LYNN — The month of Tommy Falasca just keeps on rolling. The Spartan was named MVP of the Doug Mullins tournament and hit a walkoff in Sunday’s round of 32 matchup against Wakefield.
Spoiler alert, however, Wednesday was the best yet from Falasca.
No. 10 St. Mary’s defeated No. 26 Reading Memorial 4-0 as the right-handed senior threw a complete-game shutout with six strikeouts.
“I know this could possibly be my last year playing, so I really just want to end it out on the best season that I can,” Falasca said.
With a comfortable 4-0 lead in the seventh inning, Falasca – who allowed just four hits Wednesday – was met with roaring applause on potentially the last pitch of the game.
“I had to step off. I had to take it in and kind of realize this is the moment I have to step up big,” Falasca said. “Win the game on this last pitch.”
Well, he did, striking out his batter looking to advance his team to the Elite 8.
“All I want to do is win,” Falasca said.
St. Mary’s coach Derek Dana was thrilled, but not surprised, adding Falasca was a key contributor in the Spartans’ tournament run two years ago.
“He’s really grown up, but he’s been in those situations,” Dana said. “It’s just the experience. They made the Super Bowl run in football – he’s just been in big games.”
And he got started right away, registering strikeouts to begin and end the first inning. In the second, catcher Isaiah Weston made a beautiful throw to second base for a highlight-reel out.
“Isaiah made a great throw in one of the beginning innings,” Falasca said. “He threw a kid out and it really sparked our defense after that.”
It must’ve sparked the offense, too. Jaiden Driscoll roped a single to score pinch runner Gabe Diaz for a 1-0 St. Mary’s lead.
After a pitcher’s duel between Falasca and Reading Memorial’s Jack Raimo, things blew open in the sixth inning with Michael DeMaino connecting on a leadoff double.
“That’s a freshman up there batting second and he’s just been setting things up,” Dana said.
Chris Marks walked with the bases loaded for a 2-0 St. Mary’s lead. From there, Josh Doney made the play of the evening, hitting a line-drive double to score two more Spartans (4-0).
“I’m so happy for Josh because we see it. We see it in BP (batting practice) all the time and he’s just got to let the ball come to him,” Dana said. “His confidence is going to jump right there, being able to deliver in that spot… That was a huge hit.”
And in the top of the seventh, after two throws to first from DeMaino, Falasca’s strikeout ended it.
“I liked the way we finished the game in the field, at the plate, and on the mound,” Dana said.
Another highlight came in the fifth inning when center fielder Tad Giardina made a one-handed catch in stride.
“The defense made some pretty slick plays out there today,” Dana said.
St. Mary’s dugout was raucous from Falasca’s first pitch to his last. When asked about the ongoing – and loud – energy, Dana said his players are simply living in the moment.
“It’s the state tournament. I hate saying that, but now their eyes are open,” Dana said. “It’s not a Wednesday game down at Cardinal Spellman where they’ve got to ride on a bus for an hour-and-a-half.”
Well, their eyes will have to stay open a little longer as St. Mary’s moves into the Elite 8.
“I just love the state tournament,” Dana said. “It’s fun to play in front of people, and the further you go, the more the recognition comes.”
