WESTWOOD — More often than not, it is best to turn to an ace pitcher in a highly-anticipated game, especially when they call for the ball.

So Xaverian’s baseball squad put its trust in Patrick Rhodes, and he passed the ultimate test.

The junior fired a shutout, surrendering just a pair of hits to go with seven strikeouts as the Hawks upended an archrival, and one of the top teams in the Commonwealth, with a 1-0 victory over BC High.

“From the first pitch, I just wanted the ball,” said Rhodes. “I wanted to be out there all day. Defense stepped up big, all day. Charlie Comella with a couple of amazing catches out in center, Will Curley picked me up with one by the fence out there. They were a good lineup. It was tough to navigate. They had a lot of loud outs. I was just glad I was able to stay composed, and stay in it.”

This matchup became a pitchers’ duel, with Rhodes battling Eagles senior captain Liam Kinneen.

In a type of game like this, small ball can play a big role. Both pitchers worked through difficult opening frames, and Xaverian (7-3) was able to seize its opportunity. Senior captain Luke Douglas lined an RBI single to left in the bottom of the first, as the Hawks jumped ahead, 1-0.

It turned out to be all Rhodes needed, though there were some scares along the way.

With a runner on second for BC High in the top of the fifth, Andrew Flaherty connected, and put a charge into a deep fly to right. The ball fell short on the warning track however, as Curley corralled it to end the frame.

Then, with a pair of runners on in the ensuing inning, BC High’s Henry Austin cranked a shot toward the gap in left-center, with Comella chasing. Rhodes put a fist in the air, as the Boston College commit made a circus catch at the fence to preserve the 1-0 lead.

“I had actually gotten burned earlier in the game,” Comella said. “The kid hit it to the wall, and I couldn’t get to it. I took a couple of steps back the rest of the game, and I just think that made the difference.”

Later on with the game hanging in the balance in the top of the seventh, and a runner on third, Rhodes fired, looking to complete the shutout. It resulted in a fly-out to center, with Comella making the catch.

Rhodes finished his incredible win with just 87 pitches thrown, in a contest lasting less than 90 minutes.

Kinneen, to his credit, fired six innings of one-run ball on just three hits for BC High. He tallied five strikeouts in his performance.

“It’s exciting for us to be in a position to play these types of games,” said Xaverian coach Gerry Lambert. “I count on the fact that these games during the year put us in a position to be more prepared in June, right? If you’re going to win in June, you’re going to have to win that kind of game. If you don’t play those games during the year, or play them very often, you’re more likely to be surprised, and even overcome by the moment. We wind up playing these games with some regularity.”