by Jacob Gurvis and Jonny Levenfeld
After posting a 19-1 regular season record and landing the top seed in the inaugural Super 8 tournament, the expectations were high for baseball.
Today, with a 6-2 win over fifth-seeded Braintree at Rox Stadium in Brockton, the Tigers lived up to the hype and won the Division 1A State Championship.
After the Tigers fell behind 2-1, junior Ben Porter, a captain with seniors Tommy Hodgson and Alex Joyce and junior Curtis Beatrice, tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with an RBI single. Joyce and junior Mike Barbieri extended the lead to four in the seventh with a pair of two-run singles.
Senior Dylan Sbordone continued his dominance on the mound and closed out the game for the Tigers. Sbordone pitched in all four games of the double-elimination tournament, as well as the continuation of the opening game against Catholic Memorial.
According to Hodgson, the camaraderie the team developed throughout the season led to success. “We had each other’s backs. No matter what the score was we had confidence that every single kid on the team could fill their role and get the job done,” he said.
Hodgson also attributed the Tigers’ success to their ability to make adjustments against tough pitching.
All in all, it was a special season for the whole team. “It meant a lot, especially as a senior and especially with these kids. We were like a family,” said Hodgson.