Roche Saves the Day in Relief to Give Braintree First Round Win

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

Despite being in an unfamiliar setting, Braintree looked right at home.

Wamps’ sophomore right-hander Kyle Roche fired 2.2 innings of scoreless relief following 4.1 innings of shutout baseball from John Tellier as Braintree defeated Silver Lake, 2-0, in the first round of the Division 1 South Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Silver Lake Regional High School.

Braintree (12-9) advances to play Brookline in the Div. 1 South Quarterfinals on Monday afternoon.

PHOTO GALLERY: Braintree Walks-Off on Newton North

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

On Monday afternoon, Braintree completed a regular season sweep over rival Newton North with a walk-off, 2-1 win in extra innings.

Courtesy of our own Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI), here is a full photo gallery from the Bay State Conference matchup. Note that you can launch a gallery by clicking on any photo.

MIAA Baseball Top 25 Poll: Week 4

BC High's Mike Vasil has the Eagles' ascending to number one in our top 25 poll.

Photo By Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

By SuiteSports' Staff

After a couple of weeks of poor weather and bad field conditions, the baseball season got into the swing of things last week.

With the season now well underway, here is SuiteSports' first updated MIAA Baseball Top 25 Poll as selected by our panel of writers, correspondents, and editors.

1. Boston College High (3-1; Preseason Poll: 4) Led by Mike Vasil and Sean O'Connell the Eagles have already picked up quality wins over St. John's Prep, St. John's Shrewsbury, and Braintree. As a whole, BC High's pitching staff has surrendered just two earned runs in four games.

McCormack's Clutch Knock, Vasil's Heat Gets BC High past Braintree

By Matt Feld (@MattyFeld612)

Braintree, Mass. – The final moments mirrored a Super Eight classic.

Down 2-1 to BC High in the bottom half of the seventh, Braintree loaded the bases with two outs off Eagles’ ace Mike Vasil. 

Vasil, however, bore down and fired four straight fastballs, the last one generating a strikeout to give BC High a 2-1 win over the host Wamps on Saturday afternoon at Braintree High School. 

Tellier Shows Why He is the Ace In Braintree's Season-Opening Win

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

Newton, Mass. – John Tellier made sure Braintree's long wait to begin the season was well worth it.

On Friday afternoon, Tellier went six strong innings striking out 11 and allowing just one run as Braintree opened up its season with a 3-1 victory over Newton North at Newton North High School.

Tellier, who proved to be a vital piece to the Wamps end of the season run to the Super Eight Quarter Final in 2017, made sure everyone knew right off the bat that this year’s Braintree staff would be his.

The right-hander showcased a solid mid 80s four-seam fastball and mixed in both a slider and curveball. 

“I’ve been able to work with the coaches on a good curveball-slider combo to go with my fastball,” said Tellier. “This is a big spot to fill. Jack (Andrews) was the league MVP last year so it’s a lot of weight, but I can handle it.”

Braintree held a 3-0 lead entering the home half of the sixth inning, but the Tigers offense - shut down for the most of the afternoon – came to life.

Leadoff man Spencer Checkoway singled and Dante Taylor walked putting two on with one out. Tellier came back to strike out Alex Krylov, but Ryan McLaughin lined an RBI single to right center-field to trim the deficit to 3-1.

Tellier, however, was unable to retire John Moore who reached on via a walk loading the bases and putting the go-ahead run on base.

Patrick Svensson stepped into the dish with the chance to give Newton North the lead.

Tellier saved his three best fastballs for last, blowing three straight four-seamers by Svensson for his 11^th strikeout of the day and bringing an end to the Tigers' threat.

Jack Collins came on in the seventh and worked around a one out single for the save.

“John (Tellier) had a terrific pitch count through five and then he just kind of hit that first game wall expectedly," said Braintree coach Bill O'Connell. "Jack (Collins) has had a great preseason and a great summer and we were looking forward to getting him into a game. He did a great job shutting them down in a critical spot." 

Jackson Duffy proved to be the catalyst for the Wamps' offense.

After being unable to put the ball in play with two runners in scoring position in the first, Duffy came up in the third and drilled an RBI single to left to give Braintree a 1-0 lead.

"First inning he had second and third didn't come through but a great player will step up and come through in the next at-bat and that's what (Duffy) did," said O'Connell. "That was great for him and that's a sign that he will be one of our better players."

Kenny Schecter matched Tellier pitch for pitch for most of the afternoon. Schecter went five innings, allowing three hits, and giving up just one unearned run while fanning nine.

The Wamps found success against Newton North’s bullpen in the sixth and gained separation.

Alex Kennedy was hit by a pitch and then came around to score courtesy of three consecutive wild pitches.

