Bishop Hendricken Takes Commanding Lead in D-I Baseball Championship Series

PROVIDENCE — Bishop Hendricken is just one win away from clinching another state baseball championship. After their impressive performance on Thursday, East Providence faces a daunting challenge to prevent the Hawks from securing the title at Rhode Island College. The Townies were the only team to defeat Bishop Hendricken during the regular season, but the opening game of the best-of-three Division I series saw a different outcome.

Starting pitcher Steve Maynard navigated an early threat and received ample support from his teammates, leading to a decisive 10-0 victory that concluded in just five innings due to the mercy rule. In a dominant sixth inning, Brett Knight's two-run single capped off a six-run rally, contributing to an 11-hit offensive display against East Providence's Ben Hallene. Parker Boyd ignited the scoring with a two-run triple in the third inning, setting the tone for the Hawks' onslaught.

"We knew from our reports that he threw a lot of off-speed, a lot of curveballs," Boyd stated. "All week we worked on the off-speed on the machines." Cullen Crain added to the tally with a safety squeeze bunt, extending the lead to 3-0 after three innings. Ryan Pierce's RBI double in the fourth allowed Mason Crain, who had reached on a one-out triple, to score, further widening the gap.

Maynard's performance on the mound was notable, as he overcame early challenges, including three walks in the second inning. He secured crucial strikeouts, including one against Chris Charbonneau, which maintained the scoreless tie at that moment. "To walk three guys — not good," Maynard admitted. However, he finished the game allowing only three hits and striking out seven batters, earning the win after losing to the Townies earlier in the season.

Bishop Hendricken (21-2) advanced to this stage after an 8-0 victory over North Kingstown and continued their offensive momentum against East Providence (18-5). Boyd and Mason Crain each scored twice, while Knight added two hits and two RBIs to the effort. The Townies had previously subdued the Hawks with a stellar performance from transfer JJ Renaud, who is expected to start for East Providence in Game 2, scheduled for noon on Saturday.

With a chance to secure their third consecutive championship and the 25th in school history, the Hawks are determined to avoid the uncertainty of a potential Game 3. "Same mentality, honestly," Maynard said. "Don’t take anything for granted. We just mercy-ruled them, but that doesn’t mean that’s not going to come the next game with even more vengeance."