LYNN — It’s not often that a freshman gets handed the ball when there’s a trophy on the line, but it was never a second thought for St. Mary’s coach Derek Dana. With the Division 2 North title on the line, Dana put his trust in freshman righty Eric Bridges, and Bridges delivered a gem to help lift the No. 6 Spartans to a 2-0 win over No. 8 Masconomet to take home the title at Fraser Field Monday night.
Bridges was dominant from start to finish, pitching through jams when he found them and keeping the Chieftains hitters off balance all night. He tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. It only took him 79 pitches to put away Masconomet, whose lineup boasted Northeastern Conference MVP Sean Moynihan and a number of NEC all-stars.
The Spartans only scattered three hits on the night, but they made each one count. Terence Moynihan continued his incredible season by going 1-for-2 with a triple and two RBI, while Andrew Luciano (1-for-2, run scored) and Zach Fisher (1-for-3) each added one hit.
St. Mary’s threatened a number of times before finally scoring, getting two runners on base four times in the first five innings of play. The Spartans had nothing to show for it in each of the first four innings, but things finally changed in the fifth.
Andrew Luciano got things going with a one-out single, then Aiven Cabral was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base once again. This time, Terence Moynihan stepped up and notched the hit of the game, smashing a two-run triple to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead.
But Masconomet wasn’t without its share of threats as well. The Chieftains got runners on second and third in the top of the third inning, but St. Mary’s came up with a big out at home on a sacrifice bunt and escaped unscathed. Masconomet got a runner on base again in the top of the fifth, but the Spartans turned a nifty double play to once again keep the Chieftains off the board.
Masconomet had one more chance to start a rally in the top of the seventh after Cam Lagrassa notched a one-out single, but Bridges quickly induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the rally and give the Spartans the Division 2 North trophy.
St. Mary’s (19-6) now has the rare opportunity to repeat as state champions, as the Spartans will take on South champion Hopkinton in the EMass Division 2 Final at a date and time to be determined.
