V. Baseball takes home the MBIL trophy!

Brimmer and May 7 BTA 1             
Record: 10-2 Overall , 7-1 MBIL

MBIL Championship Game

 

The Varsity Baseball Team played in its seventh consecutive MBIL Championship Baseball Game yesterday at Brandeis University’s Stein Diamond and came out the winner for the third time in four years with a convincing 7 - 1 victory over Boston Trinity Academy.

 

After starting pitcher Grant Iuliano, ’18 shut down BTA in the top of the first inning, the Gators grabbed an early 1 - 0 lead on a 2-out strike out/wild pitch/throwing error that left Iuliano standing on second base. He then stole third and when the throw sailed into left field he ran home for the first run of the game.

 

The team added a second run in the third when Jimmy Yfantopulos, ’18 led off with a triple to right field and scored on a passed ball, making the score 2 - 0.

 

BTA scored their lone run in the top of the fifth on a single, an error and another single before the Gators snuffed out their brief rally.

 

In the bottom of the fifth, Brimmer put up 4 runs to put the game out of reach. Paxton Wong, ’20 led off with a walk, and Michael Donahue, ’19 bunted him to second but he reached base himself when the BTA pitcher mishandled the ball. Wong crossed the plate on a error at shortstop and Yfantopulos reached first on a fielder’s choice and moved to third on a stolen base and wild pitch. Iuliano then walked and stole second base. Jack Donnelly, ‘18 singled to deep short to score Yfantopulos and move Iuliano to third. Donnelly then stole second and Michael Hastings, ’18 rifled a ball up the middle for a 2-run single.

 

In the top of the sixth, Iuliano faced the middle of the order for BTA and struck out the 3 and 4 hitters before allowing an infielder roller for a single to the #5 hitter. He then struck out the #6 hitter who looked at a fastball for strike three. The team added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Justin Ewing, ’19 led off with a walk and stole second. Yfantopulos reached first when he was hit in the leg with a pitch. During Dylan Rigol’s, ’18 at-bat, Ewing crossed the plate on another BTA wild pitch for Brimmer’s final tally of the game.

 

While only managing 4 hits in the game, the team made them count and used its legs to steal 8 bases—3 by Yfantopulos, 2 by Iuliano, and 1 by Donnelly and Ewing each—and took advantage of wild pitches and errant throws to score runs.

 

Defensively, the Gators committed only one error and made some fine plays in the field: one by Gabe Bryan, ’19 on pop foul to end the third inning, one by Rigol on a ground ball to short that he scooped up and sent home on a line to the catcher to get the out on the runner heading to the plate, and another by Hastings on a nice scoop of a low throw to first in the top of the seventh inning; freshman Stephen Moreno, ’20 entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning at second base as a defensive replacement. Matthew Hastings, ’18, provided leadership and excellent guidance as the team’s first base coach as he was out of the game due to injury.

 

Donnelly, who pitched an outstanding game against Gann in the semifinal last week, called and caught a great game behind the plate, and Iuliano finished the game allowing 4 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run (0 earned) while striking out 10 for a complete game win. He maintained a 0.00 ERA in league play for the season and the tournament.

 

Many thanks to the fans—students, faculty, parents and grandparents, alumni, and friends—who came out to see the game and support the team. Special thanks go to Mr. Gates, Ms. Nyland, Mrs. Guild, Mr. Neudel, Mr. Langlois, Mr. Bray, Larry, Jared Heller, Lachlan Davidson, Mr. Bryan (Gabe’s dad) and all the parents—for the great food yesterday and throughout the season!—the Hastings, the Rigols (for helping us and the softball team get quality equipment), the Donnellys, the Moreno-Jimenezs, the Yfantopuloses, the Ewings, the Wongs (for organizing snacks for the team), Ms. Anderson (awesome fresh fruit snack!), the Donahues, Ms. Bryan, and Mrs. Iuliano for their terrific support of the team in so many ways.