LYNN — When Saint John’s (Shrewsbury) coach Casey Cummins met with his team last fall, he had one goal in mind: To have plans in Worcester on the third weekend of June.

On Tuesday at Fraser Field, the Pioneers made that goal real. Conor Secrist’s two-run single in the bottom of the first gave Brayden Mercier all the run support he needed as the junior left-hander held Xaverian to one hit in a 2-0 victory in a battle of state powers.

“We talked about this back in the fall and it says something about this group to make it come true,” Cummins said. “Brayden stays so even keeled out there and he did a great job. That was an impressive effort by him.”

It wasn’t an effortless outing by any means for Mercier as the Pioneers committed four errors, but only one of those runners ended up coming home.

The Hawks’ (16-8) lone hit came in the top of the first when Jackson Morse singled with two outs but he was immediately picked off by Mercier to end the inning.

In the bottom half, Mercier got the run scoring rally started when he singled with one out. Jack Forgues followed with sharp double to put two in scoring position for Secrist.

He wasted little time in ripping a single to center, scoring both Mercier and Forgues to make it 2-0.

“Conor has been doing that for us all year,” Cummins said.

Neither team threatened again until the fourth when Charlie Comella reached on an error and took second on an errant pickoff throw. Morse then hit a rocket to right center but Andrew Schmidt made a running catch to save a run.

One inning later, the Pioneers’ (20-4) shaky defense came back to bite them. Luke Douglas reached on an error and took second on a passed ball. Will Curley looked to move him to third and he ended up scoring when his bunt attempt was thrown away by Mercier.

Curley eventually reached third but was left 90 feet from scoring the tying run as Mercier got the next two batters.

It proved to be the last chance Xaverian got as the crafty left hander retired the side in both the sixth and seventh innings to seal a trip to the finals.

Xaverian’s Nolan Rappoli reaches for the throw as Andrew Schmit of Saint John’s runs to first and is out Tuesday in Lynn. (Staff Photo/Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)