RallyNorth.net

Central wins 10-inning instant classic

Friday, June, 07 By David Willis
Staff writer

LOWELL — After nearly three hours and 10 innings on the field, a one-hour delay, an 0-for-4 night — and about two hours past her bed time — Central Catholic’s Allison Cavanaugh stepped to the plate with the chance to be the hero in possibly the most epic game in Raider softball history.

“I was so scared,” said she junior. “I was very nervous. I tried not to think. Then, when I did it hit, I thought the left fielder was going to catch the ball.”

With Krista Maloney standing at first with two outs in the 10th inning, Cavanaugh blasted a line drive to the wall in the left field to plate the go-ahead run, then scored the insurance run on a shot by pitcher Olivia Antczak, who did the rest in a brilliant performance to give No. 4 Central Catholic a 5-3 victory over top-seeded Concord-Carlisle in the Division 1 North semifinals last night, a game that did not end until approximately 11:20 p.m. after starting at 8:30.

The win sends the Raiders to the Division 1 North final on Sunday at 2 p.m. against No. 10 seed Newton North back at Martin Field in Lowell.

“I can’t even explain how amazing this night was,” said senior co-captain Meghan Sears. “Everyone is crying tears of joy. I don’t even remember the last play it was so emotional.”

The game looked to be slipped away from Central at the start, as Concord-Carlisle jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

But Sears put the Raiders on her back, first doubling home one run in the second inning, then tying the game in the fourth with a two-run triple.

“I went to the plate confident and ready to go,” she said. “I just hit it and ran. It felt good doing it for the girls, especially Olivia, who was amazing.”

After that first, ace Antczak was simply lights out, allowing just four harmless singles over the next six innings.

But she was at her greatest when the pressure was its most intense.

In the bottom of the eighth, Concord-Carlisle’s first three batters reached on an error and two singles. She then forced the next batter to pop out to Cavanaugh and struck out the following hitter. But with two outs, she faced a 3-and-1 count, meaning another ball would spell the end of the Raiders’ season.

“I don’t smile much during games,” said Antczak. “But I just laughed that off. I knew I had to throw a strike. There was no question.”

Antczak did just that, throwing to perfect pitches to strike the batter out and prolong the game.

“Olivia was fantastic,” said Sears. “That inning when there was three runners on and no outs, that was the key to the game. Amazing.”

That then set up Cavanaugh’s heroics, and Antczak turned in the game’s final out when she fielded a come-backer to the mound and threw to first baseman Leslie Moore to clinch the win.

“I don’t even know what to say,” said Cavanaugh. “I knew we had this in us. We have the fight. We fight every day in practice. We stepped up and did it. I’m usually in bed by 9:15. I think I need to go home!”