The last time Swampscott High School’s baseball team won their conference championship, none of the current Big Blue players were even close to being born.
The Big Blue put an end to a 29-year drought with a win on Monday against Masconomet Regional High School, officially clinching the Northeast Conference title. Monday’s victory was Swampscott’s 13th consecutive win, after starting the season 3-3. The team hasn’t felt the pain of losing in over a month.
With the conference title sealed, the Big Blue will set their sights on the upcoming Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) state tournament.
“The stars have aligned,” said Head Coach Joe Caponigro. “We started out very hot offensively. Our pitching and defense had to gain some ground, and that is what happened throughout the season.”
Of the Big Blue’s 13 consecutive wins, they have shut out their opponents from scoring a run in seven games, including a streak of not allowing a run in four straight games earlier this month.
“I can’t say enough about our coaching staff who have been working with the guys on fielding and pitching,” said Caponigro. “Our hitting has come down to reality but our pitching and defense has gained that ground. We tell them all the time, if you make average plays on defense, throw strikes and get timely hits, good things can happen.”
Along with ending the conference championship doubt, the team’s senior core also experienced the feeling of beating rival Marblehead High School for the first two times after losing the last six matchups.
“These kids are very dedicated and very loyal,” said Caponigro. “They genuinely care for each other and I think that’s really important.”
The Big Blue is likely to host their first playoff game, though the MIAA brackets will be released next week.
“We’ve checked a few boxes already,” said Caponigro. “A big goal was to get in the tournament, and then win a conference championship. And we want to make some noise in the state tournament.”
For Caponigro and the team, the winning streak has been an enjoyable ride.
“It’s been fun to watch,” said Caponigro. “It’s been really fun to be a part of and we still got a lot of work to do. We’ll see where we land when the brackets are released next week.”
