White drives Taunton
SCHOOLS
Any hopes Newton North had that Taunton freshman pitcher Kelsey White might be feeling the nerves pitching in her first state semifinal game vanished in a hurry last night at Martin Field in Lowell as Taunton won, 6-1.
The precocious freshman retired the first 12 batters she faced and scattered just four hits as the Tigers advanced to Saturday’s Division 1 state final in Worcester against Wachusett.
“Is she only a freshman?” Taunton coach Dave Lewry quipped with a wry smile afterward. “She certainly doesn’t act like one. She is the calmest, coolest, most collected person that we have had on the mound in quite a while.”
After posting a single run in the first, Taunton broke the game open with a five-run second inning that saw the Tigers send 10 batters to the plate. The big blow came from junior captain Jaime Brown, who smoked a bases loaded triple to the gap in left center and came all the way around to score on a throwing error. Rylie Murphy (RBI) added a pair of hits for Taunton which had eight hits overall off Newton North starter Mia Patriacca.
The offense was more than enough with the way White was dealing in the circle. The hurler was touched up for a pair of singles and an unearned run in the fifth inning as Newton North (16-9) finally got on the board, but White bore down and got the strikeout to get out of further trouble.
Greater New Bedford 6, North Reading 4 — Greater New Bedford softball last played for a state title two seasons ago, as part of the Division 3 tournament.
Now the fifth-seeded south sectional champion Bears are making waves in Division 2, after taking down top-ranked and unbeaten north champion North Reading, 6-4, last night at Taunton High School to advance to the state championship.
Senior captain Averi Soares came up big at the plate for the Bears (214), going 2-for-4 and driving home two runs in the victory.
“I don’t usually pick captains,“said GNB Voke head coach Mark Collins. “She’s just one of our leaders, her and Sarah Duarte (2-for-4, two doubles, run) are the heart and soul of this team.“
Freshman pitcher Madison Camara pitch seven strong innings in the victory, allowing seven hits and one walk, surrendering just three earned runs.
Abington 9, Austin Prep 0 — Abington standout pitcher Tori Young wears number 00 in the circle and that was certainly appropriate yesterday in a Division 3 state semifinal as she posted all zeros, except for one lone hit, as Abington cruised over Austin Prep.
Facing a previously unbeaten AP team, which had outscored its opponents 46-1 in the tournament, the senior allowed just one baserunner and retired the first 13 batters to face her as she struck out six.
“She just pitched lights out today,” said Abington coach Kelsea Cheney. “She was throwing hard and moving the ball well.”
Abington (23-2) got two runs in the first on Jordyn Needle’s (2 hits, 2 RBI) two-out, two-run double and never looked back from there.
Baseball
Austin Prep 5, Dedham 3 — Austin Prep wasn’t about to let another opportunity to play for its first state championship pass them by.
After falling to Dover-Sherborn in the Division 3 state semifinal round last spring, the Cougars’ mission this season had always been to come back and take that next step, which is exactly what Austin Prep accomplished last night at Fraser Field in Lynn.
Behind a complete-game sevenhit performance from junior starter Colin Jaena and a 10-hit attack from its lineup, Austin Prep upended Dedham, 5-3, in the Div. 3 state semifinals to advance to Saturday’s final against Taconic (Holy Cross, TBA).
“I am so proud of my seniors and this whole team,” said Austin Prep head coach Steve Busby. “I tip my hat to Dedham because they really competed, but it feels good to get this win.”
After Austin Prep went up 3-1 in the bottom of the first, Jaena hit cruise control.
The right-hander breezed through the second and third innings, and in the fourth, after Dedham put runners on second and third with one out, Jaena bore down and retired Peter Coughlin on a shallow fly out to center before getting Billy McCaig to ground out to extinguish the Marauders scoring threat.
“I am so happy for Colin (Jaena),” Busby added. “He really came out and competed today. That was a big spot and he responded.”