Senior who 'hasn't played much' helps Hingham baseball top Weymouth to clinch playoff spot

HINGHAM — With the Hingham High baseball team's season on the line, an unsung hero came up huge in multiple innings. 

Left fielder Luke Thrun saved the day for the Harbormen with his bat and his glove in Friday's 13-11 win over Weymouth in the regular-season finale. In a game with three lead changes, he doubled twice, scored twice, drove in three runs and swiped two bases. And in the final inning, he came up huge defensively, tracking down a fly ball that appeared destined to go over his head.

Thrun's heroics extended the Harbormen’s season at least one more game as it qualified them for the Division 1 playoffs. Hingham (10-10) entered the day No. 33 in the MIAA power rankings, one spot below the cutoff line. Getting to .500 means the Harbormen automatically make it.

“(He's) worked hard all year, hasn’t played that much,” Hingham coach Frank Niles said of Thrun. “He had the two doubles, he had the two-run double, he got it done. He made a good play in left field that I thought was over his head. Fortunately, he’s 6-4.”

Harbormen flip the script at right time

Hingham was 3-7 at the midpoint of its season, but just like Friday, the Harbormen fought back. Flipping the script, they finished the second half 7-3 and now have hit their stride. 

“We definitely had some growing pains in the beginning of the season, but the pitchers started throwing strikes, we figured out the bats, and here we are now,” said Thrun.

Thrun will be heading to the University of Tampa next year as a student. When asked about his performance, he was always quick to redirect the attention to his teammates. 

The Harbormen found their groove and now believe they can do something special in their next game. They'll learn the details (opponent, date, time) when the MIAA releases the playoff brackets on Wednesday, May 31.

“It’s going to be a grinding playoffs,” said Thrun. “We’re definitely the underdogs here, so we’re going to have to play some really good baseball and I think this team can do it.”

First pitches from ex-champs

The current baseball team may have gotten some championship energy before the game from guys who know what it takes to win a state title. Seven members of Hingham's 2013 team that won the Div. 2 state crown threw out ceremonial first pitches to the current players.

The seven former Harbormen were Evan Flannagan, Austin Irvin, John Carlson, Luke Ferris, Joe Lahey, Steven White and Henry Smith. 

Niles, who’s in his 12th year, coached that championship team. It was a special moment for him, and Friday's win made it easier to appreciate the reunion.

“That was nice,” said Niles. “It’s funny, it’s a whole lot of memories with those guys, so it was great to have them here and a lot of flashback going on.”

When asked if the ex-Harbormen had given the current ones any advice before the game, Thrun responded, “Nah, they’re pretty humble about their state championship win.”

Thrilling win to get into playoffs

Friday’s win was a rollercoaster of emotions with the Harbormen only finding themselves leading in the first and last innings. They were down 10-6 in the fifth. It was also a complete team effort as nine different players scored, and four pitchers took the mound, including Jack Larkin, who got the win.

Weymouth, which had its seven-game winning streak snapped, finishes the regular season at 17-5. The Wildcats came into the game No. 7 in the latest MIAA Div. 1 power rankings.

Niles said he chose to keep his words “simple” during the times his team were down. Given the magnitude of the game, he just wanted his guys to have fun.

“It means everything in the world to us,” Niles said of the playoff berth. “But it’s still just a baseball game. So let’s play like Hingham and whatever happens happens. That’s what I like to do in a big game, so I don’t try to over-pressurize it.”

Tadd Cavanaugh (2 hits, 3 runs) and Aiden Devlin (2 hits, including an RBI triple) starred for Hingham. Jeremy Aylward and Jake Schultz each scored twice, and Devlin, Alex McGowan, Billy Jacobus and James Rozanitis crossed the plate once.

Last year the Harbormen won a league title. Now they’ve made the playoffs, by the skin of their teeth. Nonetheless, Thrun is proud of his guys.

“It’s a team sport, so everyone gave it their all today," Thrun said. "They knew what the stakes were."