BY SAPNA PATHAK
The losing team didn’t force insincere handshakes or meaningless pats on the back. The winning team didn’t applaud half-heartedly when the opposition received its runner-up plaque.
No, this year’s Class L baseball championship post-game festivities included genuine smiles and heartfelt hugs.
Maybe it was because newly crowned state champion Merrimack understood what the journey to the finals meant. Or maybe it was because runner-up Trinity had already beaten the Tomahawks during the regular season.
But it was probably because, despite all the doubters, regular-season records and postseason seedings, the Pioneers proved they earned their chance to play for the plaque.
“A lot of teams will say we didn’t deserve to be here,” said Pioneers head coach Eddie Poisson. “But this team deserved to be here. We beat the teams we needed to beat, won when we needed to win and went through three teams to get here just like any other team would’ve had to do.”
After an emotional extra-inning win over eighth-seeded Goffstown in the semifinals, No. 13 Trinity took the field at Merchantsauto.com Stadium to face No. 10 Merrimack on Sunday, June 10. Pitting one of Class L’s smaller teams – Merrimack – against one of its youngest, the Tomahawks prevailed, 7-2.
Behind the bat of Hooksett native Matt French, whose eighth-inning home run against the Grizzlies helped propel the Pioneers to the finals, and the arm of sophomore hurler Sean Lyons of Bedford, Trinity finished its season with an 11-12 record.
“I led off the inning (against Goffstown),” said French. “It was an 0-2 count, and I knew he’d come with a fastball. So I just waited. We had a great season. It just stinks it ended like this.”
Trinity spent no time over .500 this year, and Poisson said the idea of both gaining a winning record and taking the title in the same game provided unique motivation.
It’s not as if the Pioneers needed motivation coming into the game.
“No one thought we’d even be here,” said a somber Lyons after the loss. “We knew we had the potential to win this. We knew we were capable of proving everyone wrong. It’s just hard to face the crowd knowing we didn’t work to our potential today.”
Lyons was roughed up for five runs on six hits and one error in 1 2/3 innings before giving way to sophomore Dylan Clark, who started against the Grizzlies. Clark held Merrimack’s offense at bay, then Bedford sophomore Garrett Cole took the mound.
The Pioneers’ only offense came in the top of the fourth when Stefan Wagner doubled and scored on Kalvin Fosher’s RBI single. Cole’s RBI double scored designated hitter Peter Gray for the other Trinity run.
“We’ve got four sophomores and one freshman leading the rotation,” said Poisson. “They’re all back next
year. Look at what we did this year. We’ll be back. Don’t feel sorry for us. We’ll be back here, that’s for sure.”