RallyNorth.net

Indians bow to state champs

Saturday, April, 26 By John Shimer
Staff writer

Over the years the Amesbury-North Reading softball rivalry has grown in lore with each program exuding rich championship pedigree.

A year ago, Amesbury got the best of the Hornets twice in 2-0 wins each time, but North Reading had the last laugh winning the Division 3 state championship, while the Indians were bounced in the second round of the tournament.

What have been close games so many times in years past was not yesterday as North Reading's bats were alive and well, while Amesbury could only leave the field frustrated in defeat, 9-2.

Up 2-0 after a couple of early miscues by Amesbury in the outfield, North Reading busted the game open in the top of the fifth after back-to-back infield hits to deep short which were sent home by Alex Moise's laser to left field that got by the Indians' left fielder for an easy three-run dinger putting the hornets on top, 5-0.

After Amesbury stranded a lead-off single by Jackie Webber (2 hits and a run) at third base, the Hornets put the game away for good in the top of the sixth. A leadoff walk for North Reading put a runner on base for Amanda Soucy's rocket of a shot down the third base line, which turned into another easy home run.

Although both teams would put two runs on the board in the final inning, the game was never in doubt. Caroline Gattuso was dominant on the mound with a blistering fastball for North Reading, while Jordan Oliva looked hittable all game for Amesbury as the Hornet bats really did a tune.

"We always know we're in for a battle when Amesbury and North Reading get together, that's why today's game was very uncharacteristic," said North Reading coach Rusty Russell. "When something like this happens it's because we hit the ball really well at the right times.

"Other than that when I'm still worried about the opponent when we're up seven runs in the seventh inning you know it's because they can catch fire at any time," Russell said. "They're a great team and well-coached."

For four years Gattuso has battled Amesbury, and to give her even a couple of runs to work with on errors made it that much more for the Indians to get back in the game.

"We've got to play hard and get tougher, and I thought the first couple of innings we were kind of lax in our attitude giving them a couple of early runs," said Amesbury coach Chris Perry. "We've seen Gattuso for four years and we got a little bit better as the game went on, but that's the way it is.

"We've got to play better defense because we still have got a lot of tough team coming up starting next Tuesday against Ipswich."