13th MGA title for Ruschioni.

• Position: SPORTS

HINGHAM - It's an unlucky number to some, but to Jim Ruschioni, No. 13 couldn't be any sweeter.

At Black Rock Country Club yesterday, the 63-year-old Ruschioni won the Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship by three strokes, marking his 13th career title at an MGA championship event, the most ever.

Ruschioni, who golfs out of Leominster's Monoosnock CC, has championships at five MGA events - the Mid-Amateur (three), Father & Son (two), Four-Ball (two), Senior Four-Ball (four) and Senior Amateur (two). He was an 18-time club champion at Fitchburg's Oak Hill CC and won the 1987 New England Amateur.

"This was completely unexpected," said Ruschioni, who won his first Massachusetts Senior Amateur in 2006. "I will cherish this one. I figured that my time was done."

On Tuesday, Ruschioni put together an impressive first round that featured six birdies - five in a row on the back nine - to finish at 4-under-par 67, taking a three-stroke lead. He protected that lead yesterday with a 3-over 74, finishing at 1-under 141. Don Reycroft shot par 71 to finish second at 2-over 144.

"I didn't hit a lot of solid shots...