The Warriors were never supposed to win Saturday’s Division IV baseball quarterfinal game. Wilton-Lyndeborough? The No. 9 seed? Beating No. 1 Derryfield at home after the 15-1 Cougars polished them off twice in the regular season? Impossible. But behind shutout pitching from senior Sean Brennan, nearly error-free defense and another timely big hit from senior Ty Bacci, WLC pulled the monster upset, earning a trip to Wednesday’s Final Four game in the process.
“Every single kid on this team cares,” Brennan said after the 5-0 win. “Every single person on this team matters. And it’s just so fun to win against this team like that. It’s so fun to beat a one-seed as the nine-seed. Nobody would’ve ever expected us to beat them today.”
The Warriors lost their season opener against Derryfield in an ugly 14-4 errorfest; of course, that was weeks before WLC reconfigured their lineup, drilled in the basics and turned their season around at the end of April, winning eight of 10 down the stretch. Meanwhile, Derryfield reeled off 11 wins in a row on their way to a division-leading 15-1 record, and even after the Warriors’ improvement, it was the Cougars who won their regular-season rematch on May 25.
“Once we got the right pieces and the right positions, we knew that we could be a contender for the state title,” Brennan said. “I mean, I never expected to beat them, especially after getting smacked by them both times. But things happen different in playoffs.”
Brennan was locked in on the mound, allowing just three singles and three walks over seven innings while striking out nine, including the final three outs in the seventh. He’d been given an early lead to protect, as WLC scored twice in the top of the first off starter John McDevitt on singles by shortstop Troy Brennan and third baseman Colby Collins, along with a Sean Brennan walk, a Bacci fielder’s choice and a Keegan Hall single. The Warriors were focused in the field as well; WLC made only one error, a Troy Brennan overthrow, and made several stellar plays that showed off their vast improvements in that department, including a heads-up play from Collins to tag a runner at third and a Joe Krug running catch in center that saved a run.
“The catch that Joe Krug made in centerfield,” coach Tom Brennan said, “I’m sorry, but he doesn’t make that catch in April. Just doesn’t happen. We were a mess defensively, now we’re a solid baseball team. It’s just awesome. I love these guys. Luckiest guy in town.”
Oddly enough, the game swung on two intentional walks to either team’s three-hitter. With Wilton up 2-0 in the third and Derryfield’s leadoff man on second with two outs, the Warriors intentionally walked DIV Player of the Year Will Perkowski; despite the derision from the Derryfield student section, it was the right move, as Brennan induced a popup to end the inning.
Wilton turned the tables in the fifth to break the game open. After senior Alex Balusek drew a leadoff walk and Troy Brennan doubled, Sean Brennan came up with one out, and Perkowski, now on the mound in relief, intentionally walked him to load the bases and create a force or double play situation. It was also the right move, procedurally, but it played right into the Warriors’ hands, as it brought up the cleanup hitter Bacci. Bacci had been hitting in the two-hole before the team – from bookkeeper to coach – voted to move him into the cleanup spot, and he’s taken advantage, with two hits in WLC’s playoff win over Concord Christian earlier in the week.
“He was just seeing the ball and seeing the ball and hitting it hard,” coach Brennan said. “And it’s turned out to be the best move I made all year. And it wasn’t even my idea, which I’ll be happy to admit.”
Bacci smashed a line drive to deep center that sailed over the fielder’s head and rolled for a bases-clearing, three-RBI triple, and the game was all but over.
“Anybody that watched this team back in April would’ve bet the house that we are not standing where we are today,” coach Brennan said. “These kids have worked so hard and committed to playing defense and it’s been a wonderful thing to watch. It’s been amazing.”
WLC (12-6) faces No. 4 Newmarket (13-5) Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Laconia’s Robbie Mills Park in the semifinals. The Mules shut out the Warriors 11-0 in their first regular-season meeting, but lost big at home in their May 18 rematch, 12-1. Since Wilton-Lyndeborough stayed out of their bullpen Saturday, they’ll have another well-rested ace in Troy Brennan, who threw a complete-game two-hitter with 16 Ks in the Warriors’ playoff opener.
