'It means a lot; great win': Northbridge baseball rebounds, breaks away from Tantasqua

STURBRIDGE — The Northbridge High baseball team suffered its first setback of the season Friday, dropping a one-run decision in 10 innings to Nipmuc Regional.

They had the weekend to think about where they were headed.

“We had prom on Saturday, so they kind of had some fun,” co-coach Matt Abrain said. “But losing to a good team like that, a good rival, the thing was the next step. … It’s getting back in the habit and bouncing back.”

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Next up for the Rams was Southern Worcester County League heavyweight Tantasqua Regional, and they rebounded nicely, breaking open a tie game with a five-run fourth inning while on their way to an 8-4 win Monday afternoon in a game short on hits, but long on base runners.

The Rams, who had lost the last three meetings with the Warriors, improved to 9-1 (6-0) while the Warriors, who were shut out by St. Paul on Friday dropped to 7-2 (4-1).

“It means a lot; great win,” senior captain Brady Hubert said. “We came, we hit, shelled their ace, played well defensively.”

This was an enticing matchup of two of the top pitchers in Central Mass.

Senior right-hander Joe McKeown started for the Rams. He went five innings, allowing four base runners — on a hit, two walks and a hit batter — and one earned run while throwing 78 pitches.

McKeown struck out three, with eight outs being of the infield or foul-territory variety and four outfield flies.

“I have to thank my defense for it,” said McKeown, whose career goal is to become a firefighter. “Obviously, I didn’t strike out as many guys as I would have liked, but just falling back on the defense.

“We do a great job of making our plays and staying up even when we’re down.”

The Warriors countered with junior left-hander Miles Blake.

The returning T&G Super Team selection and Northeastern University commit came in 3-0 after allowing one run and eight hits while striking out 29 in 18⅔ innings.

Blake uncharacteristically was lacking command and was relieved after allowing the first three batters in the fourth to reach base and throwing 71 pitches. He only allowed one hit, but walked four batters, hit three and threw five wild pitches while being charged with four runs.

“He didn’t have his 'A' stuff today,” coach Jon Leroux said. “Our whole pitching staff didn’t pitch very well. High school baseball, if you don’t give away free bases, you win a lot of games. When you give away free bases, you lose games.”

The Rams mustered eight hits, five coming in the final two innings, and drew eight walks. They had four batters get hit by pitches.

Two of the Rams’ runs scored on wild pitches, and two more on an error.

It was 1-1 in the fourth when the Rams scored five via three hits to take a commanding lead. They sent nine batters to the plate with Hubert (3 for 5, 2 RBIs, 2 runs) doubling and McKeown singling in runs.

“We probably faced the best pitcher in Massachusetts today and made him look human for once,” Abrain humbly said. “So that was good.

“Proud of how we battled. That’s kind of been our method all year. Pitch by pitch, inning by inning, nothing is too high, nothing is too low.”

Junior righty Avery Sabourin pitched the final two innings for Northbridge, picking off a runner in the sixth before the Warriors got RBI hits from seniors C.J. Harrell (double) and Colm McGrath in the seventh to close out the scoring.

Senior Ryan Wright tied it at 1-1 with an RBI single in the second.

Junior Jake Costello reached base four times, highlighted by a triple, while scoring twice for the Rams, and senior Charlie Dupuis had a sacrifice fly RBI for the Rams to make it 8-2 in the sixth.

—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RichGarvenTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Northbridge baseball rebounds, breaks away from Blake, Tantasqua