BROCKTON - After Central Catholic's Super 8 run last year ended after
three games, coach Marc Pelletier made one point abundantly clear: This
was the new precedent.
The program, which was making its first appearance a year ago, should strive to get back to the elite dance every year.
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Baseball, 06/20/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
BROCKTON — Pitching is undoubtedly important. But sometimes it just pays off if you can hit the stuffing out of the ball.
That’s exactly what Central Catholic did yesterday afternoon against top-seeded Boston College High School in the Super 8 loser’s bracket final. The Raiders pounded out 21 hits and scored a whopping 16 runs to take down the Eagles, 16-9, to advance to the program’s first Super 8 final.
No. 4 Central (18-6) will play No. 7 Franklin — the team that send them to the loser’s bracket on Thursday in devastating fashion — on Monday at 7 p.m. at Brockton’s Campanelli Stadium.
The Raiders, who have one loss in the double-elimination tournament, will need to beat Franklin twice to take home the Super 8. A potential Game 2 of the championship is not set, but is speculated to be on Saturday if necessary.
“As low as we were losing a one-run game to Franklin, it might have been the practice of their lives yesterday,” said Central coach Marc Pelletier. “It was an emotional practice. We fixed a couple of things, and the kids played just clean baseball today.
“You tell me 48 hours ago that we’re going to get 21 hits against a team with the caliber of pitching staff of BC High, I’d tell you that you’re absolutely crazy.”
While all 11 batters that Central sent to the plate on Saturday registered a hit, the offense was fueled by Steve Hajjar.
The stud lefty pitcher committed to Michigan has been unable to throw during the Super 8 due to tendinitis in his left forearm, but is still swinging a hot bat.
He went 4 for 6 with a triple, two doubles and four RBIs, getting the Raiders off to a 2-0 lead after the first inning and a 4-0 lead after four.
“I was seeing the ball really well,” said Hajjar. “I think it helped because we saw them a couple of days ago, those pitchers that they had, and yeah everyone was hitting today.
“I’m so proud of the team for how we were able to bounce back from that tough loss the other game and just come out today ready to play.”
While the Raiders were tight in their loss to Franklin, they handled any adversity hurled their way on Saturday.
When the Eagles (18-7) scored in the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-1, Central answered a run in the top of the sixth.
When Luke Murphy brought the Eagles to within 5-4 with a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the sixth, the Raiders responded with four runs in the top of the seventh — highlighted by a Noah Lucier double.
Leading 9-5 after seven, Central scored five more runs in the eighth and two in the ninth. The Raiders batted around in both the seventh and eighth inning.
While the top of Central’s order is as potent as it comes, Lucier (1 for 3, 3 RBIs) was part of a bottom half that had a field day. Sean Thompson had two hits out of the No. 7 spot, No. 8 hitter Mike Pierro had a double and, most important of all, No. 9 hitter Mike LeFebre went 3 for 5 with a game-high five RBIs.
“I think a lot of times a lot of us at the bottom of the order get a lot of guys at the top rolling,” said LeFebre.
With the bottom of the lineup hitting, and with stalwarts Hajjar, Dom Keegan (3 for 4, double) and Michael Borrelli (3 for 6, 4 RBIs) in the middle, there is no easy out in Central’s order.
And don’t forget about starter Thompson. The lefty had a no-hitter through four, and finished the day going 5.2 innings with four earned runs and 10 strikeouts.
With Hajjar shelved on the mound, and trusty relievers Aidan Abernathy and Lucier unavailable after pitching Thursday, the Raiders turned to junior Jonathan Montanile and sophomore Ryan Semenetz to finish the game. Both hadn’t pitched an inning in the Super 8 prior to Saturday.
“What more can you say about Sean Thompson,” said Pelletier.
Everyone knew how talented Central was entering the season.
But to be in the Super 8 championship was still coming as a shock to the Raiders after Saturday’s final out had been recorded.
“I really hoped to be in the Super 8 final,” said Hajjar. “But I can’t say I expected it though. This has been a great journey through the Super 8, but we just want to keep it going.
“Two more games.”
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Baseball, 06/16/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
BROCKTON - Finally, after all of these years, the age old question
has finally been answered: Is Noah Lucier afraid of pressure, or is
pressure afraid of Noah Lucier?
The answer: It's pressure that should be afraid.
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Baseball, 06/09/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
The moral of this story is that anytime you need a win to clinch the MVC Large title outright, send Steve Hajjar to the mound. The senior lefty got it done with an efficient shutout of Andover on just 79 pitches with 12 Ks to lead the Raiders to a 4-0 victory and their fourth straight Large title. All four years they've won it, Hajjar has been on the mound to clinch it.
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Baseball, 06/02/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
Nate Carpenter stole the show with a 3-hit shutout as Central Catholic blanked Haverhill, 8-0. The right-hander fanned seven and didn't walk a batter. Mike Pierro (3), Dom Keegan (2) and Mike Borrelli (2) combined to drive in seven runs.
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Baseball, 05/31/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
Sean Thompson was dominant, holding New Bedford to two hits and one earned run while fanning nine in five innings, as Central Catholic rolled 11-3. Dom Keegan drove in four runs.
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Baseball, 05/27/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
Mike LeFebre's bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the fourth inning lifted Central Catholic to a 7-1 win over Methuen. Sean Thompson got the win for the Raiders, going 6.1 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.
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Baseball, 05/14/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
The 10-5 win over Billerica was doubly sweet for Central Catholic. It clinched a state tourney berth and, according to a tweet from the school, it was the 400th win for 31st-year head coach Marc Pelletier. Joe Sanchez had four hits and Noah Lucier added three and earned the win in relief.
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Baseball, 05/10/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
Joey Sanchez sparked the offense for Central Catholic with three hits and three RBIs, as the Raiders cruised to an 8-0 win over Lowell. Steve Hajjar threw six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and didn't allow a walk.
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Baseball, 05/09/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
Central Catholic snapped a rare two-game losing streak as Nate Carpenter fired a complete-game 3-hitter with six strikeouts to blank Haverhill, 2-0. Joey Sanchez slugged a homer to lead off the first. Zach Durso (5-hitter) was the tough-luck loser. Central was the home team, although the game was played at Trinity Stadium.
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Baseball, 05/03/18 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
