WORCESTER – After failing to attain throughout a one-run loss in final yr’s Div. 4 state title sport, the senior-laden Joseph Case softball crew made a vow to by no means let offense be a difficulty this season.
Back within the Div. 4 state ultimate for a second straight yr, the top-seeded Cardinals (24-1) noticed that by to the tip with a 7-2 win over No. 2 Hampshire (20-5) Sunday night time at Worcester State for his or her first state title since 2001.
Seniors have been on the forefront, led by a grand slam from Brooke Orton, a two-run single from Jamie Moniz, a double from Skye Dupre, and a three-hit efficiency from Lexi Yost. Senior pitcher Hailey Berube additionally allowed simply two runs in a whole sport (seven hits, one stroll, three strikeouts) from the circle.
“I’m so proud of my girls,” stated Case head coach Shannon Silva, who pitched for the state champion Cardinals in 1995 and 1996. “This has been five years in the making since this group of seniors was in fifth grade, and every year we’ve gotten a little bit closer. This was just our year. These seniors weren’t accepting anything less than a state championship trophy today.”
After rain suspended the ultimate from Friday at UMass Amherst to renew within the backside of the second inning on Sunday, the offense rapidly obtained going within the third.
Megan Smith (2-for-4, stolen base, run) and Yost every reached on infield singles with no outs. Hampshire opted to deliberately stroll harmful hitter Olivia Silva, however that meant loading the bases for Orton – batting cleanup.
Two pitches later, she despatched one over the left-center wall for her ninth house run of the yr and a 4-0 lead.
“All I was really hoping for was a single, I wasn’t expecting a grand slam,” stated Orton, who took the intentional stroll earlier than her a bit personally. “It was really nice to hit it and put my team up on the board first. They always intentionally walk her and they always put me up next. I usually don’t perform that well, so I’m really happy I did this time.”
Moniz performed a stellar sport in proper discipline however slipped when sizing up a line drive within the subsequent half-inning. Teagan Charles legged out an RBI triple on the play for Hampshire, and an infield single from Emma Czarniecki lower the Red Raiders’ deficit to 4-2.
In search of extra offense within the backside of the sixth, the Cardinals then performed slightly small ball by advancing Dupre’s leadoff double and a Berube stroll into scoring place with a sacrifice bunt. Moniz rifled a single up the center to drive each in, and Yost added an RBI single two batters later to make it 7-2.
“We talked about it from Game 1; we are not going to be shut out in a game this year,” Shannon Silva stated. “And we did not get shut out in one game all season. I knew we were going to score runs today. It was a matter of waiting for our pitch, driving it hard and playing solid D, and we did all that today.”
“It means a lot, especially since Shannon, I and Olivia – her daughter – and (Moniz), we started playing for her since we were 9-years-old,” Orton added. “To finally end our careers with a win is such a good feeling for us.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com