| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Andover | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Billerica | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Saturday, May, 29 By Jeff Hamrick
AANORTH ANDOVER — With the state tournament on the horizon, North Andover needed to find some offense. If yesterday was indication, the search might be over.
After being held to two runs or fewer in five of their past seven games, the Scarlet Knights erupted with a first-inning five spot before running past Billerica 7-3 in the consolation game of the North Andover Invitational tournament.
“That was nice,” North Andover coach Brian Martin said. “That hasn’t happened all season actually. The flood gates opened and that was awesome and very good to see.”
The Scarlet Knights will learn their postseason road when the pairings are released Tuesday.
“That makes us 12-8, and that’s a lot better than 11-9,” Martin said. “So that could help us with a better seed, but I really have no clue what the brackets will be. I just want to enjoy this win. This is the best we’ve had all year. We played our best all-around game we’ve played.”
North Andover rode four consecutive one-out singles to begin the scoring and after a sacrifice by Meghan Weir, an RBI single by Angela Logomasini, and a two-run single by Courtney Green, the Scarlet Knights grabbed a quick 5-0 lead before Billerica could get to their bats.
Candace Waldie capped the North Andover scoring with a two-run double in the sixth for a 7-1 lead. Waldie, bound for UMass-Amherst, finished with three hits while seven other Scarlet Knights each singled.
“We’ve had two or three or four kids carry us with sprinkles here and there,” Martin said. “But (yesterday) everyone kind of stepped up. I’m glad for the kids because it’s important they have the confidence.”
Kim Crucibili, who has accounted for all 20 of North Andover’s decisions on the season, allowed six hits — three of them in Billerica’s two-run sixth — and two earned runs while striking out five.
“Billerica is a good-hitting team, so we didn’t rest at all,” Martin said. “In fact, it was almost a little scary, but Kim kept them off balance. She threw a lot of change ups and drop curves and really mixed her pitches well.”
North Andover (7): Sara McCarthy cf 2-1-1,Gwen Vozeolas rf 2-2-1, Candace Waldie ss 4-1-3, Danielle Fournier 1b 4-1-1, Hillary Buck dh 3-1-1, Allison Mitchell cr 0-0-0, Meghan Weir 2b 2-0-0, Haley Kosheff ph 1-0-1, Angela Logomasini 3b 1-1-1, Courtney Green c 4-0-1, Alex Cunningham lf 3-0-0. Totals 26-7-10.
Billerica (3): Kristin Miller cf 4-1-2, Leah McWilliams ss 4-0-0, Lily Perkins c 2-0-0, Amanda Campbell cr 0-0-0, Alyson Brooks 1b 3-1-1, Jess Bauman cr 0-0-0, Ashley Ferriera rf 3-1-1, Aimee Sanford rf 3-0-2, Elise Zekonvic 3b 1-0-0, Amy Edwards ph 1-0-0, Becky Percuoco 2b 1-0-0, Christie Caliendo ph 2-0-0, Meg Knight dh 3-0-0. Totals 27-3-6.
RBI:NA — Waldie 2, Green 2, Buck, Weir, Logomasini; B — Sanford, Edwards.
WP: Kim Crucibili 12-8 (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 W, 5 K); LP: Emily Kotes 5-10 (7, 10, 7, 6, 2, 3.
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