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Sudbury pitcher Matt McGavick had never pitched on three days rest before, but he took the ball last night anyway.
And in between the sixth and seventh innings, the right-hander felt some soreness in his arm, but he took the mound for the seventh anyway.
Last night, McGavick's Sudbury teammates were the proud beneficiaries of his gumption as he led the Warriors to a 1-0 win over Franklin, completing the two-game sweep of the Panthers in the Central Mass. Senior Babe Ruth World Series.
McGavick went the distance for Sudbury, allowing just five hits, two walks and two hit-batsmen in a 90-pitch shutout victory to give the Warriors their first CMSBR World Series title since 2004.
"My curveball was pretty good today," said McGavick. "I was able to locate it and keep it down, which really helped. My fastball was a little wild on occasion, probably because of the adrenaline, but when I really needed it I was able to get it in there and get people out. It was a combination of those two."
McGavick's impressive outing last night came on the heels of Mitch Perez's no-hitter in a 3-0 Sudbury win in Game 1 on Tuesday. The two extraordinary performances on the mound silenced the bats of Franklin (21-5-1), which was widely considered the top offense in the league and sported a team batting average of .336 entering the World Series.
"They didn't score a run in two games," said Sudbury manager Scott McGavick, Matt's father. "Mitch shut them out, no-hitter, and then Matt gave up four or five hits tonight. You scatter five hits in two games, I have a feeling your going to win."
Franklin starter Colby Helgerson was nearly as impressive as Matt McGavick, and held Sudbury (23-6) to just two hits while yielding only three walks. He struck out three and had his Panthers in a position to extend the series, as the game was scoreless through five innings.
But the Franklin offense, which led the CMSBR in runs scored with 133, disappeared in the World Series for the second straight season. The Panthers were swept in last year's Series by Natick, which like Sudbury, closed things out last summer with a 1-0 win in Game 2.
"I think we were just looking for the bigger hits," said Franklin coach Scott Towne, "instead of just playing small ball and doing what it took. I thought things were going to go our way this year, but we made mental errors and our big hitters were looking for big hits. That can't happen."
Sudbury scored the lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth when Matt Cahill, who walked and took second on a passed ball, was driven home on a single to center by Denny Cakert.
Franklin center fielder Cam Towne's throw home drew catcher Reed Turgeon slightly off the plate, allowing Cahill to slide in for what would be the game-winning - and Series-clinching - run.
The Panthers threatened often and had a runner in scoring position in four innings. But Matt McGavick kept Franklin off the scoreboard, and Cakert's clutch hit proved to be the difference.
"The batter before me had really timed (Helgerson's) fastball and laced one to center field," said Cakert, who was 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. "I was just looking for a fastball and hoped to get the bat on the ball and force them to make a play. It worked."
Last night's defeat marked the third straight season Franklin has represented the South Division in the CMSBR World Series. But the Panthers have gone home empty-handed each time, dropping the 2007 series to Framingham in three games before being swept in each of the last two.
"I told the kids I have to readjust my thinking for next year," said Towne. "Maybe the common denominator is me. But if I come back, we'll make a big push to get back here again."
Sudbury has now won the CMSBR World Series three times (1992, 2004, 2009) but Scott McGavick feels his club has left a legacy unlike any of the previous champions. His group, which was the youngest team in the league this year, has now won championships at three different levels - Little League, Lou Tompkins and now Senior Babe Ruth.
"This core group has now won three times," said Scott McGavick. "One at Bay State in Little League, in Lou Tompkins last year and again this year. I know in Sudbury, they're the only ones to have done that. This is a legacy that people will remember. These boys will be remembered.
"But they still have a chance to win at the Legion level. They have a chance to win in high school, where it really matters. They have it all in front of them. But they worked hard and I'm proud to be a part of it."
