Sunday’s softball roundup: Silver Lake scratches its way past Leominster for first-round victory

Silver Lake is no stranger to playing and winning close games, going 7-0 in one-run games during the regular season. So when the eighth-seeded Lakers allowed two unearned runs in the first inning to No. 25 Leominster, coach Tony Pina knew not to count his team out.

His belief was rewarded as the Lakers scratched their way to a 3-2 victory in the first round of the Division 2 tournament.

“One thing this team has learned is we are never out of a game, and we just need to continue to make good defense and make those adjustments, but we’ve got a lot of confidence with close games and I think our experience with that was the difference-maker today,” said Pina.

Silver Lake (16-3) grabbed a run in the third before scoring twice in the fifth to take the lead. Madisyn Thompson reached on a single before scoring on an error, and Elise Tartaglione knocked in Megan Arseneau on a fielder’s choice.

Silver Lake junior lefthander Katelyn Taylor rebounded from the shaky start and finished with a four-hitter and fanned eight.

“She did a nice job keeping her composure and I think got stronger as the game went on, and that’s what we need from our pitcher” said Pina.

Marshfield 1, Westfield 0 — Makenna Robinson (2 for 4) dashed home from first in the ninth inning on a walkoff hit from Maddie Adams as the second-seeded Rams (19-2) outlasted No. 31 Westfield (10-12) for a first-round win. Marshfield’s Caroline Arruda and Westfield’s Hailey Zanolli battled it out in the circle. Lily Zimmer and Sofia Blanco were both 2 for 4 at the plate for the Rams.

Middleborough 11, Masconomet 1 — Taylynn Robinson mashed a solo homer, an RBI single, and an RBI triple to fuel a first-round triumph over No. 20 Masconomet (14-7) for the No. 13 Sachems (13-6). Taryn Clancy struck out six and allowing an unearned run on three hits.

Walpole 4, Wayland 1 — Junior Ellie Boland was on fire, striking out 17 and letting up just two hits and no earned runs for the fifth-seeded Timberwolves (14-5) to move past No. 37 Wayland (11-10) in the first round. Freshman Kayla Benner (2 for 3, double), junior Abby Riley (2 for 4), and sophomore Layla Casey (1 for 3) each drove in a run, and senior Sienna Kreuzer delivered a double and scored twice.

King Philip 14, Nashoba 0 — Reegan Durden (3 for 4, 6 RBIs, 2 runs) and Kiera Lawrence (2 for 3, 4 RBIs) were thunderous at the plate as the top-seeded Warriors (18-5) rolled past No. 22 Nashoba (12-8) in a five-inning first-round win. McCoy Walsh twirled a one-hitter, striking out eight and walking none.

Division 1 State

Beverly 7, Andover 2 — After yielding a solo home run in the bottom of the first, the No. 24 Panthers (11-10) battled back with seven unearned runs and upset No. 9 Andover (15-6) in the first round.

“I love the way they responded,” said Beverly coach Megan Sudak. “We started bunting, and I think that kind of threw them off guard a little bit. Once you get runners on and someone breaks out, hitting is contagious.”

Lidia Miedema (2 for 4, double, 2 RBIs), Sophia Balducci (double, RBI), and Kayla Everett (2 for 3) led the charge at the plate, with seven different players scoring. Miedema earned the win, maintaining composure after allowing the early homer.

“Her drop was dropping, we knew Andover was a really good hitting team so we just needed her to get the ball, put it in play, and let us do the work and she really did that.”

Attleboro 20, Weymouth 6 — Lola Ronayne and Avery Graziosi socked back-to-back homers for the No. 3 Bombardiers (15-6) in a first-round triumph over No. 30 Weymouth (8-12). Jenna Callahan (2 for 3, double), Savannah Boedecker (3 for 4, double), and Sophie Borges (triple, double) joined the slugfest.

Bishop Feehan 10, Acton-Boxborough 3 — Freshman Alivia Quinn recorded 11 strikeouts for the No. 14 Shamrocks (7-14) in a first-round triumph over No. 19 Acton-Boxborough (13-4). She also cracked a double and single to drive in a run, Hayden Hill was 4 for 4 with an RBI, and Dylan St. Lawrence had two singles and two RBIs.

Hopkinton 7, Plymouth North 0 — Elyn Stomberg spun a shutout for the seventh-seeded Hillers (18-3) in a first-round triumph over No. 26 Plymouth North (10-11).

