WORCESTER – After falling in the Div. 4 state semifinals last season, English High came back this season focused on getting back and even further.
Using a star performance on the mound and a four-run third, the No. 3 Eagles came from an early hole to top No. 1 Georgetown 7-1 in the Div. 5 state title at Polar Park. It is the first state title for a Boston City League school since 1971 when South Boston defeated Fairhaven 5-2 to cart home the Div. 2 EMass title (that was the championship game in Div. 2 in those days).
“We knew we got to do it for the city of Boston,” said English coach Christian Ortiz about winning the first title in program history. “This is where all the kids are from. This is where we’re born and raised. This is where we practice and is where we hang out at, so this is for the city of Boston.”
Senior David Castillo went 6+ innings with seven strikeouts, three hits allowed, six walks and a hit batter. His lone run allowed came on his own error in the first as Georgetown (22-2) went up 1-0 as Hayden Ruth came around to score after a Ty Gilmore bunt back to the hill.
“(Castillo) has been one of our best players for the past two seasons and going out there the team had the utmost confidence,” Ortiz said about the senior. “A little jitters in the first inning, obviously giving up a run, but we knew we would attack and keep attacking, then it would be our game.”
English (23-2) rallied after that with two runs in the top of the second as senior Alonzo Garcia knocked an RBI single to center to score junior Jordani Marcano. Castillo then got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage.
“The offense is always there for me,” Castillo said about the rally in the third.
In the third, the offense nearly batted around with four runs as junior Rusbert Martinez cranked a two-run double to score Marcano for the second time and freshman Edward Pena to make it 4-1.
Martinez later scored on a wild pitch and Sebastian Garcia went home on a balk to make it 6-1 in the middle of the third.
Castillo was able to wiggle out of jams in the fourth, fifth and sixth as the Royals went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Sebastian Garcia scored the final tally in the fifth after an errant infield throw to push the lead to 7-1.
