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Gubellini, Morrissey lead Salem

Wednesday, May, 25 By Jeff Hamrick

LONDONDERRY — One day after Salem coach Harold Sachs recorded his 500th career softball victory, his defending state-champion Blue Devils wasted no time adding to his total.

Having already secured New Hampshire’s Division 1 regular-season title, Salem scored six in the first and Nicole Gubellini allowed on hit in an 8-0 victory over Londonderry.

The Blue Devils (18-1) posted their 10th shutout in a season in which they out scored opponents by a combined 127-17. They’ve allowed four runs or fewer in each game and two or fewer in all but one. Salem heads into the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak during which it has out scored foes 55-5 with four shutouts.

“We work so hard during the year,” said Gubellini, who ran her record to 11-1 while striking out 11 and walking three before allowing her first hit with two out in the seventh. “It’s unbelievable how much we do. We’re just so together. I mean, our rhythm is just perfect. Our team is together all the time.”

Salem quickly gave Gubellini all the support she needed during a first-inning explosion off Londonderry ace Theresa Zwart, who was making her first appearance in several weeks. Sarah Frahm and Samantha Cloutier each delivered doubles, but the biggest blow was a two-out, three-run homer down the left-field line by No. 8 hitter Rachael Morrissey.

“I just thought it was a line drive,” said Morrissey, a sophomore who added a double in the sixth. “I didn’t think it went that far, but it went over and I got excited. I was rounding first base and I heard the crowd.”

Gubellini added a sacrifice fly in the second and Jade Morrison hit a solo homer in the fifth to complete Salem’s scoring. Frahm, who also doubled in the second, and Cloutier each went 2 for 3.

Zwart, who allowed her first earned run of the year while losing for the first time in seven decisions, has been suffering from headaches and had not played in a few weeks prior to yesterday’s Senior Day start.

“I gambled,” Londonderry coach Wayne MacDougall said. “I never should have let her go, but she’s a senior and she wanted to pitch. They found an abnormally large vein in her brain on a CAT scan and MRI. She went through a bunch of tests and then they cleared her to play, but the medication they put her on to clear it up just kind of does a number on her. She just doesn’t have much.”

After such a dominating season, the Blue Devils will be heavy favorites to win its 15th state title under Sachs.

“I’m never confident going into the playoffs,” the coach said. “After you go through a season and then you play teams everyone says can’t play after looking at the records. The next thing you know, you’re in the fifth inning and it’s a tight ball game ... We have to focus every inning, every at bat every game in order to be successful.”