WORCESTER – With a 9-2 win over top-seeded Walpole in the Div. 2 state final at Polar Park on Sunday, 12 Plymouth North seniors closed out their high school baseball careers with a championship as the No. 2 Eagles (22-3) secured the program’s first state title since 2011.

Senior star pitcher DC Brown was at the heart of it, allowing just four hits, three walks and two earned runs while fanning 12 over 6.2 masterful innings. He also batted 2-for-3 with an RBI, pacing a senior group that racked up seven of the team’s 13 hits on the day.

Juniors Will Novak (5-for-5, two runs, RBI) and Matt Nardone (1-for-4, run, stolen base) had the other hits.

“We’ve been here before when we were kids,” Brown said. “It’s been a really long process. We’ve won state titles before in Little League and stuff like that. To be a senior class that really came together, with a lot of great juniors, great sophomores, great freshmen, to get a title is just awesome. Really no better feeling, it’s unbelievable.”

“I’m so proud of my senior class,” added Plymouth North head coach Dwayne Follette. “Seven seniors on the field today, and they carried us all year with great leadership. DC Brown was an absolute horse. … I’ve got 12 seniors graduating and nine are going to play college baseball. I’m a pretty lucky coach.”

Even though Brown didn’t think he had his best stuff, the southpaw still thrived against a dangerous Timberwolves (20-5) offense.

He struck out the side in the second and third innings, and he allowed just one hit and three walks over the first five. Walpole’s Nick Foynes (2-for-2, walk, RBI) drove in the first run Brown allowed in the sixth inning, but Plymouth North led 5-0 at that point.

Senior Sean Hallissey relieved him to get the final out, and Brown exited to a loud ovation.

“It was mostly adrenaline,” Brown said of his performance. “But the fastball was good today, and I just kept grooving it there. When it’s a game like this, you’ve kind of just got to put your best stuff out there. So, I tried to find anything that I could and it ended up being a really good day.”

Novak’s first three hits gave him a career-best three infield singles. His bunt in the first inning followed Nardone’s leadoff single, and a sacrifice-fly from senior George Slauson (1-for-4) brought Nardone in. Brown and Killian Murphy (1-for-3, walk, run) each hit RBI singles for a three-run first.

“I thought we had a great game at the plate,” Follette said. “Put up three runs in the first inning, I thought that set the tone for the game. … I thought we played well in all facets of the game.”

All of Plymouth North’s hits were singles and they came in bunches.

Novak and Slauson hit back-to-back knocks in the fifth. Brown was intentionally walked to load the bases, and senior Brennan Keefe (1-for-4, run, RBI) singled in another run. Logan Zemotel (1-for-4, RBI) singled and came around to score on an error in the sixth inning. Brown, senior Michael Hannon (two RBI) and Novak each singled in a four-run seventh inning.

“Every time we come off the field and go into the dugout, the first thing we say is, ‘We’ve got the momentum, let’s keep it,’” Murphy said. “Hitting is contagious. One guy gets a hit, next guy gets another one – just keep going.”

Novak also had two diving catches in right field.

“I was just trying to put the ball in play (at the plate), got lucky a couple times,” Novak said. “All the fans behind your back, you know, there’s just so much adrenaline. Those plays (in the field) just kind of happened.”