RallyNorth.net

Gallant effort for Salem's seniors

Thursday, June, 12 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

There's no substitute for experience when you go deep into a tournament. The Salem softball team proved that again last night in its Class L semifinal matchup with Dover.

Although Salem is loaded with youngsters, veteran coach Harold Sachs knew that he'd need big efforts from his three senior starters if the No. 1-seed Blue Devils (now 20-3) wanted to advance to their third straight state championship game. In a tenuous 2-1 victory, that's exactly what he got.

Senior ace Alex Gallant was brilliant for her third straight playoff game, spinning a four-hitter with nine strikeouts without giving up an earned run. Katie Bettencourt smashed a hard grounder with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth that the Dover second baseman couldn't handle to score both runs.

First baseman Danielle Stoodley (2 for 3) had two of the three Salem hits as Dover's Sarah Morse matched Gallant pitch for pitch.

Salem will face Timberlane, a 1-0 winner over Concord in the first semifinal yesterday, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The Blue Devils are looking for their third straight Class L crown and ninth in the last 11 years.

For Gallant, the performance showed that she's nearly all the way back from a finger injury that kept her off the mound for the first month of the regular season.

"She's getting there," said Sachs. "It's about getting comfortable cutting the ball and doing everything she did before. She'll need to be better Saturday."

Gallant was at her best whenever Dover managed to get a runner on base. She recorded strikeouts following Dover hits in both the first and second innings and, after Dover scored an unearned run in the sixth, she prevented further damage with a strikeout that left two runners stranded.

Salem's only problem was Morse. She struck out five in the first three innings and kept the Blue Devils off balance | until the fifth.

With one out, Julia Gray got the rally started with a single. Sara Bracken then reached first on a grounder to first in which the first baseman threw too late to second on a fielder's choice. Pinch-hitter Megan St. Pierre walked to load the bases. Up stepped Bettencourt, who hit .588 during the regular season.

After taking a couple of strikes, she smashed the ball to Dover's second baseman, who booted the ball. The error enabled Gray and Bracken to score.

"Absolutely, I was confident with Katie up there but, again, you have to credit the kids at the bottom of the lineup for making it happen," said Sachs.

Salem right fielder Ashley Relf made two nice running catches, including one near the line in the fourth which probably saved a run.

Salem will now face a Timberlane team which defeated the Blue Devils in the regular season, 7-3.

"We'll see what happens, but I'm just excited to get the chance to pitch (in the state final) again," said Gallant.