The Final Inning Drama
The 2026 Division II baseball championship unfolded under bright lights in Manchester, New Hampshire, where St. Thomas Aquinas and Kingswood faced off in a contest that would swing on a single swing of the bat.
St. Thomas Aquinas entered the fourth inning trailing 8-0, but a surge of offensive firepower turned the tide, as the Saints rallied to seize a 9-8 lead, fueled by timely hits and aggressive base running.
Finn Perry opened the second inning with a leadoff double, later scoring on Brady McDonald’s single, while Conall Ciaschini, Brandon Skowron and Colin Healy added their own contributions in the third, setting the stage for a dramatic comeback.
Ryan Gould and Kenny Avery kept the momentum alive, pushing the Saints ahead, but Kingswood answered with a clutch RBI single from Nate Cloos in the fifth to knot the game at 9-9, forcing extra tension.
A Game‑Changing Seventh
In the seventh, Kingswood’s pitcher Kolby Brown delivered a herculean effort, throwing 120 pitches and striking out two before yielding to Cloos, who recorded the final out, while St. Thomas relievers Bailey White and Camden Stowell had kept the Saints within striking distance.
Bryan Purington’s walk‑off single in the bottom of the seventh drove in Brendan MacPhee, who had earlier reached third after a contentious rundown play, sealing a 10-9 victory that sparked celebration among the Kingswood bench.
St. Thomas Aquinas coach Eric Wells praised his team’s resilience, highlighting the energy of Finn Perry, Ryan Gould and the bullpen, while Kingswood coach Ben Fournier lauded Brown’s stamina and composure under pressure.
The win ended the Saints’ nine‑game win streak, but Wells remained optimistic, noting the growth he witnessed and the bright future ahead for a squad that refused to surrender.