LYNN — There was a lot riding on Thursday’s baseball matchup between St. Mary’s and Cardinal Spellman. The Spartans, on Senior Day, clinched their first Catholic Central League title since 2009 with a 5-4 win.
The Spartans (15-2) found the scoreboard first after Kyle Doney drilled a ball that reached the center-field wall. The junior showed off his speed, rounding the bases and going all the way home to give St. Mary’s a 1-0 lead.
From there, Nate Cutone hit an RBI single that scored Michael DeMaino (3-for-3) from second base (2-0).
Unfortunately for the Spartans, their lead didn’t last long as Cardinal Spellman responded with four runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a two-run lead.
But St. Mary’s, like it has all season, began to get its bats going.
With two outs in the sixth inning, Doney reached first base on an infield single to give the Spartans a base runner. Jackson Barrett pinch ran for Doney.
With DeMaino in the batter’s box, the junior slugger belted a ball down the third-base line, resulting in Barrett scoring and DeMaino reaching third.
Cam McGonagle (1-for-3) followed DeMaino with a triple of his own to tie the game (4-4).
“That was outstanding. Both of those at-bats were middle away opposite-field hits,” said St. Mary’s Coach Derek Dana. “For some reason, when our offense goes stagnant, we start to pull the ball and that’s how you end up with pop flies and ground balls. The proof is in the pudding with those two at-bats.”
Still in the bottom of the sixth, after Josh Doney and Jaiden Driscoll got on base, Maxwell Parent pinch hit. With two strikes, Parent hit a sacrifice fly to center field that brought home Doney to make it 5-4.
“Two-strike hitting – we work on that every single day in practice,” Dana said. “Getting the ball onto the barrel of the bat and working it past the infield and into the outfield. That was an excellent piece of hitting.”
Josh Doney went from scoring the winning run to earning the save with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
Shea Newhall started the game on the mound, going three innings and striking out four batters.
“Shea pitched great,” Dana said. “JJ (Avery) got back on the mound for the first time this year, due to his injury.”
Avery had to get out of a jam when he had runners on second and third base. He struck out his next two Cardinal batters and made the third out on a grounder.
“He battled. When it was time to finish that inning, he stepped up,” Dana said. “We’re looking forward to getting him ready to go down the stretch.”
