BRAINTREE - Xaverian’s senior righthander Nick Ahearn went the distance in a 10-2 victory over Taunton to clinch the Division 1 North title Monday at Braintree High, the fourth consecutive complete-game victory for the Hawks.
Ahearn threw 92 pitches, allowing six hits while walking none and striking out four.
“Ninety-two pitches in nine innings is Greg Maddux territory,’’ said Xaverian coach Gerry Lambert. “[Ahearn] works fast and Nick is our best guy at doing that on the mound, being in rhythm and being under control.’’
“I was throwing a lot of strikes,’’ said Ahearn. “I didn’t strike out a ton of people, I let them put the ball in play and they played great defense behind me.’’
Every member of the Xaverian lineup had a hit as the Hawks finished with 16. Chris Hoyt went 3 for 4 with a walk, a steal, and three runs.
“We are not a team whose top half and bottom half are fundamentally different. We have been fortunate that all year long we have had different guys chip in at different times,’’ said Lambert.
The Hawks (16-8) got a run in the first on an RBI single by Alex Person, a run in the third on an RBI single by Tim Duggan, and one in the fourth when Tyler Wolfe hit a sac fly.
The Hawks led, 3-2, in the seventh when they broke the game open.
With one out and runners on second and third, Ahearn hit an RBI single up the middle. The next batter, Duggan, was hit by a pitch and Mike LaVita hit a single to right to drive in a pair. Duggan scored the fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch.
“Today more guys were on [base] than off and ultimately we were able to break through with those runs late,’’ said Lambert.
In the top of the eighth, Person provided the dagger. With two on and no outs he pulled a homer to left to give Xaverian the 10-2 lead.
“I had an 0-2 count and I just choked up on the bat and hit it good,’’ said Person. “It was a great feeling. I thought it was going to be foul.’’
With the win, the Hawks advance to play North champion Lowell at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton. Duggan, who tossed a complete game in the South quarterfinal against Silver Lake, will start for Xaverian.
Taunton finished 18-6.