Hero talk Fitz Case well
H.S. SOFTBALL
Riley Fitzgerald didn’t wake up yesterday expecting to play the role of hero.
But now she will forever be labeled as one.
The freshman ripped a walkoff single to center field as No. 6 Case secured a trip to the Division 3 South final with an incredible 7-6 comeback victory over No. 15 Coyle & Cassidy at Taunton High School.
The Cardinals (18-5) rattled off five consecutive hits to erase a 6-4 deficit entering the seventh inning, before storming the field.
“Honestly, I have to say that I wouldn’t be there without the team I have on my back,” Fitzgerald said. “Going up there, it could have been different. And I’m just glad knowing that if I wasn’t going to get a hit, that they’d still have my back no matter what.”
Junior Sarah Rebello paced the offense for Coyle & Cassidy (12-11), going 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBI.
In the nightcap in Taunton, Abington (22-2) continued its impressive march to the Div. 3 South final with a 6-2 victory over top-seeded West Bridgewater (21-2).
Tori Young has become accustomed to leading her squad and just when it seemed as though Abington was on the verge of faltering on the big stage, its ace came through again. Young stranded a pair of runners in the sixth inning, before shutting things down in the seventh for the fourthseeded Green Wave.
“So many emotions obviously,” Young said. “As a senior, you never want your season to end. And I have full confidence in my team. They back me up no matter what. Nerves happen obviously, but we settled down, and I think we did what we know how to do best.”
Young pitched a complete game, striking out four in the victory.
Abington broke it open in the seventh, plating four runs to seal things. During the course of their playoff run, the Green Wave have outscored opponents by a whopping 35-2 margin.
West Bridgewater (21-2) was propelled by leadoff hitter Collen O’Toole, who finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Lianna Bernier singled in the winning run in the last of the 10th to give No. 3 Middleboro (20-3) a 3-2 victory over No. 6 Hanover in a Div. 2 South semifinal. Laura Hatch and Bethany Seifert had three hits apiece for the Sachems.
In Div. 1 North quarterfinal action, Sam Melanson scattered four hits and struck out eight while Brenna Forbes finished with three hits and four stolen bases as No. 6 Medford (18-3) defeated No. 3 Arlington, 5-2.
Emma Catania’s grand slam got No. 11 Amesbury (15-8) off and running on its way to a 13-1 win over No. 14 Lynnfield in a Div. 3 North quarterfinal.