The ball was skied to left field and Johnny Escobalez turned to watch from the mound, raising his arms high in the air.
Escobalez knew what was about to happen next. The ball nestled in the glove of left fielder Dwayne Burgo and the party was on at Worcester’s Polar Park. Taunton players streamed from the dugout, forming a dog pile on the mound and kicking off another summer of celebration .
The golden era of Taunton baseball kept plowing forward Sunday night as the second-seeded Tigers repeated as Division 1 state baseball champions with a 7-2 win over Hockomock rival Franklin in a rematch of last year’s state final.
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“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy to repeat,” said senior third baseman Braden Sullivan. “This city, this program, it starts from a very young age. We wanted to carry that legacy on. We couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Taunton (21-4) also won the D1 crown in 2019, meaning the Tigers have captured three of the last four tournaments.
“A lot of talent,” explained Taunton coach Blair Bourque. “I try to stay out of the way. Those guys are phenomenal and when the lights are the brightest they do their best. They are great role models for our community.”
The contingent of returners from last year’s team contributed in a big way Sunday. Leadoff hitter Sullivan collected three hits, including a two-run double to left in the second.
Two batters later, Dawson Bryce (2 for 5) sliced a double down the right-field line for two more runs, highlighting a five-run second inning that gave Taunton a commanding 6-0 lead. Three throwing errors from top-seeded Franklin (23-4) kept the Taunton rally alive.
Ryan MacDougall, who hit the winning homer in last year’s 2-1 win over Franklin, added an RBI double.
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“You can’t make mistakes against Taunton and, unfortunately, we played our worst inning of the year in the second inning of the state title game,” said Franklin coach Zach Brown.
The runs were plenty for Escobalez, a sophomore lefthander who started the season on JV. With crafty two-seam fastballs and curveballs headlining his repertoire, he kept Franklin off-balance all game, tossing a complete game with one earned run.
“This is awesome,” said Escobalez. “It’s indescribable. It’s just amazing.”
Division 4 State
Seekonk 5, Abington 0 — During the Warriors’ bus ride home following last year’s loss in the state championship game, one message was constant: they’d be back.
Exactly one year later, Seekonk’s bus might as well be a party.
Behind sophomore Tyler Kropis’s masterful performance, the third-seeded Warriors (21-4) earned the program’s first state championship.
“I just wanted to work so hard to be at this point again and get it done,” Kropis said. “I love this moment.”
Kropis fired a three-hit shutout, striking out 12 with his fastball-curveball-slider mix, and walking one. From the second to fourth innings, the lefthander fanned seven in a row. He didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning also reached base twice at the plate.
“He’s been our rock all year long,” Seekonk coach Joe DeMelo said. “He’s a competitor. He went out there and used all his pitches, kept them off-balance. His fastball was popping today.”
Senior Kevin Crowe poked the Warriors ahead with a bases-loaded single through the left side in the first inning. But the Warriors stranded five runners in the first three innings as Abington starter John Sellon worked through traffic.
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It wasn’t until the fourth that the Warriors pulled away. Junior Declan Lush knocked in two with a single, then senior Jaden Arruda brought in two more with a double.
“In that first inning, I was a little concerned because we had an opportunity to score a couple at least, and we didn’t,” DeMelo said. “But you know, it’s a great team right there. It’s a great bunch of competitors.”
A year ago, the Warriors graduated two seniors. They’ll lose five this season, but there’s a lot of confidence in their young core.
“Hopefully they start screaming, ‘We’re going to be back next year,’ ” DeMelo said.
Junior Patrick Cummings collected a pair of hits for the 12th-seeded Green Wave (16-9).
Division 5 State
Bourne 10, Hopkins Academy 5 — Eleven connected and competitive players were all Bourne needed to make history.
Despite playing with a limited roster, Bourne rallied to score nine unanswered runs to beat Hopkins Academy at Polar Park. The win delivered the tiny Cape Cod school with just over 300 enrolled students its first state title.
“They are great kids and they want to win,” said Bourne coach Sean Donovan. “They really go after it with everything they have. They battled against schools twice the size of us all year. They just don’t quit.”
Bourne’s versatility and flexibility — important with only two players on the bench — was pivotal in the first inning. Hopkins plated three runs before the second-seeded Canalmen (18-7) recorded an out, prompting Donovan to make a risky change and bring in first baseman Luca Finton to pitch.
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The move paid off as Finton, a sophomore righthander, escaped further damage and went on to fire six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) with six strikeouts.
“Basically everyone has three or four positions they play,” said senior Jack Ferreira. “A pitcher comes in and everyone moves around. I think that’s what’s helped us. Everyone was able to play everywhere.”
Finton’s strong performance on the mound allowed Bourne’s bats time to mount a comeback. Trailing 4-0 in the second, Ryan Sullivan lined a two-run single to center before leadoff hitter Damon White laced a triple to center, tying the score 4-4.
In the fourth, shortstop Jacob Lewis flicked a two-run single to left. Finton followed by clobbering a double off the wall in right, giving Bourne a 9-4 lead. The offense collected 13 hits with White (3 for 4) and Ferreira (4 for 4) leading the way.
“We’re a good hitting team and I’ve thrown this team a zillion batting practice fastballs and I will do it until my arm falls off,” said Donovan.
Ferreira closed out the win with a pair of strikeouts. Minutes later, standing at home plate with the state championship banner, the Canalmen proclaimed this team will live forever in the annals of Bourne baseball.
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“I feel worthy,” said Ferreria. “Everything led to this.”
Globe correspondent Mike Puzzanghera reported on the Division 2 championship.
