Mounties erupt for six runs in sixth inning to repel Prout

WOONSOCKET — Two days after a slow start cost the Mount St. Charles softball team in a one-run road loss to Portsmouth, the Mounties found themselves in another firstinning hole Wednesday afternoon against visiting Prout.

Crusader freshman Maura Powers and Grace Brogno started the game with infield singles and before Taylor Newcomb could record an out, her team was down a pair of runs after a two-run single by Payton Raffery-Smith.

The Mounties battled back from the early deficit and overcame a one-run deficit in the sixth, as five Mounties produced hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to ignite a six-run uprising in a 10-5 Division II home win.

“In the sixth we needed to make adjustments to their pitcher,” Mount St. Charles coach Cliff Matthews said. “She’s a freshman and she was tiring. What we needed to do was lay off the first pitch and made sure we were aware of the change-up. However, we did make the adjustment. We hit the ball pretty well at the end. It takes us a little while to warm up.

“I don’t care what division or where you play, you can’t keep giving teams a lead early in the game. It’s tough to play from behind.”

Mount St. Charles (2-1 Division II) held a one-run advantage going into the top of the sixth, but Newcomb walked the first two batters of the inning and then the Crusaders tied the game on an errant throw of a Victoria Leyden bunt. Brogno laced a single to left to give her side a one-run lead.

“We knew if one person got a hit, it would encourage the rest of the girls to rally up,” Newcomb said of her team’s approach to the bottom of the sixth. “We tried to encourage everyone to keep going.”

Senior centerfielder Emily D’Abrosca started the rally with a double to right off of freshman Abbey Smith. D’Abrosca scored on a single by Talia Williams before Newcomb looped a single to right field to plate the game-winning run.

After a Sky O’Connell out, Shea Kelliher (RBI single), Marissa Santoro (RBI single) and Sophia Monti (walk) all reached base and scored to increase the lead to 10-5.

Matthews said he had freshman Victoria Young ready to go in the seventh inning, but Newcomb worked around a lead-off with to throw a scoreless seventh thanks to a pair of strikeouts.

“Sky’s been calling a lot of pitches and my pitches have been working really well,” said Newcomb, who struck out nine batters in her complete-game effort.

Prout (1-1 Division II) was led offensively by Brogno, who produced four hits, two RBIs and a run scored. The only other hits came from Powers and Raffery-Smith. The Crusaders are back in action Thursday against Division III champion Mt. Hope in Wakefield.

Mount, which heads to Toppa Field Monday at noon to face Rogers, recovered from its slow start with a pair of runs in the second. First, Kaitlyn D’Abrosca walked to score Kelliher and then Emily D’Abrosca hit a sacrifice fly to plate Monti.

The Mounties scored runs in the third and fourth innings to build a two-run advantage before the Crusaders scored three times in the sixth.

“I’m happy that (Newcomb) gutted it out,” Matthews said. “We had the freshman all warmed up and ready to go, but after the sixth inning, we had the game wrapped up.”

Santoro led the Mounties with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Monti and Newcomb both scored twice, while Emily D’Abrosca and Williams each scored a run and drove in a run.