It’s never an easy task rallying from a shaky postseason start.

However, with driven athletes such as Sam Keene, BC High’s baseball team marches on.

The Cornell commit pitched his team to victory, surrendering just two runs on three hits in six innings while striking out seven. His teammates picked up the slack with an offensive eruption as the top-ranked Eagles rolled back to the Div. 1 Final Four with a 12-2 romp of No. 8 Springfield Central.

The first inning at Monan Park was a tumultuous one for the senior ace, as Springfield Central quickly seized an early lead following an RBI bloop single by Ham Wray. Yet, he was able to escape further trouble by retiring the following two hitters.

“You get punched in the mouth, 1-0,” said BC High coach Steve Healy. “But we punched back.”

Trailing in the bottom half of the frame, the Eagles (18-5) decided to work the count against Springfield Central ace Eliezer Rosario. BC High quickly had a series of runners reach, and the comeback was on. Junior Tommy O’Donnell drove in the tying run with a moonshot double to center to even the score at 1-1. Then, moments afterward, Jack Darcy cranked an RBI double off the left field fence to put the Eagles ahead, 3-1.

They were only getting started, and Keene was beginning to find his rhythm.

“First inning was not how I wanted to start,” Keene said. “I threw too many balls in the zone, middle-middle. But once the boys kind of rallied behind me, got some runs in the first, I knew I had all the support I needed. I just went out there and competed.”

After Keene managed to hold Springfield Central (17-4) scoreless from that point for the most part, BC High chased Rosario from the game due to a high pitch count entering the bottom of the fourth, and the Eagles were able to break things open against the bullpen. Andrew Flaherty, Darcy and Cole Bohane had consecutive hits to drive in runs, the last of which came off a booming RBI double off the top of the left field wall to make it a 7-1 ballgame.

“It was pretty relentless,” Healy said. “One through nine, they were on, with whoever they had on the mound. We knew Rosario was going to be a tough assignment. But you know what? They had plate discipline, they got in good hitters’ counts. When he made mistakes, we made him pay. It was a complete effort.”

After surrendering a second run in the top of the sixth, Keene knew his day was nearly concluded. The senior wanted to make one more contribution, so he capped the frame with a strikeout to end the jam, and let out a roar in celebration.

“It’s a closer game than it was at the end,” Keene said. “It was huge to get out of that, especially with a K. I feel like that was the nail in the coffin for us.”

The Eagles tacked on five more runs in the bottom of the inning, icing things. BC High will now take on No. 5 Leominster in the Final Four.

“It’s an awesome group,” said Healy. “I ask a lot out of them, and they never complain. They work so hard. I love these guys. I really do. To see all of their hard work paying off? It’s very rewarding.”