Norton’s Nelson shuts down Abington
Ever since Abington ended Kelly Nelson’s softball season a year ago, the junior hurler has been on a mission.
And with the unbeaten and topseeded Green Wave in her way again last night, there was no way Nelson would let No. 2 Norton’s season end this time.
Nelson tossed a shutout, scattering four hits and striking out 13 as the Lancers topped Abington, 2-0, in Taunton for their second Division 2 South title in three years.
“It’s amazing,” said Nelson as Norton (25-1) advanced to Tuesday’s state semifinal. “They’re such a good team and it was a really hard-fought battle. Everyone on my team battled. Every pitch. They were just great and it was just an amazing feeling to come back and finally win it.”
With Nelson dealing, Norton’s run in the top of fourth, which came from heads-up base running and timely hitting, was enough.
After Steph Nosky singled off Tori Young to begin the frame, she smartly went first-to-third two batters later on a groundout by Nelson.
Nicole Grainger then came through with an RBI single up the middle to put Norton ahead, 1-0.
The Lancers added an insurance run in the sixth on a double by Leah Buttner.
Nelson made the lead hold up, but had to grind it out at times by stranding six runners in scoring position. In the fifth, Abington (25-1) put runners on second and third with one out, but Nelson got out of the jam with a pop out and a line out.
Nelson then secured the title by striking out the side in the seventh.
“My team worked so hard all game supporting me,” Nelson said, “so I just felt like I owed it to them to make it an easy last inning.”
Hannah Leahy doubled in the tying run in the third and scored on an error as No. 16 Swampscott (15-9) advanced to the Div. 2 North sectional final for the second straight year with a 3-1 win over No. 5 Burlington.
Katherine Iozzo hit a three-run homer as No. 12 Billerica (15-8) coasted to a 9-2 victory over No. 9 Medford in a Div. 1 North sectional semifinal. . . . Madison Schaefer struck out 13 as No. 3 Newton North (20-3) handled second-seeded Woburn, 5-0.
Kayla DeMedeiros pitched her second straight shutout as No. 5 Greater New Bedford (20-5) defeated ninth-seeded Diman, 3-0, in a Div. 3 South semifinal.
Boys tennis
Acton-Boxboro was one win away from a Div. 1 North title last season, losing to eventual state finalist Lexington.
But this time around, the result was different.
Fifth-seeded A-B (14-3) edged topseed Lincoln-Sudbury, 3-2, in Lexington to advance to Monday’s state semifinal.
“We have a very seasoned group of players,” said A-B coach Kevin Curley. “They’ve been here before so that paid dividends.”
Led by the top doubles pairing of Alex Pieri and Leon Fridrikh — 6-4, 6-3 winners over Will Tarini and Andrew Vroman — and the No. 2 tandem of Luke Rogers and Pasha Nikolayev, 6-1, 6-1 winners over Drew Teitelbaum and Kenny Ho, the Colonials raced out to a quick 2-0 lead.
No. 1 singles player Ray Boppana erased Lincoln-Sudbury’s Nick Vroman in straight sets (6-1, 6-2) to lock down the D1 North crown. . . .
After sixth-seeded Weston won its second consecutive Div. 3 North title with a 3-2 victory over top-seeded Pentucket, not a single Wildcat cared to hold the sectional trophy.
There is still unfinished business at hand since they lost to Dover-Sherborn last year in the state semifinals.
“We’ve been here a lot of times over the years . . . but this year, these kids are getting better and better every day,” Weston coach George Conlin said.
The Wildcats’ top doubles team, Jacob Gilligan and Masaki Nawa, defeated Max Jackson and Nick Piotrowski, 6-3, 6-1. Weston (14-5) grabbed its second point when Isaac Gorelik defeated Jake Murray, 6-0, 6-0, at second singles.
The Wildcats wrapped things up with a victory at third singles when Alex Chaou knocked off Cory Foster, 7-6, 6-4.