RallyNorth.net

Seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning wasn't enough as the North Shore Tech girls softball team fell to Pathfinder Vocational, 10-7, yesterday in the state vocational tournament.

Relief pitcher Amy Titus did a fine job in relief for the Bulldogs (15-5), allowing no earned runs over 5-plus innings of work. Jenn Abbott and Nicole Greene had RBI singles for North Shore while Stephanie Rudis added a triple.

Coach Joe Balzarini remembers the formative days of North Shore Tech softball program in the 1980s, when he wasn't sure he could round up nine players to play a game.

That's why he has a great appreciation for what's going on now. The Bulldogs are 16-4 this season and they just won the Commonwealth Conference Small Division title for the fifth time in the last six years.

The combination of outstanding Rockport pitching and six unearned Viking runs were enough to do in the Bulldogs (15-4), 9-0. North Shore had just four hits on the afternoon, coming off the bats of Emily Pontes, Stephanie Rudis, Meg Hovan and Jen Abbott. The Bulldogs also clinched their fifth CCL title in the last six years by virtue of Minuteman's Saturday loss.

The Bulldogs (15-3) got out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning to emerge with a 7-4 win over Northeast. Whitney Bell paved the way with three hits including an RBI triple while Jillian Tentindo had two hits and an RBI and Stephanie Rudis also drove in a run.

The Bulldogs (13-3) got everybody involved with smashing success in a 28-3 win over Lynn Tech. Andrea Caetano had two hits and five RBI including a bases clearing triple in her varsity debut to lead the onslaught while Emily Pontes added five hits and four RBI. Katryna Smith added two hits and three runs scores, Melissa Reyes had two hits and scored once and Meghan Hovan clubbed a grand slam.

A five-run third inning highlighted by sophomore Meghan Hovan's bases loaded triple helped the Bulldogs (10-1) clinch a spot in the state tournament with a 6-4 win over Minuteman. Emily Pontes had three hits, scored a pair and flashed the leather defensively while Jillian Tentindo contributed a pair of hits. North Shore led big early and survived a late Minuteman rally.

Whitney Bell's ability to hit the long ball has changed the defensive strategy of the entire Commonwealth Conference this season. Bell, who blasted nine homers for North Shore Tech last season, practically needs binoculars to spot the outfielders playing against her.

Sophomore right-hander Stephanie Rudis of Methuen pitched the first no-hitter of her career and the fourth in the history of the school as she dominated Northeast Regional of Wakefield, 12-0. Rudis finished with one strikeout and two walks and the Bulldogs defense played superbly behind her. North Shore Tech improved to 7-1

Whitney Bell homered and drove in three runs as the Bulldogs (6-1) piled on enough runs to survive a late Lynn Tech scare, 15-7. Emily Pontes and Paige Sansaverino each drove in a pair and North Shore led by as many as 11 before allowing six runs in the fifth. Jen Abbott scored three runs to help key the offense.

The Bulldogs committed three errors in a fifth inning that saw Minuteman push seven runs across the plate to hand North Shore (4-1) its first loss, 10-8. Jen Abbott, Meghan Hovan and Stephanie Rudis each scored a pair of runs and Nicole Tower added an RBI as North Shore plated four runs in the top of the seventh and had the tying run in scoring position before making the game's final out.