WORCESTER – Just call them the “Double Champs” now.
Milton completed its march into history on Friday night at Polar Park as the Wildcats became just the second team to repeat as Division 2 baseball champions thanks to a 6-2 win over King Philip.
“This is a special group of kids,” Wildcats coach Brendan Morrissey said. “To get back here and do this again is just crazy and something that is truly special.”
It was a team effort in every sense of the phrase for the Wildcats (22-3) on Friday as Owen McHugh struck out 11 and added two hits, an RBI and a run scored from his leadoff spot in his final game in Milton colors. At the other end of the lineup, No. 9 batter Harry Hinckle was 2-for-2 with two runs scored as he helped ignite things after a shaky start for the Wildcats.
“We have Harry down there for a reason,” Morrissey said. “He has great speed and allows us to turn the lineup over.”
It was a night of missed chances for the Warriors (17-8), however, as they put the leadoff man aboard in each of the first five innings against McHugh. But they only had one run to show for it.
“They (King Philip) are a really good team and we knew it was going to be tough,” McHugh said. “I have a lot of faith in our lineup and they were able to come through.”
After the Warriors took a 1-0 lead right off the bat thanks to three singles, capped by a RBI hit from Tommy Martorano, it looked like the visitors were ready to flip the script from last season. And when they had men on first and third with one out in the second, things were getting sketchy for McHugh and his mates.
Showing his poise and experience, McHugh struck out the final two batters to escape the jam and give his team a chance to settle down.
“Owen has the heart of a champion,” Morrissey said. “He just doesn’t get rattled and he settled in really well after those first couple of innings.”
The problem for the Wildcats was that King Philip starter Rudy Gately was also in a nice groove. That was until he lost his command in the top of the third.
Hinckle got the inning started with a double. McHugh followed with a single and a four-pitch walk to Jimmy Fallon loaded the bases. Another four pitch walk moments later, this one to Scott Longo, scored Hinckle to tie the game.
Then came the game-changing play as Jack Finnegan’s tailor made double play ball turned into a throwing error that allowed McHugh and Fallon to score for a 3-1 Wildcats lead.
Suddenly reinvigorated, McHugh then got on a roll. After throwing 55 pitches in the first three innings, he needed only six to get through the fourth. Gately then got the first two batters in the bottom half but Hinckle singled to extend the inning and turn the lineup over.
After a stolen base, McHugh doubled just inside the left field line to bring Hinckle around and extend the lead to 4-1.
The Warriors weren’t ready to go away and had a chance to make a game of it in the top of the sixth. A one-out walk to Aidan Astorino was followed by singles from Gately and Tommy McLeish that cut the lead to 4-2. After McHugh struck out pinch hitter Johnny Prater, he departed in favor of left-hander Tommy Mitchell.
A wild pitch put runners on second and third with lead-off man Max Robison up. But Robison never got a chance to tie the game as Mitchell’s 1-1 pitch bounced off Finnegan’s glove and got away. Gately tried to score but Finnegan was able to recover the ball and flip it to a covering Mitchell to get the out at home.
“Tommy showed what kind of athlete he was on that play,” Morrissey said.
The Wildcats put the game away in the bottom of the inning. Pinch hitter John Sullivan singled with one out and stole second. Hinckle followed with a walk before a passed ball moved the runners up 90 feet.
After reliever Martorano got McHugh swinging for the second out, Fallon ripped a 3-1 pitch for a single that scored Sullivan. The Wildcats then called a play they hadn’t used all year as with Longo in an 0-2 hole, Fallon broke for second but fell down to draw a throw. When he did, Hinckle raced home to give his team a four-run lead.
All that was left was for Mitchell to come out and finish off a historic win, which he fittingly did by getting Matt Kelley looking to end the game.