Vasil Proves Nearly Perfect In Catholic Conference Gem

Photo by Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

By Matt Feld (@MattyFeld612)

Dorchester, Mass. – For Mike Vasil, the day could not have been much more perfect.

In front of nearly 70 MLB scouts, Vasil threw a complete game one-hitter, striking out 13 and walking none as BC High defeated Catholic Conference rival St. John’s Prep, 1-0, on Wednesday afternoon at Monan Park.

Vasil held a perfect game through the first six and 2/3 innings, but Prep three-hitter Tyler MacGregor laced a first pitch fastball down the right field line to put the tying run in scoring position.

Vasil, however, quickly regained his composure and retired Alex Lane via a groundout to third base to seal the win.

Throughout the afternoon Vasil was untouchable. He sat between 93 and 95 miles per hour consistently with his four-seam fastball and touched 97.

He also displayed a quality changeup, and at times broke out a sharp breaking ball.

For his outing, Vasil threw just 81 pitches, 60 of which were strikes. He fired home 64 fastballs with 50 finding the zone.

"The fastball is what I build off because it has some movement,” said Vasil. “Depending how a hitter responds I’ll mix in my off-speed stuff. The biggest thing was just being able to work ahead and pitch off the fastball.” 

The trio of Jake Sanderson (4.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4), Kevin Dewing, and Matt Relihan kept the Prep within striking distance.

Sanderson surrendered the only run of the game in the bottom of the third. BC High nine-hitter Pat Roche drilled a leadoff triple into the right center field gap, and one pitch later Bobby DeMeo ripped an RBI double to center field to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

BC High had a chance to add to its lead in the bottom of the fourth as Vasil led off with a double to left center field and Matt Sullivan singled to right to put runners on the corners with no outs.

Sanderson acquired a strikeout and a groundout with the infield in before Roche walked to load the bases. After falling behind Demeo 3-0, Sanderson battled back to strike him out to end the inning.

BC High had another to chance to extend its lead the sixth putting two in scoring position with nobody out.

This time it was Dewing who stepped up, inducing a weak ground ball to second before getting Roche with a high fastball for the first two outs.

Relihan came on in and got a groundball to third to end the frame.

Vasil, however, proved to be too much for the Prep lineup to handle.

He struck out eight through the first three innings on 38 pitches and the pair of groundballs in the infield in the seventh were the only outs that did not come via a strikeout or pop up to the right side of the diamond.

“Mike’s obviously just above everybody else,” said BC High coach Norm Walsh. “I think I did a pitch count before the seventh inning and he was at like 70 or 72 pitches and that’s with him striking out 13. He’s just so efficient.” 

St. John's Prep coach Danny Letarte said the hardest thing about facing Vasil was simply making contact.

"We'd foul it off and it'd be like 'wow,'" said Letarte with a laugh. "(Vasil) locates the ball so well. We have just so much respect for him. I hope we have to only face him one more time - although it may be more. Then he can pay for my mortgage."