Dwyer junior Dawson Thorst was mired in a batting slump after spending the season with a weary arm that put him as a closer in 2023.

But at West Boca High, the Saturday-night stars aligned as Thorst became the hero in Dwyer’s 4-2 victory over the Bulls in the FHSAA regional semifinals.

Thrush hit a game-changing two-out, two-run homer in the sixth inning that vaulted the Panthers into the lead for good at 2-1. He also registered a rugged seven-inning complete-game three-hitter in which he stymied West Boca’s biggest hitters and struck out six batters.

Dwyer (19-7-2) faces Doral Academy in the state regional finals – the club that ended its season in the same round last year.

Dwyer was in desperate need of a lift, trailing 1-0 in the top of the sixth. Thrush came up with a runner on third and two outs with the count running to 3-and-1. He swatted a high, deep monstrous flyball to left field that carried well over the wall.

“It was the best feeling in the world, especially since I’ve been struggling,’’ Thrush said. “That’s the greatest feeling ever when you’re struggling - to get one on the barrel and it goes forever.’’

West Boca high southpaw starter Chris Owens was starting to tire in that sixth as he hit the first batter, Kris Blanks, who got to third base on a wild pitch that brought the count to 3-and-1.

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“I knew he was going to lay one in,’’ Thrush said. “He got me out twice before. I knew he wasn’t going to just walk me.’’

As Thrush circled the bases, he turned to yell at a West Boca heckler. He was greeted by his teammates at home plate in a raucous, bouncing celebration.

Apparently the scene was too joyous for the umpiring crew and it gave an unsportsmanlike warning to the Dwyer dugout.

“Maybe we got too excited,’’ Dwyer coach Alex Morales said. “But it was incredibly clutch. He’s been struggling a bit and hasn’t been pitching long. I’ve used him as a closer but today we really needed him and he came through. When it was time for the moment, it wasn’t too big for him.’’

While he gave up three walks and hit two batters, Thrush was thrilled to go the distance in 93 pitches. Closers usuallydon't have that stamina.

“I’m very happy, barely pitching all year,’’ Thrush said. “I felt really good. I pitched last year and my arm wasn’t hurting but was tired. So I wasn’t the pitcher I knew I could be.’’

Thrush got insurance when Dwyer padded on two runs in the seventh inning on a Blanks two-run single in which he lined it into centerfield on a down-and-away fastball. The hit scored Brice Jackson and Matt Davis, who had chased Owens with their back-to-back bullet hits.

Last week, West Boca had beaten the favorites Dwyer, 6-0, to win the District 13 championship.

“I definitely expected to win both times,’’ Thrush said. “But we beat them the better time. That’s all that matters.’’

First year West Boca coach Jerry Albert, a legendary manager in Miami, said he’s hoping the FHSAA makes regionals a best-of-3 in the future.

“We beat them last week, they beat us this week,’’ Albert said. “If this is a three-game series, we have another crack at it.’’

Instead, West Boca Raton ended its season at 17-9 and with a 30-minute talk from its new coaching staff. Albert brought over five of his assistants at prior stops.

“It was a really good pitchers’ duel,’’ Albert said. “Chris was fantastic, gave everything he had. We weren’t efficient enough on offense today.’’

Their lone run came in the fifth on a sacrifice bunt by Kris Goldstein that put West Boca up 1-0.

“Nothing to be ashamed of,’’ Albert said. “The focus, hustle intensity was outstanding and they gave it the majority of the year.’’

Dwyer goes from a Boca Raton celebration to a grudge match vs. mighty Doral. Morales told his Panthers during a postgame speech that Dwyer is the team that deserved to face the powers down South. “We’re 50-50,’’ Morales said. “They’re good, we’re good. We’ll see what happens.’’

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dwyer baseball exacts revenge on West Boca to reach region championship