LYNN — In the MIAA tournament, St. Mary’s senior Tommy Falasca has seen — and done — just about everything.
Falasca won the Division 2 baseball title in 2021 and the Division 6 Super Bowl in 2022, and was a Division 3 runner-up with the Spartans’ basketball team in 2023.
Drawing from that wealth of big-game experience, Falasca delivered a complete-game shutout Wednesday, leading the 10th-seeded Spartans to a 4-0 second-round win over No. 26 Reading at Fraser Field in Lynn.
“He’s been in big games. I don’t think that was his best stuff today, but he certainly competed. He just kept on making pitches,” said St. Mary’s coach Derek Dana said of Falasca. “He’s been a real leader for us this season.”
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Falasca allowed five hits and finished with five strikeouts.
“I know this could be my last year playing, so I really just want to end out on the best season I possibly can,” Falasca said. “Make sure my team is winning, winning, and winning. That’s all I want to do.”
The Spartans (15-7) took a 1-0 lead on Jaiden Driscoll’s RBI single in the second inning, but didn’t score again until a three-run burst in the sixth, highlighted by Josh Doney’s pinch-hit two-run double.
“I was so happy for Josh, because we see it in BP all the time, and he’s just got to let the ball get to him,” Dana said. “His confidence is going to jump to be able to deliver in that spot.”
Righthander Jake Raimo anchored the Rockets (15-7), holding St. Mary’s to one run and four hits before running into trouble in the seventh.
The Spartans will face No. 15 Mansfield in the quarterfinals.
“You’re going to face a good team no matter what, and they’re going to have a dude on the mound and they’re going to have a guy behind him, too,” Dana said. “You’ve got to come and be ready to go on state tournament day.”
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