RallyNorth.net

Classical softball team eliminates Danvers

Monday, June, 02 By Jean DePlacido
Correspondent

LYNN | Some losses are harder to take than others | and the 6-3 loss that the Danvers High softball team suffered at Lynn Classical Saturday in the Division 1 North playoffs was especially difficult for the visitors.

It not only meant the abrupt end of the Falcons' season, but it also signaled the end of the Ashley Burnham Era in Oniontown.

"All year long we've won as a team or lost as a team. That's why this one is really hard and is going to hurt for a long, long time," said Danvers coach Tara Petrocelli, her team finishing with a 14-7 mark. "It will hurt until next April when we get going again."

Burnham, a four-year starter who hit over .650 this season, will play at Division 1 James Madison University beginning in the fall.

The Falcons failed to capitalize on a bases loaded opportunity in the first inning, having to settle for just one run. Burnham led off with a walk, advanced on Jamie Leonard's sacrifice bunt and moved over to third on a passed ball. Caraline Moholland's bloop single plated Burnham, and Jill Carroll was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Falcons with only one out. But Classical pitcher Jenny Garrity bore down to strike out the next two hitters to escape further damage.

"I told my girls that was a win | having the bases loaded and giving up just one run," said Rams (14-6) coach Chris Warren. "Any game can be blown wide open in a situation like that, but we were able to stay in it."

Classical, the No. 8 seed, had beaten Danvers, 4-2 in their only meeting early in the season. They sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and scored three runs on four hits. The big blows were delivered by Sam Barker (2-run single) and Amanda Stevens (RBI single).

Afton Dean, who led the Rams with three hits, led off the third with a double down the left field line and came home on two throwing errors to give her team a 4-1 lead.

"Early on Danvers missed the cutoff, and we took advantage to get that extra base and be in scoring position," said Warren. "We practice that, work on it all the time, and we will send the runners when we get the chance. It paid off to get the runs in.

"The worst thing about today is a Northeastern Conference team goes home. It's unfortunate we had to open with an NEC opponent."

The Falcons fought back to cut the deficit to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the fourth. Garrity had retired eight in a row before Carroll (2 hits) led off with a double. Garrity got the next two batters to ground out, but Kim Leonard beat out a bunt to bring Carroll home. Joanna Zecha followed with an RBI single (taking second on an outfield error).

Burnham was intentionally walked, but the Falcons stranded two more runners (7 in all) when Garrity struck out Jamie Leonard.

"We knew they hit the ball hard, but you can't give a team more than three outs in an inning," said Petrocelli. "Unfortunately, we did that a few times with the (4) errors. It hurt leaving the bases loaded in that first inning and just getting one run."

Danvers pitcher Diana Bean worked her way out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth, but the Rams tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on a walk, error, infield out, and RBI single by pinch hitter Meghan St. Pierre.

Moholland turned an unassisted double play to get out of the jam when she grabbed a line shot by Dean and stepped on the first base bag to catch St. Pierre.