WORCESTER — Paul Whelan and Jackson Marshall have their names forever etched in Walpole lore.
Down a run with two in scoring position and one out in the seventh inning, Whelan grounded a two-run double over the first base bag to put Walpole in front. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Marshall snagged a slicing line drive that would’ve brought home the tying run as No. 4 Walpole captured its first state championship since 1934 with a 7-6 come-from-behind win over No. 2 Reading in the Division 2 state baseball championship on Saturday night at Polar Park.
Walpole coach Chris Costello was overcome with emotion when describing the impact of the title on his program.
“(Former coach) Billy Tompkins built the ship. He built the Bay State League with Don Fredericks,” Costello said. “I just stepped into the captains chair when coach Tompkins retired. I am happiest for him and for this community.”
After failing to break through despite numerous opportunities over the first five innings, Walpole clawed back in the sixth down 4-0. Two hit batters and an error loaded the bases. Then, two errant pickoff throws around an RBI single from Richie Hayes tied the game 4-4.
Reading answered in the bottom of the sixth with Nate Vitarisi roping an RBI single to left to put the Rockets on top, 5-4. Down to their final three outs Walpole roared back one last time.
With one on and one out, Cash Cantrell singled to center to put runners on the corners. After Cantrell swiped second, Whelan grounded his go-ahead hit over the first base bag to bring home two and give Walpole a 6-5 lead. Cole Pileski then provided insurance for the visitors with an RBI single.
The insurance proved beneficial. In the bottom of the seventh, two Rocket singles brought home Reading’s sixth run of the game and put the tying run on first with two men down. Reading nine-hole hitter Liam Hansen hit an outer half pitch down the right field line that seemed bound for extra bases, but Marshall reached out and snagged the slicing line drive to send Walpole into a frenzy.
“Marshall had made some terrific catches this year,” Costello said. “He can fly and he has a 28-inch glove or something. Terrific instinctive catch and ran through the ball because if that gets by him we may be on the other side.”
Reading ace Ryan Marino danced around serious trouble from his first pitch until the last. In the opening inning, the Timberwolves had runners on the corners with no outs only for Marino to get a pair of strikeouts and a fielder’s choice to escape trouble. After getting out of a second and third, one-out jam in the second, Marino worked his most notorious Houdini act in the third.
Three walks loaded the bases with one out and the right-hander fell behind Blake Pileski 3-1. Marino, however, battled back and threw five of his next six pitches for strikes to get a pair of whiffs and go unscathed.
