June 14, 2017

UPDATED: St. Mary High School baseball team advances to the state championship

REGIONAL
Story and photos by John Thornton

WORCESTER – Yesterday the bleachers of Tivnan field at Lake Park in Worcester was filled with fans, clad in bright yellow T-shirts featuring the phrase “Go Saints.”

They were there to cheer on the St. Mary High School baseball team. Parents and students alike had traveled for over an hour from their native Westfield to see their team compete in the MIAA State Championship Tournament against the previously undefeated Tahanto Regional High School of Boylston, Mass.

This was the third game in the tournament for the St. Mary’s team. Their record for the regular season was an impressive 21-2. They had previously beaten two other local teams who had made it to the tournament, Hopkins Academy of Hadley and Granby High School. The game against Granby High this past Saturday was a close win with a final score of 3 to 2.

Coach Sean Pierce told iObserve what the team’s strategy was going into yesterday’s game.

“Our strategy all year has been pitching and defense,” Pierce explained. “So we’ve pretty much upheld that for the whole year. We’re very solid with what we do. We’re very good at what we do. And all of sudden, at this time in the season, we’re hitting. So we mix in a little bit of hitting with the pitching and the defense that we have.”

Coach Troy Collins believes faith plays a role in the lives of student athletes at St. Mary’s.   

“We pray before every game,” said Collins. “I think it helps them with their sportsmanship and the way they approach the other teams and the way they respect the other teams and respect each other. And with St. Mary’s, or any small school, we’re like a family, so that plays a big role.”

Nate Bonini pitched a great game and St. Mary’s won 4 to 0. The only runs of the game were scored in the first four innings. The team advances to the last round of the tournament where they’ll play at Holy Cross in Worcester this Saturday, June 17. Their opponent has yet to be determined.

For the last three years, another St. Mary’s team, the ski team, also has gone to state finals.

“We give a lot of credit to the students,” Coach Pierce told iObserve. “They work very hard. They have a very tough schedule, lots of practice and we attribute it more to them than anything. They’re really a good bunch of kids.”