Undefeated JV Squad Takes Second Straight Division Crown

On the same night that J, the junior varsity baseball team wrapped their season with a 4-3 victory over North Smithfield at on May 30.

With the win, Johnston took the divisional championship for a second straight year on the strength of a 34-2 record over the past two seasons.

"We won primarily on our pitching and defense this year," head coach Ed Bedrosian said during an interview before the 6:30 pm contest. "We're hiting better now at the end of the year than at the beginning, but we rely on our pitching and defense."

Jarrod Podmaska threw three innings in relief of starter Korey Fijal and held off the Northmen as Johnston staged a late rally, securing the victory on Brody Molina's walk-off hit to score Marc Conte in the bottom of the seventh.

Nick Cabral anchored the Panther comeback in the bottom of the sixth with a suicide squeeze bunt to bring Johnston even.

The team's ability to fight back from a deficit may not be a surprise, since several members also played for the .

Bedrosian said that experience has provided the team with a good deal of confidence.

"One thing these kids do is play pretty loose — sometimes more loose than I'd like — but they're not pressured by the situation," Bedrosian explained. "They've been there before, I think this is nothing for them."

And with the varsity team moving forward in their quest for a second straight division title, Bedrosian said 2012 could be shaping up as another good year for Panther baseball.

"If we can both run out, it would be really good — with both teams doing well, it really says a lot for the program," Bedrosian explained.