B-R | 4 |
---|---|
Nashoba | 0 |
LOWELL — Bridgewater-Raynham took home its first Division 1 baseball title Saturday on the back of a stellar effort by lefthander Mike Bruemmel as the Trojans defeated Nashoba, 4-0, at LeLacheur Park. It’s the first state title for the Trojans’ baseball program.
The senior cruised, going the distance, while flirting with a no-hitter. He struck out 12 and allowed just two hits.
“I felt great the whole week so I knew I was going to come and compete,’’ he said. “[The defense] stepped up today and I’m proud of everyone.”
The championship started as a pitching duel, with Bruemmel and Nashoba’s Drew Foster hurling 1-2-3 innings through two.
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At the plate, Bruemmel put the game’s first run on the board in the top of the third. He helped his own cause by driving in Corey Dinunno from second with a single. The Trojans (21-5) tacked on three runs in the fourth, highlighted by Andrew Noviello’s RBI double and some Chieftain errors.
“Our offense again put the pressure on the whole game,’’ said Bridgewater-Raynham skipper John Kearney. “It may not seem like it, but we had pressure on them offensively [and] men in scoring position a lot of those nine innings.”
Nashoba coach Chuck Schoolcraft elected to stick with Foster, and he stayed in the game up until Jack Sarnoski relieved him in the eighth.
Bruemmel had his no-hit bid broken up in the eighth inning. The Wheaton-bound hurler explained he was aware of the no-no.
“All the guys were bugging me about it the whole time,” Bruemmel chuckled. “It kept my adrenaline up the whole time. It was awesome.”
Foster hit a line-drive single on a changeup.
Kearney praised his starter.
“He’s got four pitches. He throws them all with good control and command,’’ the coach said. “He just mixes it up and he has a little bit of velocity, so you have to be aware of that as a hitter. He was just on the whole game.”
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Bruemmel sat Nashoba down in order four of the nine innings.
“He’s just such a leader. He’s been the leader of this team all year and showed it today,” said Kearney.
After Bruemmel’s no-hit bid ended, he answered at the plate by driving in the Trojans’ last run with a single in the eighth.
“A great way to end my senior year. It was awesome. I’m speechless right now,” said Bruemmel.