Division 3 State

Dighton-Rehoboth 13, Greater Lawrence 0 — Junior lefthander Edy Latour put on a dominant display, tossing a no-hitter and fanning eight for the top-seeded Falcons (18-3) in a first-round shutout over No. 33 Greater Lawrence (13-9). Cam Cloonan (2 runs, 6 RBIs) sealed it with a fifth-inning grand slam, Latour was 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs, and Courtney Botelho went 3 for 3 with two runs scored.

St. Mary’s 15, Monty Tech 6 — Abby Sousa (3 for 5) went yard and drove in three runs for the No. 8 Spartans (17-4), who erased a six-run deficit with an 11-run explosion in the sixth inning to move past No. 25 Monty Tech (15-6) in the first round. Olivia DiSessa (3 for 5, three RBIs) and Sydney Wells (3 for 5, homer, three RBIs) contributed, and Adyson Newhall pitched four innings of scoreless relief, striking out five.

Joseph Case 13, Latin Academy 0 — Lila Alvarez tossed a one-hit shutout, striking out six for the No. 3 Cardinals (19-2) to cruise past No. 35 Latin Academy (16-7) in the first round. Alvarez had two hits including a triple, Mia Caetano went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, and Alyana DeJesus went 2 for 2.

Norton 13, Nauset 0 — Paige Donahue reached 100 career hits with two singles, plating two runs for the No. 2 Lancers (20-1) in a five-inning, first-round triumph over No. 34 Nauset (15-5). Casey Dart (triple, double, 2 RBIs) and Gabby Rodriguez (2 singles, 2 RBIs) chipped in, and Liana Danubio spun a two-hitter, striking out 11 and adding a hit and two RBIs at the plate.

St. Paul 12, Chicopee 0 — Ava Grant had 11 strikeouts en route to a first-round one-hit shutout for the ninth-seeded Knights (10-9) over No. 24 Chicopee (19-2).

Division 4 State

Frontier 18, Mt. Greylock 3 — Skyler Steele (3 for 3, 5 runs, 5 RBIs) crushed a grand slam in the sixth inning to secure a first-round victory for the fourth-seeded Red Hawks (20-2) over No. 29 Mt. Greylock (8-12). Lexi Hawkins (6 strikeouts, 2 walks), navigated several threats, was 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and a run.

Northbridge 27, Excel Academy 0 — Kylie Grazulis, Lexie Paulhus, and Ava Robinson combined for a no-hitter as the No. 23 Rams (11-9) stormed to a five-inning preliminary-round victory over No. 42 Excel Academy (7-8).

Tyngsborough 12, St. Bernard’s 0 — Adrianna Arsenault and Devyn Amico drove in three runs apiece for a six-run explosion in the bottom of the fourth as the No. 3 Tigers (18-3) clawed to a first-round victory over No. 30 Saint Bernard’s (12-7). Hailey McMahon, Katie O’Keefe, and Kaelyn DiMento combined for six of the Tiger’s 12 hits, scoring five runs and driving in four. Kiley Hogan tossed the three-hit shutout, striking out seven and walking one.

Division 5 State

Georgetown 23, Mahar 0 — Meghan Maguire belted a fourth-inning grand slam as the No. 2 Royals (17-4) cruised to a first-round victory over No. 34 Mahar (10-10). Maguire and Gillien Figueroa had five RBIs apiece, and Maddie Grant was a force in the circle.

Maynard 12, Hull 0 — Maddy Karlon twirled a one-hitter, stacking 11 punchouts for the fourth-seeded Tigers (15-4) as they rolled past No. 29 Hull (6-16) in five innings. Karlon added a pair of singles, Ryleigh Raschi (2 for 3) ripped a triple and had three RBIs, and Emmie Giroux singled and drove in two runs for the first-round win.

Monson 7, Rockport 0 — Chelsea Hull spun the shutout, scattering three hits and fanning a dozen for the No. 7 Mustangs (15-7) in a first-round triumph over No. 26 Rockport (15-5). Cali Zielinski, a homer shy of the cycle, and Grace Berry (three RBIs) fueled the offense.

West Boylston 20, English High/CASH 0 — Seventh grader Antonia Bianchini struck out nine and scattered two hits across four innings for the fifth-seeded Lions (20-0) in a five-inning first-round win over No. 28 English (17-4). Sixth grader Kali Ashey tossed the fifth and preserved the shutout. Freshman Sophie Chila socked a two-run triple in the first to spark a 10-run rally.