Bruins Baseball Wins Patriot District Title

The (20-2) won the 2012 Patriot District baseball title Tuesday evening, defeating West Springfield 7-2 at South County Secondary. It was the Bruins’ second Patriot District final appearance in as many years. South County defeated Lake Braddock in last year’s game, but the Bruins exacted their revenge on West Springfield.

With Tuesday’s win, Coach Jody Rutherford captures his fourth Patriot District crown. He joined Lake Braddock's coaching staff as an assistant in 1998, and was named head coach in 2001.  By any standard, his time at the school can be considered a success. His secret?

“I like the kids to be disciplined and hard working," said Rutherford. "I try to give them opportunities to become better baseball players, and we’ve had groups come through here that have been willing to take advantage of those opportunities,” he said. “We get kids who buy into our program and who are willing to work hard.”

Lake Braddock defeated West Springfield behind solid pitching and good defense, a combination the team has depended on throughout the season. Senior pitcher Michael Church took to the mound Tuesday evening and turned in yet another impressive outing. The 2012 Patriot District Pitcher of the Year notched his ninth win of the season and kept his season ERA under 1.5.

Senior infielder Matt Spruill put Lake Braddock on the board in the third inning, with a two-run homerun. The Bruins did not surrender the lead for the duration of the contest.

“We played really good defense,” said Rutherford, reflecting on his team’s victory. “We had two outfield assists, great plays by our outfielders and we turned a double play. We did some good things on defense. “

Six Braddock players earned First Team All-Patriot District honors this season, while two earned Second Team honors. And while Rutherford has fielded great teams throughout his tenure, he says that this year’s team is one of his most impressive. Several Bruin players have already committed to play collegiately: Church (James Madison), Thomas Rogers (Georgia), Jack Owens (James Madison) and Eric Driscoll (George Mason).

“This team is probably the most well-rounded in terms of pitching, defense and offense. We have a pretty good offensive club, but I don’t think that it’s our best,” he said. “Our pitching is probably close to the best I’ve had and defensively, I can say that it’s as good as I’ve had. All around, this is probably the best team.”

Lake Braddock faces Wakefield (4-18) Friday evening in the opening round of the Northern Region tournament. and will look to win the school’s second Northern Region title in four years. Despite Wakefield’s underwhelming record, Rutherford isn’t looking past the Warriors.

“I haven’t seen them play this year but I’ve talked to people who have. We’re going to try to play our best game. I feel like if we do that, we’ll have a very good shot of winning when we take the field.”