton coach Michelle Raposo . 'We have some incredible athletes on this team.' Raposo lauds the Tigers' work ethic and their approach to each game. 'They all put in their heart and soul every single day,' she said. Related : ▪ Buoyed by a 1-2 punch in the circle, Joseph Case is getting hot at just the right time. Advertisement Sophomore Lila Alvarez , who crossed the 300-strikeout threshold Friday, has compiled a 1.86 ERA with 116 strikeouts this season. 'Obviously, it's huge for us when you keep the other team's scoring to a minimum,' Case coach Shannon Silva said. 'Her accuracy is so great, she walks very few batters, she keeps it to a minimum.' Paired with Alvarez is junior Cailyn Durand , who has struck out 42 in 26 shutout innings. 'She's started her own games, as well as thrown in relief several times this year, and she's doing a great job for us,' Silva added. Games to watch Wednesday, No. 8 Walpole at Needham, 4 p.m. — Needham took the first meeting, 6-3, in April; the rematch is for the Bay State Herget title. Two great arms in Stazinski and Audrey Muzikant have this one penciled in as a pitchers' duel. Wednesday, No. 12 Norton at No. 10 Joseph Case, 4 p.m. — Case is flying high following its Thursday, No. 7 Bishop Feehan at No. 13 Attleboro, 3:30 p.m. — Feehan ace Mylee Ramer has a tall task ahead of her: shutting down a high-powered Attleboro offense that has raked against some of the top pitchers in the state. Friday, No. 3 King Philip at No. 5 Lincoln-Sudbury, 4:30 p.m. — Each squad is looking to get back on track following losses to Taunton and Bedford, respectively. Correspondent Joe Eachus contributed to this story. Cam Kerry can be reached at
