Monday’s softball roundup: Methuen strikes early for Div. 1 win at Needham
As the visitor, the Methuen softball team was determined to put the pressure on Needham early.
Read more Monday’s baseball roundup: With his arm and bat, Eric Stanley sends Barnstable past Duxbury
The 22nd-seeded Rangers struck for three runs in the top of the first, with Melaney Reyes belting a double off the wall in left for a run, and freshman Delaney D’Hondt went the distance, striking out seven, in a 7-1 first-round win in the Division 1 tournament at DeFazio Field.
In the third inning, Reyes (3 for 4) drove in another run with a double through the gap as Methuen (11-10) extended the lead to 6-0 over No. 11 Needham (14-3).
“It definitely eased their minds a bit to be able to go out there and play a little bit more relaxed when you got a lead for the pitcher,” said Methuen Jason Smith of the quick-strike hitting.
D’Hondt, who scattered four hits, got out of a jam in the fourth inning with bases loaded and no outs. After great defensive work by her teammates, D’Hondt struck out the final batter to end the inning.
“I watch a lot of college softball so I see they’re not phased when that happens,” said D’Hondt. “I try to portray that the best I can.”
Methuen, which did not qualify for the tournament last spring, plays at No. 6 Bridgewater-Raynham in the second round (TBD).
“What we did today, we need to bring that into the next one,” said D’Hondt. “We’re really excited and locked in.”
Bridgewater-Raynham 11, Woburn 7 — Samantha Clay, Madison DeLano and Claire Roy each tallied two hits for the sixth-seeded Trojans (13-7) in a first-round win over the 27th-seeded Tanners (10-11).
Franklin 4, Haverhill 3 —Sophia Sacramone plated Addi Weiss for her third RBI of the afternoon to walk it off for the 12th-seeded Panthers (10-11) in a first-round victory over the 21st-seeded Hillies (10-11).
Shrewsbury 12, Westford 0 — Sophomore Lyla Rose led off the game with a home run, then belted a two-run double as part of a six-run sixth-inning rally as the fourth-ranked Colonials (16-4) took down No. 29 Westford (9-10) in first-round mercy-rule win.
“It’s Lyla’s intensity. She also has a really high game IQ — she understands the count, she understands the game. But her intensity is really what sets Lyla apart. She’s a gamer,” said Shrewsbury coach Jamie Millett Schaeffer.
Shrewsbury plated four runs in the opening inning, with an RBI triple from senior Emma Ellis setting the tone. Senior Aaesha Mahurkar went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, and Jackie Guidotti struck out nine over six innings.
Division 2 State
Milton 6, Whitman-Hanson 5 —Kat McGettrick (3 hits) knocked in a pair of runs for the 10th-seeded Wildcats (16-5) in a first-round win over the 23rd-seeded Panthers (9-11).
Somerset Berkley 12, Minnechaug 0 — Erin Gunn logged three hits, all doubles, for the third-seeded Raiders (15-6) in a first-round blanking of the 30th-seeded Falcons (13-9).
Stoughton 15, Archbishop Williams 3 —Lily Shirey logged three extra-base hits, plating seven runs for the 11th-seeded Black Knights (13-8) in a first-round victory over the 22nd-seeded Bishops (14-8).
Wakefield 9, Bedford 3 — Paige Eriksen knoccked in four runs for the seventh-seeded Warriors (16-5) in a first-round triumph over the 26th-seeded Bucs (16-5).
Division 3 State
Apponequet 18, Belchertown 1 — Kate Suneson (2 for 2, HR, 2 BB) and Abby Burnap (3 for 3, 2 2B, 4 RBIs, BB) powered the fifth-seeded Lakers (16-6) to a first-round victory over the 28th-seeded Orioles (12-8) in Lakeville.
Gloucester 5, Medfield 0 — Abby Noble fired a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts for the fifth-seeded Fishermen (18-3) in a first-round shutout of 26th-seeded Medfield (10-11).
Greater New Bedford 3, Essex Tech 0 — Akiira’ley Vazquez twirled a five-hitter, walking just one and mowing down 10 batters for the 11th-seeded Bears (12-11) in a first-round victory over the 22nd-seded Hawks (11-10). Vazquez helped her own cause at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a pair of runs scored.
North Reading 10, Auburn 8 — Emily Cassarino homered twice, including once in the top of the seventh, as the 18th-seeded Hornets (13-7) charged back from an early 7-0 deficit in a first-round victory over the 15th-seeded Rockets (18-3).
Pentucket 8, Notre Dame (Worcester) 7 —Sarah Freitas laced a double to right field to walk it off for the 14th-seeded Panthers (14-6) in a first-round victory over the 19th-seeded Rebels (9-10) in West Newbury.
Wilmington 6, Dedham 2 — Charlotte Forcina, Sara Keck, Erin McCarthy, and Ali McElligott each tallied two hits for the 17th-seeded Wildcats (15-6) in a first-round win over the 16th-seeded Marauders (13-8).
Division 4 State
East Bridgewater 10, Lowell Catholic 8 —Maggie Schlossberg and Kenzie Whitman each launched home runs for the 11th-seeded Vikings (17-4) in a first-round triumph over the 22nd-seeded Crusaders (14-7).
Manchester Essex 9, Ipswich 3 —Cami Friedrich delivered a bases-clearing double in support of Anna Gardner, who went the distance in the for the eighth-seeded Hornets (14-7) in a first-round victory over the 25th-seeded Tigers (8-12). The Cape Ann League rivals had split their regular season series, 1-1.
Monomoy 6, Clinton 3 — Kinsey Lister fanned 13 in a complete game effort, yielding one earned run on five hits without issuing a walk for the 16th-seeded Falcons (16-5) in a first-round victory over the 17th-seeded Gaels (14-5). Lister also went 2 for 3 at the plate with a double and two RBIs.
Sandwich 3, Abington 2 — In the seventh, Lane Kraihanzel drew a bases-loaded walk for the tying run and Victoria Lott plated Maddie Brown with a single to center for the 15th-seeded Blue Knights (18-3) in a first-round victory over the 18th-seeded Green Wave (11-10).
West Bridgewater 14, Hamilton-Wenham 2 — Freshman Alanna Fidalgo (4 for 4) homered, cracked a pair of doubles, and racked up six RBIs for the 13th-seeded Wildcats (11-10) in a first-round triumph over the 20th-seeded Generals (11-10).
Evan Walsh reported from Shrewsbury, and correspondent Jake Levin contributed to this story.
Post Comment