Post publication update:
#22 Melrose falls to #6 Somerset Berkley 7-4 in MIAA Division 2 Round of 16 (June 4)
For a link to view the bracket, click here.
Published June 6, 2025
Local nine tops Milton 3-1 in first round action
By CORY THOMAS
MILTON — On Monday, the Melrose High baseball team traveled down to Milton’s Cunningham Park to take on Milton High School in the first round of the MIAA Division 2 state tournament. A large crowd filled Cunningham Park early under sunny skies on a terrific day at a prime venue for a state tournament game.
The setting was set and the two teams were both ready to match skills for a tight, tense playoff game that showed quickly we had two evenly matched teams despite the rankings favoring No. 11 Milton.
Though an underdog on paper, No. 22 Melrose was up to the task to challenge Milton on their home diamond. The fans had a marquee pitching match-up to witness for this state playoff game as well as Melrose junior righty Brian Capodilupo got the start against Milford Ace, lefty and Northeastern baseball commit Scott Longo, who sported a sparkling ERA of 0.89 coming into the game, and who was recently named Bay State League MVP.
Melrose Senior Michael Thomas set the tone on offense against the tough lefty Longo by battling from the leadoff spot making Longo show all of his pitches to the Melrose line-up. Thomas worked out of an 0-2 hole to even the count at 2-2 before he sent a ball right back up the middle past Longo and through the middle of the infield for a lead-off hit. Though Melrose didn’t score in the first inning, it set the tone that they could hit the talented Longo.
Capodilupo pitched a strong game for Melrose, though he had an early challenge in the bottom of the first inning. Longo walked and then the next batter singled sharply to right field. As Longo rounded 2nd he quickly turned for 3rd as junior outfielder Cadel McKeown fielded the ball in right and threw a strike to fellow junior, Jack Casey who applied a true tag to erase Longo at 3rd. The talented junior McKeown knew instantly that that was a big play for Melrose.
“We could really feel the momentum swing to our side when we held Milton in the first inning. We had a lot of energy going forward for the rest of the game after the first inning,” said McKeown.
Capodilupo would hold Milton scoreless in the first and the pitching duel was on.
The Melrose defense was on its game all day in Milton. After a walk put a runner on for Milton, Senior Catcher and captain Brendan Doyle erased the runner at first with a quick throw to Senior first baseman Reid Heidebrecht who tagged out the aggressive Milton runner who ventured too far off of first and was erased by Doyle. That would prove to be a huge play as Milton rallied after the pick off to get two runners on base in the bottom of the 3rd inning. With two outs and two runners on, a Milton batter would send a long fly ball into the corner in left field. But smooth fielding outfielder, sophomore Nate Geer tracked it down and put it away to end the Milton threat and the third inning as we remained scoreless.
In the top of the 4th inning, Seniors Doyle and Heidebrecht would team up again, only this time on offense. After one out, Doyle, lined a base hit to center off of Longo. Doyle wouldn’t be at first for long, as he was followed in the order by lefty Cadel McKeown who smashed a double to deep right center that would score Doyle and Melrose had the game’s first run. McKeown ended up at second base with a stand up double and RBI to get Melrose on the scoreboard.
Admitted McKeown, “that double felt great. We knew we were facing a tough pitcher but we knew we could get our hits today against him. We had all the momentum after that 4th inning.”
Senior lefty Reid Heidebrecht would single off of Longo to left to knock in McKeown and Melrose led 2-0 in the fourth inning.
Capodilupo really held Milton’s offense in check in the middle innings, retiring seven straight batters at one point thanks to back to back 1,2,3 innings in the fifth and sixth innings. The large Melrose contingent of fans, family and friends could sense the upset.
Said Capodilupo, “I knew we had to beat Milton to continue in the tournament, so I had to keep my teammates in the game as best I could. I was confident they would get us the runs we needed (to win).”
The junior pitcher for Melrose received solid defense all day from his entire team, including freshman James Tillis who made several steady plays at second base in a tense playoff setting.
Longo pitched a full seven innings for Milton and after Melrose scored twice in the 4th inning, Longo really tightened up on Melrose’s offense. That was until the top of the seventh inning, still holding a 2-0 lead Melrose was looking for an insurance run. Junior third baseman Jack Casey stepped to the plate and lined a rocket down the left field line that the athletic Casey turned into a one out double. Now with two out, Senior Michael Thomas dug in against the tough lefty Longo. Thomas battled Longo again pitch by pitch until he was able to finally get his bat on an offering and shoot it past the first baseman for an RBI hit to score Casey and Melrose had a 3-0 lead in the 7th.
Thomas declared that these are the types of games they have been longing to play in for the last few years.
“It was a very fun, intense game, and we aren’t done yet. We feel we can beat anyone in the state. Coach Searles drills us hard in practice for these game situations so we are confident in each other that we will make winning plays on offense and defense when it matters most.”
Capodilupo entered the bottom of the seventh working on a shutout. He would get the first out of the seventh and pitched 6 1/3 innings of shutout baseball in the state tournament, only allowing one run, four hits, two walks, while striking out five to earn the win. Senior Jaiden Aquino came in to relieve Capodilupo after Milton scored to make it 3-1. Aquino, aided by fine defensive plays, closed out Milton and preserved the 3-1 victory for Melrose.
Said Head Coach Scott Searles, “Cap and Aquino really show off the quality of our pitching depth. We have a number of strong arms on our roster, which is needed in a multi-game tournament like this. We won’t get too excited or overreact to this win. It’s a great first step, but we are hoping for more out of this team in the tournament.
“You look at the early tournament results and the Middlesex League has gotten wins from multiple teams, Reading, Woburn, Stoneham, Wakefield, and now us. Our league sometimes gets overlooked.”
If Melrose can ride their offensive and defensive depth, they won’t be overlooked for too long.
Melrose next travels to face No. 6 Somerset-Berkeley in Somerset on Wednesday (post deadline). The winner will advance to the state quarterfinals where they will play the winner of No. 14 Milford vs. No. 3 North Attleboro.