Duffy then restarted Braintree’s offense working a walk before scoring on an RBI singe off the bat of Brendan Danahy to give the Wamps a 3-0 lead.

Captain Clutch: Braintee's Alex Kennedy Hoping To Put Perfect Cap On Memorable Career

Photo Courtesy of Bob Whitney (@WhitneyBob)

Braintree catcher Alex Kennedy is back as one of the most feared hitters in Massachusetts. 

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

Alex Kennedy was only a sophomore but he had already etched his name in Braintree baseball history.

Two years ago, the Wamps’ then-two hitter came up in the bottom of the ninth of the Division 1A Super Eight championship with Braintree and St. John’s Prep tied at two and the winning run 90 feet away.

In front of a raucous Braintree crowd Kennedy knocked a single back through the box to score the game winning run and hand the Wamps their second consecutive Super Eight title. 

“It’s a moment I’ll just never forget,” Kennedy says still smiling thinking back to the mob he experienced just beyond the first base bag. “It’s the best experience I’ve ever had playing any sport at any time.” 

BC High Hangs on to Eliminate Braintree from Super 8

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BROCKTON - For the first time in the Division 1A Super Eight tournament's history, a Bay State Conference team will not take home the trophy.

Trailing No. 4 BC High 11-10 in the top half of the ninth, Braintree sent three-hitter Alex Kennedy to the plate with two on and two outs in hopes of coming away with another one of their notorious comeback victories.

Eagles’ reliever Gavin Reily, however, induced a pop up to third base that landed in the glove of freshman Pat Roche to seal the win as BC High (15-9) defeated the two-time defending champion Wamps, 11-10, in the Super Eight quarterfinals at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton.

With the win BC High advances to the Super Eight semifinals, while Braintree’s season comes to an end.

Preview of BC High Braintree Super 8 Baseball

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Yesterday’s two Division 1A Super Eight games signaled the exit of one team from the field while another clinched a spot in the title game.

BC High knocked out 13 hits en route to an 8-1 win over No. 6 Xaverian to advance to the Super Eight quarterfinals in the first game of the morning. 

In the second of the two games, meanwhile, No. 1 St. John’s Shrewsbury scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth capped off by a walk off single from Jack Fields to defeat No. 3 St. John’s Prep, 4-3. 

The loss means St. John’s Prep falls to the one-loss bracket and will await the winner of Sunday night’s quarterfinal matchup between BC High and Braintree.

The Eagles and Wamps have played twice so far this season, both at BC High’s Monan Park. In the first contest between the two teams BC High held a 2-0 lead going into the top of the seventh but the Wamps rallied to score seven runs to grab a 7-2 win.

BC High got revenge on the Wamps in the first round of the Super Eight as behind a complete game from ace Mike Vasil the Eagles came away with a 3-2 win.

Now, with both team’s season on the line on Sunday night, here is how we expect the rubber match between these two teams to unfold.

No. 5 Braintree vs. No. 4 BC High

Probable Starting Pitchers: TBA – Braintree; Brendan Mignone, RHP – BC High

Date/Time/Location: June 11^th, 6pm, Campanelli Stadium

Braintree Holds Off Central Catholic to Keep Super 8 Title Defense Alive

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BROCKTON - In the blink of the eye, the two time-defending champions have put themselves back in the conversation for a three-peat.

One day after pulling off a miraculous comeback to remain alive, John Tellier kept Braintree’s season going, throwing a complete game as the No. 5 Wamps defeated No. 3 Central Catholic, 5-2, in a Division 1A Super Eight elimination game on Thursday afternoon at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton.

The win advances Braintree (16-7) to the Super Eight quarterfinals against the winner of BC High and Xaverian. Central Catholic (18-5) is eliminated from the tournament.

Vasil Pitches a Gem as BC High Tops Braintree in Super 8 Opener

Mike Vasil opened this year's Super 8 with a dominant performance against Braintree.   Photo by Christian Davis.

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON - BC High ace Mike Vasil made sure the Eagles' entrance into the postseason was simply super.

Behind Vasil’s complete game four-hitter on Wednesday afternoon, No. 4 BC High defeated No. 5 Braintree, 3-2, in the first round of the Division 1A Super Eight tournament on Wednesday afternoon at Monan Park on the campus of Boston College High School.

Vasil (CG, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 8 K) was on his game from the opening pitch, firing 23 of 30 first pitch strikes, and throwing 81 of his 107 total pitches for strikes.

The tall right hander, who was measured by a handful of scouts in attendance to be throwing somewhere between 91 and 94 miles per hour for most of the afternoon, saved his best for last, retiring the Wamps 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth to finish off the win.

BC High coach Norm Walsh said his three-year starter just knows how to get the job done.