At the end of the regular season, coach Brennan said he’d be happy to get this team to the Final Four. But after two big playoff wins and the upset of a lifetime, he knows that goal wasn’t lofty enough.
“Not when I see what my team’s doing,” coach Brennan said. “I don’t think anybody wants to face us, I’ll tell you that. Troy should be fully fresh, ready to go. And if I’ve got [Sean] in the title game, I’ll take my chances, the way we’re hitting – everyone’s hitting.”
Mascenic riding high into semis
Reports of Mascenic’s early demise have been greatly exaggerated, it turns out. Despite a pair of stumbles at the end of the regular season, the Vikings’ good vibes are back in full effect for the Division III tournament.
No. 7 Mascenic shut out No. 10 Fall Mountain 5-0 to open the playoffs Thursday, behind a Jack Cocozella complete-game shutout in which he allowed just three hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
Senior shortstop Sean Agonis (3-3) homered and drove in two runs; senior first baseman Blaine Krook drove in another.
The Vikings then pulled off a major upset of their own on Saturday, trekking up to No. 2 White Mountains and shocking the Spartans with a 5-4 win to earn a semifinal berth.
Agonis relieved Joe Cocozella on the mound and threw 2.1 scoreless innings to help Mascenic stay poised for the win; tied 4-4 in the seventh, Cocozella was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a Hunter Kaarto single.
Kaarto (1-2) drove in two runs in the game; Cocozella (2-2, 3 R) drove in another, and the rest were the result of White Mountains errors. Mascenic did not make an error in the game.
The Vikings (15-4) play No. 3 Inter-Lakes in the semifinals at Laconia’s Robbie Mills Stadium Saturday at 4 p.m.
Conant pulls upset, then falls
The No. 13 Orioles extended their season a bit further than the seedings would have predicted, upsetting No. 4 Belmont 4-2 Thursday in their playoff opener.
Lane LeClair went seven innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a walk while striking out eight.
Jordan Ketola, Corey Collins and Dylan Adams (2-2, 2 RBI) drove in runs for the Orioles.
The magic came to an end in the quarterfinals Saturday, where Conant fell to No. 5 Berlin 11-1 to conclude the season.
Ketola drove in Conant’s only run of the game.
The Orioles finished at 8-10.
ConVal on to Final Four
Upsets abounded on Saturday, as No. 7 ConVal traveled to No. 2 Merrimack Valley and pulled off the 6-4 shocker.
ConVal scored three runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI single from Kendall Sullivan and a two-RBI double from senior Makenzie Anderson. Anderson hit another two-run single in the third to extend the lead; ConVal never trailed, and added insurance in the seventh when pinch-runner Ashley Cronin scored on a passed ball.
Lily Mandel pitched for the win, allowing two runs on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Sullivan finished out the game, allowing two runs on one hit with two walks and a strikeout.
This marks the Cougars’ deepest playoff run since 2014, when ConVal lost in the semifinals.
ConVal (12-6) plays No. 3 John Stark (14-2) Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Mascenic knocks out Huskies, falls at Newport
The No. 13 Vikings made the best of their unexpected game at No. 4 Monadnock following the NHIAA’s surprise reseeding, topping the Huskies 8-4 in Swanzey Thursday.
Lyla Buxton pitched for the win; Mascenic scored eight runs in the fourth inning to get an insurmountable lead.
The Vikings were upset-minded in Saturday’s quarterfinal game at No. 5 Newport, but the Tigers ended Mascenic’s season with a 5-3 win.
Conant knocked out by Berlin
The No. 11 Mountaineers jumped out to an early lead over No. 6 Conant on Thursday and then knocked Oriole pitcher Graecen Kirby out of the game with a liner to the hip in the fourth inning.
Conant made four errors in the game, resulting in four unearned runs.
Senior catcher Tessa Spingola had Conant’s lone RBI. The Orioles left runners in scoring position in the first, second, fifth, sixth and seventh. Seniors Teagan Kirby (2B), Kaylee Karns (2-4, 2B), Chelsea Dupuis (2-3) and Mylie Aho had hits for Conant.
The Orioles finish at 12-5.