RallyNorth.net

Senior Madison Schaefer fired a two-hitter with seven strikeouts and No. 3 Newton North downed No. 6 Methuen, 4-1, in the Division 1 North quarterfinals.

Junior Kelsie McGonagle did her job in defeat. She scattered seven hits and all four runs were unearned. She also snared a couple of hard-hit liners.

Methuen softball jumped out in front early and didn't look back, shutting out Cambridge Rindge and Latin 8-0 to advance to the Division 1 North Quarterfinals. Lynette Urena, Heather Wood and Emma McAlpine each had two RBIs in the win.

METHUEN — The Methuen softball team is primarily young, but don't let that fool you.

LAWRENCE — Nyah Mazzone is back as the Methuen leadoff batter, Lynette Urena is back in the groove.

And, after Methuen defeated Central Catholic 5-3 Wednesday afternoon, the Rangers are feeling confident entering this weekend's Methuen Invitational at the Burnham Road fields.

Central Catholic downed Methuen, 7-5, as Bella Jankowski drove in three runs and Niamh Walker plated two. For Methuen, Nyah Mazzone was 4 for 4 and Coralie Mathieu went 3 for 4.

Methuen punched its ticket for the 17th straight state tourney berth with a 12-0 win in five innings against Lawrence. Kelsie McGonagle tossed a five-hitter with five strikeouts while Coralie Mathieu drove in three runs. Heather Wood threw out all three would-be basestealers.

Kayla Allbee had a two-run triple and scored the winning run on a single by Sam Ferraro in the bottom of the seventh after Coralie Mathieu hit a two-run homer in the sixth as Methuen rallied for a wild 9-8 win over Andover.

Methuen pitcher Jillian McCoy had a perfect game through 5.1 innings before a base hit broke it up. Still, the freshman threw a complete game three-hitter allowing one, unearned run with seven strikeouts, and the Rangers used an eight-run sixth inning to blow out Lincoln-Sudbury 10-1.

Kelsie McGonagle gave Methuen the lead with a three-run double in the first, and Nyah Mazzone added four hits and three RBIs as Methuen rolled past North Andover 13-1.

After Eliana Kane singled to break up the shutout, fellow freshman Lindsay Joubert followed with a bases-clearing, three-run triple to send Haverhill to a 4-2 victory over previously-unbeaten Methuen.