Kaito Correa Wagatsuma was handed the ball in an attempt to bring a first-ever postseason championship to Marianapolis Prep. Not only did the senior right-hander deliver, but he was utterly dominant.
Wagatsuma hurled five innings of one-hit ball and struck out five en route to an 11-1 victory over Beaver Country Day School in Saturday's New England Class B Small School championship in Thompson, Conn.
Leading 3-0 after the first inning, Marianapolis Prep (12-10) added a pair of runs in the fourth courtesy of MJ Bokis' home run. From there, the Golden Knights never looked back.
"Winning this title is a big accomplishment for our program and will help us when we have that recruit that is on the fence with a decision,'' said sixth-year Marianapolis Prep coach Nick Buoniconti. "This will also further validate what we have been saying to the new recruits. We are a talented group, and we will compete in every game as our model. Baseball has been taken seriously at MPrep since I arrived."