Lynnfield’s Justin Foley. Photo by John Corneau/Nashua Silver Knights
By Joshua Kummins
WORCESTER — Nashua Silver Knights manager B.J. Neverett was the first to admit that Lynnfield’s Justin Foley struggled for much of this summer ― his second pitching in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.
But the Bates College sophomore sure picked the right time to step it up.
“Justin didn’t have a lot of success this season. He really didn’t,” Neverett said. “The Justin I saw (in the Championship Round) was the one I remember last year, and that’s why I re-signed him.”
The Silver Knights became the first FCBL team to win a third championship, sweeping a Worcester team that had won the last two. Foley played a major part in Nashua’s effort, pitching a combined 5 2/3 innings of four-hit ball over the two championship games.
Foley joined the Silver Knights in the midst of last season, and the team eventually lost to Bristol in the semifinal round of the playoffs.
This time around, Foley remembered last year’s bitter end.
“Those of us who were on the team last year, we remember what it felt like to end on a loss,” Foley said. “This is the best ending, I think, because we had a great summer together, and now we go out on top with the championship.”
For most of the summer, however, it didn’t go well.
Foley, who struck out ten batters in 10 2/3 innings at the end of last summer, saw his ERA rise to nearly 8.00 through his 12 regular season appearances for Nashua this season.
As the Silver Knights fought for the top of the FCBL’s East Division standings with the Seacoast Mavericks, Foley could only sit and wait for his turn.
“There were a couple long weeks where I was just sitting, watching everything happen,” Foley said. “Obviously, it was on me because I would go out there and have a couple crappy outings. But, it felt good to get my revenge, I guess, and end the summer on a good note.”
Foley pitched twice during the final week of the regular season. Then, he made sure to make the most of his next chance.
After the Silver Knights edged Seacoast in the semifinals, Foley pitched three scoreless innings in a 9-8, 11-inning win over Worcester in the Championship Series opener at Nashua’s Holman Stadium.
The Silver Knights ran low on pitching towards the end of the season, so Foley’s innings were needed.
“We put him out there because of necessity,” Neverett said. “Then, he got hot and we just kept running with it.”
Neverett called Foley’s number again the next night. In the late stages of Game 2 of the series in Worcester, he allowed four hits over 2 2/3 scoreless frames.
Foley’s approach was simple. He just needed to pitch.
“I just calmed myself down and went back to pitching like I did in high school,” Foley said. “That’s when I had the most success in my career. I just threw like I knew how to throw, without thinking about anything. I just threw to a spot.”
Locals are familiar with Foley pitching in pressure situations. He did it time after time as a senior at St. John’s Prep, winning Catholic Conference Most Valuable Player and ESPNBoston.com “Mr. Baseball” honors as his Eagles advanced to the championship round of the Super 8 Tournament.
Foley said getting his shot was what he was waiting for this summer.
“I love the playoffs,” he said. “The more pressure, the better I feel because I know I have less room for error. It makes me perform better, I feel like.”
Neverett noticed the changes Foley made in that he wanted to do it for himself and the team.
“He wanted to win, I could tell,” Neverett said. “He pitched his best at the right time.”
With a long season and a championship run now complete, Foley is already looking ahead to his sophomore year on campus in Lewiston, Maine, and to spending another summer in the FCBL.
Next summer, perhaps, a little closer to home.
“I really like this league and I really like this team,” Foley said. “But, I would love a ten-minute commute to the North Shore (Navigators).”
— Names and Notes —
- Lynn’s Cam O’Neill (Holy Cross) was a regular player for the NECBL’s Valley Blue Sox, finishing an All-Star campaign with a .237 average, three home runs, 11 RBI and 19 walks. The former St. Mary’s standout had four hits and two RBI over six playoff games.
- Peabody native and St. John’s Prep alum Thomas Buonopane (Eckerd) spent the second half of the NECBL season with the Ocean State Waves. He collected 14 hits in 17 games, including three doubles and a triple, while driving in five.
- Back in the FCBL, Peabody’s A.J. DiFillipo (Columbia) was a .290 hitter in 39 games for the Seacoast Mavericks. He also drew a walk in each of his two playoff appearances.
- The North Shore Navigators finished the regular season fourth in the FCBL standings with a 29-27 record, two games ahead of the Brockton Rox for the final home playoff spot. After starting the year 1-12, North Shore won 28 of its final 43 games.
- Shortstop Joey Pena (St. Thomas Aquinas) finished the regular season with 47 runs scored and 47 walks. Both marks set Navs franchise records.
- Center fielder Colby Maiola (UMass Lowell) set a North Shore franchise record with his eighth home run of the summer in regular season finale Aug. 6 at Seacoast. Catcher Mike D’Acunti (Southeastern) also hit a home run in the 14-3 win, setting a new single-season RBI benchmark with 37.
- The Navs also set franchise records with 303 runs scored and 24 home runs during the regular season, while their 485 total hits ranks second all-time.
- Lynnfield’s Jordan Roper (Marist) was a 7-for-18 hitter with three RBI and six runs scored over the Navs’ final five games of the regular season. He also recorded a hit and a stolen base in the playoffs.
- First baseman Alex Brickman (Siena) hit a three-run home run in last Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to Worcester in the second game of the FCBL semifinals. It marked the first homer by a Navigator ever in a FCBL postseason game.
- Nine of the ten pitchers on the Navs’ final roster attend NCAA Division 3 colleges. The team had a D3 starter on the mound in all three of its playoff games and each of the final seven during the regular season.
Joshua Kummins can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKummins.