RallyNorth.net

Peabody Tanners Softball '18

Tue, Jun 12, 2018 07:00 PM @ Methuen
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final
Peabody 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
Methuen 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 4

Seniors power Methuen softball to semis

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Tuesday, June, 12 By Jeff Hamrick

METHUEN - Jason Smith only has two seniors on his softball squad, but it turns out the Methuen coach has quality in his pair.

While Kelsie McGonagle was throttling the Peabody offense, Taylor Cassidy provided her classmate all the support she would need with a pair of run-scoring singles as the Rangers advanced to the Division 1 North semifinals with a 4-1 victory Tuesday night over the fifth-seeded Tanners.

"That's my senior leadership right there with Kelsie on the mound and Taylor at second base," Smith said. "I thought they did a fantastic job showing what they could do as captains."

McGonagle surrendered a run in the third that tied the score, but allowed just two base runners the final four innings, providing the fourth-seeded Rangers (19-3) the chance to rally in the sixth. McGonagle gave up four hits, striking out one with no walks. She induced 13 ground ball outs while the Rangers played error free.

"My pitcher pitched her tail off tonight," Smith said. "Kelsie knows she doesn't throw as hard as some of the other pitchers. She relies on placing her pitches. She relies on movement and on her fielders helping her out."

Cassidy opened the scoring with a second-inning single that drove in Cori Rizzo. McGonagle began a three-run sixth with a single. The No. 8 hitter, Cassidy drove in courtesy runner Gianna Grelle with the team's seventh hit before she and Kerri Horan scored on freshman lead-off hitter Steph Tardugno's triple.

"Senior captain Taylor Cassidy has worked so hard to get to where she is," Smith said. "She can do a little bit of everything ... and she's worked really hard, especially over the last couple of weeks. She got some advice from a coach that will remain nameless."

Methuen had several chances to build a sizeable lead, stranding six runners in scoring position through four innings.

"We shot ourselves in the foot a few times on the base paths," Smith said. "But the girls did a good job of not dwelling on that. They didn't hang their heads and didn't let that affect them. They looked ahead and we were able to come through in the clutch."

Peabody (18-4) scored in the third when singles by Makayla Iannalfo and Makayla Rooney led to a sacrifice fly from Mackenzie Marmon. But the Tanners, who forced McGonagle to throw a mere 60 pitchers, saw their last chance to score wiped out when a would-be sacrifice fly was negated when the runner at third left early for the final out in the sixth.

"We told them to take a pitch, but obviously they didn't listen to us," Peabody coach Dennis Melanaphy said. "We knew we could hit (McGonagle), but we just had to make her throw pitches. That's all. It was a good game, but you can't win on just (four) hits."

Playing in their first North semis since advancing to the EMass finals in 2015, the Rangers will play top-seeded Concord-Carlisle (21-1) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Martin Field in Lowell.

 

UP NEXT

DIVISION 1 NORTH SEMIFINALS

Who: No. 4 Methuen (19-3) vs. No. 1 Concord-Carlisle (21-1)

When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Martin Field, Lowell

 

Methuen 4, Peabody 1

Division 1 North Quarterfinals

Peabody (1): Mallory LeBlanc ss 3-0-1, Kelsie Blake 3b 2-0-0, Luciana Mastromatteo 1b 3-0-1, Kristina Rossignoll c 3-0-0, Tiana Dawe p 3-0-0, Sydney Lowry dp 3-0-0, Janelle Richard lf 0-0-0, Makayla Iannalfo 2b 2-1-1, Makayla Rooney rf 2-0-1, Mackenzie Marmion cf 1-0-0. Totals 22-1-4

Methuen (4): Steph Tardugno lf 3-0-2, Claudia Crowe dp 3-0-0, Kayla Allbee cf 0-0-0, Nyah Mazzone ss 3-0-1, Emma McAlpine 3b 3-0-1, Kelsie McGonagle p 2-0-1, Gianna Grelle cr 0-1-0, Cori Rizzo 1b 2-1-0, Courtney Belanger c 2-0-0, Julia Tardugno cr 0-0-0, Taylor Cassidy 2b 2-1-2, Kerri Horan rf 2-1-1. Totals 22-4-8

RBI: M - Cassidy 2, S. Tardugno 2; P - Marmion

WP: McGonagle; LP: Dawe

Peabody (18-4):     0 0 1 0 0 0 0 - 1

Methuen (19-3):     0 1 0 0 0 3 0 - 4

 

Game Statistics:

Division 1 North Quarterfinals

Peabody (1): Mallory LeBlanc ss 3-0-1, Kelsie Blake 3b 2-0-0, Luciana Mastromatteo 1b 3-0-1, Kristina Rossignoll c 3-0-0, Tiana Dawe p 3-0-0, Sydney Lowry dp 3-0-0, Janelle Richard lf 0-0-0, Makayla Iannalfo 2b 2-1-1, Makayla Rooney rf 2-0-1, Mackenzie Marmion cf 1-0-0. Totals 22-1-4

Methuen (4): Steph Tardugno lf 3-0-2, Claudia Crowe dp 3-0-0, Kayla Allbee cf 0-0-0, Nyah Mazzone ss 3-0-1, Emma McAlpine 3b 3-0-1, Kelsie McGonagle p 2-0-1, Gianna Grelle cr 0-1-0, Cori Rizzo 1b 2-1-0, Courtney Belanger c 2-0-0, Julia Tardugno cr 0-0-0, Taylor Cassidy 2b 2-1-2, Kerri Horan rf 2-1-1. Totals 22-4-8

RBI: M — Cassidy 2, S. Tardugno 2; P — Marmion

WP: McGonagle; LP: Dawe

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