Prep still hunts elite crown of diamonds
St. John’s Prep is hoping the fifth time is the charm.
The only team to qualify for the Super Eight tourna- ment in all five years, the third-seeded Eagles (16-5) have gotten to the finals the past three seasons, only to come up short. A deep pitching staff coupled with a solid lineup gives the Prep plenty of reason for optimism.
The other Catholic Conference team in the field is top-seeded BC High (15-5). BC High showed its worth by surviving a grueling stretch of games without ace Mike Vasil, who is now back. BC High might have one of the premier lineups in the state, an offensive attack second to none.
Like the Catholic Conference, the Hockomock League has two teams, the first time they will be represented in the Super Eight.
Fifth-seeded Mansfield (19-3) is on a 15-game winning streak, sparked by Kevin Dow and Tyler Dalton, who have done it on the field and at the plate all season long.
Franklin (17-5) checks in as the seventh seed. The Panthers have relied on a solid 1-2 pitching punch of Jake Noviello and Bryan Woelfel, while catcher Jake Macchi has established himself as one of the best in the area.
The Bay State Conference has a new face in the field in Walpole after Braintree and Newton North failed to qualify for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 2014. Eighth-seeded Walpole (15-5) got here thanks in large part to a deep pitching staff led by junior Cam Schlittler.
No. 6 Lexington (16-6) is making its first trek to the Super Eight. The Minutemen have two top pitchers in Jack Pawlowski and Madison Dina, while shortstop Sal Frelick may be the best player in the state.
Fourth-seeded Central Catholic (15-5) returns to the tournament for the second straight year. Gatorade Player of the Year Steve Hajjar capped off a terrific season by shutting out Andover on the final weekend of the regular season.
No. 2 Wachusett is the only team in the field with 20 wins and boasts a lethal offense. Six hitters are batting .375 or better.