'I wouldn't trade it for the world': Magical season ends for St. John's with loss in D1 final

WORCESTER — The St. John’s baseball team didn’t want to leave the field Saturday night.

Following the second-seeded Pioneers’ 5-1 loss to top-seeded BC High in the Division 1 state final, the collection of St. John’s players and coaches shared handshakes, hugs and tears in the outfield grass before they reluctantly walked off the playing surface at Polar Park.

With their historic season officially over, the Pioneers wanted to soak up each final second together.

“It was special that we were able to have that moment out there,” St. John’s senior Brady Shea said. “It’s nice to know that you were on a team where everybody cared about each other and liked each other.”

“No matter what, it’s been a tremendous experience,” St. John’s first-year coach Casey Cummins said. “It’s something I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

Shea racks up the accolades at St. John's

Shea has been a “baseball junkie” ever since he could hold a Wiffle Ball bat in his hands.

“He eats, drinks and sleeps baseball,” said his father, Kevin.

Ever since the Pioneers lost in the Division 1 state semifinals last season, Shea got right back to work. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound left-hander put on nearly 30 pounds by eating more, working out more and even dabbling in yoga and Pilates.

“He would text me pictures on Friday night when he was at the gym,” Shea’s father said. “I’m just so proud of him.”

“I didn’t want to have any regrets,” Brady Shea said.

Following a stellar senior season, in which Shea went 6-0 with a 1.52 ERA and 88 strikeouts en route to being named Catholic Conference MVP, the talented southpaw from Worcester received the nod to start for St. John’s in the Division 1 state fina l held just a few miles from his house.

“He’s the guy we look to (in order) to beat the top teams, and he’s done that all year long for us,” said Cummins, a 2008 St. John’s alum. “What he’s done in his career, especially this year, he’s earned every accolade he’s gotten.”

BC High exacts revenge on St. John's in D1 state final

After defeating BC High twice during the regular season, and once with Shea on the mound, St. John’s found itself in unfamiliar territory with its Catholic Conference foe in the Division 1 state championship game.

Trailing.

With the Eagles scoring first on an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning, St. John’s was forced to play from behind.

“High stress all the time,” Shea said.

The Pioneers took a collective sigh of relief in the top of the fourth when junior Andrew Schmit led off with a double, classmate Brayden Mercier reached base with a bunt single, and junior Jack Forgues drove Schmit in with an RBI single.

“Jack’s done it all year, and sure enough, right there, he does it in a big spot,” Cummins said.

St. John’s didn’t score any more runs, however, in the inning. Shea then allowed his only earned run of the game in the bottom of the fourth before being pulled an inning later with two out, after 110 pitches.

Shea allowed two runs (1 earned), struck out six and issued six walks in 4⅔ innings — his final high school start with St. John’s.

“It was so cool to pitch in front of a big crowd like this, and we really did feel the love of our community,” said Shea, who is committed to play baseball at Salve Regina University.

St. John’s threatened again in the top of the fifth by loading the bases with two outs but couldn’t tie this time. Neither team scored in their next at-bats before BC High pulled away with three runs in the sixth, including a big two-run single from senior captain Cole Bohane.

“They had the big hit there to kind of break it open,” Cummins said.

With a strikeout swinging to end the game, BC High erupted in celebration while St. John’s sat in dejection . The Eagles claimed their first state championship since 2009, while the Pioneers played in their first state title game since winning the Super 8 crown in 2017.

“We had our chances but unfortunately in a game like this, one play here and there, and they made a few more plays than we did tonight,” Cummins said. “We had so many moments throughout this playoff run, and I told the guys beforehand that ‘Hey, this has been quite the journey.’ ”

A journey that St. John’s players and coaches embarked upon for the first time together earlier this spring. And it was a magical ride that neither party wanted to end.

“New things, new coach, didn’t really know what to expect from them, but to come together with this group, this team, and just everyday work hard and make it all the way to this second, I couldn’t be prouder of this team,” St. John’s senior Noah Basgaard said. “It means a lot.”

Said Shea: “We really meshed well together. It was special.”

“We’re so happy and so proud of what the seniors and this entire team accomplished,” Cummins said. “We’ll miss the seniors like hell, but we look forward to the future of St. John’s, and hopefully this becomes the standard.”

—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'I wouldn't trade it for the world': Magical season ends for St. John's with loss in D1 final