St. Mary’s entered the season as considered one of a handful of contenders for the Division 3 state baseball title.
By means of six video games, nothing has occurred to dispel that notion.
The 6-0 Spartans have crushed a pair of future Div. 1 school pitchers (Scott Longo and Andrew Shute) and a bonafide highschool ace (Matt Burt) within the course of.
“Pitching has been the No. 1 motive for our success,” stated St. Mary’s coach Derek Dana. “We’ve received two No. 1 guys (Josh Doney and Jack Zimmerman) who’re excellent pitchers who will go on to pitch in school. They all the time need the ball and so they give us innings. Jake Peterson has been with us for 3 years, he’s been in some massive video games as nicely.
“Cam McGonagle wasn’t with us final 12 months due to an damage he suffered throughout hockey, however he was our main hitter as a sophomore and can pitch for us in addition to Jackson Finn.”
St. Mary’s isn’t only a job for Dana – it’s his life.
A star participant at St. Mary’s the place he was a part of state championship groups in 1987 and 1988, Dana went on to play at UMass and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants within the twenty eighth spherical of the 1991 MLB Draft. He spent 4 years within the minors earlier than returning dwelling and turning into the pinnacle coach at his alma mater 18 years in the past.
“This college means rather a lot to me,” stated Dana, who has guided the Spartans to 3 state titles in his tenure. “I really like this place, I really like every thing in regards to the college. (Athletic director) Jeff Newhall does an awesome job, he offers us every thing we’d like which makes issues rather a lot simpler.
“The children know the previous and perceive that, however we wish them to be a part of one thing now.”
Due to the deep and proficient rotation, St. Mary’s doesn’t must bang out 20 hits every day to be able to obtain success. The Spartans have relied on well timed hitting from the likes of Michael DeMaino, Jared Paone, Josh Doney, Kyle Doney and McGonagle to remain good by six video games.
“We’re not hitting the best way we want, however I can see that we’re having significantly better at-bats than we did final 12 months.” Dana stated. “We’re a 12 months older and the approaches on the plate are a lot improved.”
Diamond dandies
Xaverian baseball coach Gerry Lambert joined the 300-win membership earlier final week when the Hawks defeated Hopkinton, 7-1. A 1988 graduate of Xaverian the place he performed for Invoice Porter, Lambert took over this system in 2002 and has guided the Hawks to 3 state titles in addition to 4 sectional titles in his 22 seasons on the helm.
Staying with the Catholic Convention, coaches within the league aren’t paying lip service once they say on any given day, any staff within the league can beat the opposite. That occurred final Monday as winless Catholic Memorial knocked off defending state champion and beforehand unbeaten BC Excessive 4-2 due to a key two-run double by Richie Curran.
Holliston dialed up Dr. Longball early and infrequently in opposition to Millis. Evan Engel, Sam Schoenberg and Ben Maiorano every homered twice and mixed for 14 RBI as Holliston cruised to a 15-2 win.
Whitman-Hanson’s Taryn Leonard isn’t any stranger to going yard herself. The Panther standout belted a pair of dwelling runs in an 18-5 win over Hingham, giving her 20 for her profession.
Bishop Feehan’s Mylee Ramer took issues into her personal fingers in opposition to St. Mary’s. She struck out 14 and homered twice, together with a grand slam, in a 14-8 win to enhance to 6-0 on the season. The Shamrocks have a key nonleague showdown in opposition to King Philip slated for Patriots Day.
All-Scholastic junior pitcher Elsie Testa of Abington retains placing up spectacular numbers. The reigning South Shore Tobin Participant of the 12 months cracked the 300-strikeout mark for her profession in a 9-2 win over Cohasset. Final 12 months, Testa struck out 189 batters in 152 innings and completed with a miniscule 0.88 ERA.
(When you have any pocket book concepts, please don’t hesitate to achieve out to me at donato.ventura@bostonherald.com)
