DANVERS – The St. John’s Prep baseball team started its first game of the season on Monday night with a messy performance full of mistakes against a tough Catholic Conference opponent.
The game ended with left fielder Gavin Gold describing it as a preview of what the Eagles can achieve in a successful season.
No. 7 St. John’s Prep (1-0) made a comeback in the sixth inning, scoring five runs to overcome a 4-0 deficit and defeat No. 5 St. John’s of Shrewsbury (1-1), 5-4, despite Brady Shea's strong pitching performance.
Gavin Gold (2-for-2, triple, walk) and Jack DiFilippo both hit two-run doubles to recover from a 4-0 shortfall. Then junior pinch-hitter Tyler Spear drove in the go-ahead run with a single to left field. It was Spear’s first time at bat in a varsity game.
This narrow lead was enough for Braeden Hurley to finish off an impressive win in relief, striking out two batters in the final inning after pitching four scoreless innings with three hits.
“A lot of guys did a great job,” said Eagles head coach Dan Letarte. “We struggled in the first inning with the errors. … It was exciting when we got those hits in the last inning.”
“This is a special team,” Gold added. “If that’s how we have to win, then so be it. … The comeback is something really special, and we’re not finished yet.”
It was a challenging moment for Spear, stepping up to the plate with pinch-runner Christian Rosa on second in a 4-4 game. DiFilippo had just tied the game with his double, and Spear aimed to keep the momentum going.
After a high pitch from reliever Jack Roche helped Rosa advance to third base with one out, Spear hit the game-winning single a few feet inside the left field line. The count was full.
“I’ve got a runner on third base, I’ve just got to do my job – plain and simple,” Spear said. “I’m in my two-strike approach, wide stance, choke up on the bat. Simple, no load, just got to do a job, throw my hands out, and I’m just looking for that outside fast ball – which I did get and I was able to put into left field. … It’s an approach I’ve practiced a lot and thankfully translated into a game.”
The first batter that St. John’s Prep starter Joe Williams faced made it to second on an error. St. John’s of Shrewsbury then got a walk, a Jack Forgues single, another walk, and another error before the Eagles finally got the first out, which came from a Desmond Hayeck sacrifice fly, giving the Pioneers an early 3-0 lead.
Williams (three hits, three walks, four runs, two earned runs, four strikeouts) performed well over three innings, but a 4-0 deficit after Andrew Schmit’s RBI single in the third inning seemed like a huge challenge considering how well Shea was pitching.
It wasn’t until Aidan Driscoll’s single in the fourth inning that Shea allowed a hit. And after Gold hit a two-out triple later in the inning, Shea managed to escape the jam and finished the first five innings with a shutout and five strikeouts.
Cam LaGrassa began the sixth inning with a single. However, an error during a double-play attempt by the opposing team put runners on first and second with one out. James Willett then loaded the bases with a single. Gold and DiFilippo both hit doubles, leading to the end of Shea’s time on the pitcher's mound.
Gold commented, “The opposing team's pitcher is really talented, and they are a strong team in the conference.” “We had a slow start for a couple of innings, but eventually we found our rhythm. Brady Shea is a quality pitcher, and he knew what he was doing. Fortunately, we were able to outperform him. He’s really skilled, so we might face him again in the future.”
