LOWELL, Mass. – Connor Grieve took matters into his own hands, again.
With the bases loaded and one away amid a 3-3 stalemate in the top of the fifth, Braintree's pitcher found another hole. Grieve laced a grounder down the third base line for a two-RBI knock, giving the No. 8 Wamps a 5-3 lead over No. 4 King Philip.
Braintree didn't look back.
Rodgers cracked the game open with a standup, two-RBI triple to make it 7-3 moments later. Peter Brooks tacked on another for good measure in the top of the seventh, driving in Owen Donnelly after his triple for the 8-3 final, sending the Wamps to the MIAA Division 1 championship game for the first time since 2016.
Grieve finished 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI and a triple at the plate. On the mound, the senior went the distance, scattering seven hits and two walks over the complete-game effort. He struck out two and surrendered two earned runs. Donnelly went 3-for-3 with four runs. Luke Joyce also had a pair of hits. Braintree (16-8) is vying for its sixth state championship and first since 2016.
Ryan Higgins (Plainville, Mass.) got the start for KP (20-5), giving up six earned runs on seven hits and one walk with two strikeouts across 4 innings. Nate Pennini (Wrentham, Mass.) struck out three and gave up two earned runs on six hits in 2 innings of relief. Vinny Menendez (Wrentham, Mass.), Drew Herlin (Wrentham, Mass.) and Aidan Astorino (Norfolk, Mass.) each had two hits for the Warriors. Alex Lutfy (Wrentham, Mass.) drove in a pair.
The Wamps will face No. 14 Chelmsford in the state championship at Polar Park in Worcester, Mass., this weekend.
Let's dive into five standouts from the semifinals.
