NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Liam Flynn was lights out on the mound for Hopkins Academy.
Drury’s pitching staff, a strength of the team all spring, had its roughest outing of the spring.
The end result was a 15-0 win for the ninth-seeded Golden Hawks (13-9) in the second round of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field on Tuesday.
Flynn struck out seven and scattered five hits in six innings to earn the win on the mound.
Beau Elson led Hopkins’ offense, going 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.
But the Hawks’ best weapon on Tuesday was patience at the plate, as they worked 13 walks and took advantage of three hit-batters and six wild pitches by four Drury pitchers.
“I think we wanted a couple of pitches back early that we left out there, but, after that, it was just the overall consistency,” Drury coach Rob Jutras said. “Too many freebies, not enough strikes, and they made us pay for it.
“That’s a well-coached team, good hitting team. You’re not gonna get away with anything there.”
Hopkins returns to the state semi-finals for the third straight year to face top-seeded Georgetown, a 9-0 winner over Maynard in the Round of 16.
The Golden Hawks got all the offense Flynn needed in the top of the first inning.
A walk, a Jack Dyjach single and another walk with two outs loaded the bases for James Fitzgibbons, who doubled to clear the bases and give his team a 3-0 lead.
Hopkins then tacked on runs in the third and fourth innings, but the big blow came in the seventh, when two-run doubles from Elson and Dom Aloisi fueled a seven-run rally to open a 12-0 advantage.
Jutras took out starter Carson Rylander after he gave up a leadoff walk and used three more pitchers to get through the inning.
Meanwhile, Drury’s offense struggled to produce with runners on base.
Flynn left the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings and got out of a second-and-third jam with one out in the fourth.
“We kept giving ourselves opportunities, getting guys on, and it just seemed like we couldn’t break through the wall,” Jutras said. “We couldn’t get the big hit. We couldn’t manufacture anything when we needed it.”
Jake Gladu led Drury’s offense with two of its five hits.
No. 9 Drury finishes the season with a record of 17-5, and with just one senior, Hunter Marceau, graduating off the roster, the Blue Devils figure to be in a good position to make another run next spring.
“They’re going to be undeniable,” Jutras said. “It’s just a matter of time. They didn’t want to wait their turn. They didn’t take no for an answer. They wanted success every day, and they worked super, super hard.
“Just one senior, and we’ve got one next year. … So it’s just keep building, keep building. I told these guys, ‘Everybody better get us now, because we’re coming.’ “
