St. John’s forces winner-take-all game with Braintree

BROCKTON – It?s not often that you see a lopsided game in the finals of the Super 8 tournament, where the elite teams in the state compete. But St. John?s Prep put up some very crooked numbers, defeating Braintree, 20-3, on Wednesday at Campanelli Stadium.
With the win, the Eagles handed Braintree (21-3) its first loss of the tournament and the two teams will meet again on Thursday to decide the winner of the Super 8 championship.
?I?m just so proud of the kids to extend the season for a true championship game,” said Eagles coach Dan LeTarte. “I think we?re really ready to play.”
The highlight of the night for the Eagles was their seven-run fourth inning. Heading into the frame, the score was knotted at three as St. John?s squandered an early two-run lead. St. John?s knocked Braintree starter Robert McNiff out of the contest after 3 ? innings. The Eagles sent 13 batters to the plate in an inning highlighted by Ted McNamara?s three-run home run, a blast that sailed over the wall in right.
The Eagles saw production from up and down their lineup, collecting 21 hits. Leadoff hitter Keith Leavitt had a huge night, going 5-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored. McNamara drove in five and went 3-for-5, scoring three times. Ryan Spurr had four hits and drove in four, and Andrew Selima and Jacob Spada each went 3-for-5.
?I was so pleased with the hits,” LeTarte said. “Sometimes you can play tight in a game like this, because you know that any mistake you make could be the end of the season, and I don?t think we played tight. The at-bats were quality at-bats, and up and down the lineup. McNamara hitting that ball out of the stadium gave the team a boost. A hit parade is very fun.”
Starter Justin Foley ran into some trouble early, allowing a run in the first and two in the second. But the St. John?s ace settled in and did not allow another run as his team broke the game open. Foley allowed seven hits and struck out nine, and was lifted after 7 ? innings.
?(Foley) was a little low in the zone, and I think when we put up those runs, he was confident,” LeTarte said. “I could see him getting a little stronger in the middle innings, and I thought it was great the way he kept the ball a little more off the plate tonight, a little more command of his offspeed. He kept us in the game.”
Foley is 12-0 this season season, and 15-0 overall in his St. John?s career.
Reliever Frank Soucy took over and went two-thirds of an inning, and Brendan Powicki allowed a run in the ninth, but closed things out for Eagles.
The Eagles dropped a heartbreaker to the Wamps earlier in the tournament, letting a four-run lead slip away and losing in extra innings. Thursday?s game will serve as the tiebreaker for the two teams.
?We play well after we don?t play well, and I love the reaction tonight,” said LeTarte. “We were disappointed, and we beat BC High to get back to this position. We got a little angry, and I think some of that anger came out tonight.”Katie Morrison may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @KatieMo61.