May the ‘Bods’ be with you
Cumberland’s star pitcher limits Tolman to 3 hits in 3-0 triumph
CUMBERLAND — Sometimes, the game’s biggest pitch can come just five batters in.
That was the case Saturday morning as Cumberland junior lefty Jocelyn Bodington uncharacteristically walked three of the first four Tolman batters she faced before Jessica Potter worked the count full.
The Clipper All-Stater wound up striking out Potter and then she struck out her opposite number, Megan Salzillo, to work her way out the bases-loaded jam.
While Bodington spun a three-hit shutout, the Clipper offense used two runs from AllStater Sam Jalbert and a two-run single from Renae Lacroix to earn a 3-0 Division I win over the Tigers at Tucker Field.
“Bods will keep us in every game, there's no double about that,” Cumberland coach Marty Crowley said. “The first inning was huge and the defense played great behind. She made pitches when she had to. Getting out of the first inning was big for us and then we backed it up with a run.”
“It is nice to win a game like
this and win close games,” Jalbert said. “We're definitely building up and figuring out ourselves as a team. We have some girls in new positions, so we're getting better.”
Cumberland (4-0 Division I) seem to face reigning state champion and 2015 state champion Coventry in the same week every season. That week, this season, is next week, as the talented Oakers come to Tucker Field on Tuesday afternoon before Kiara Oliver and the undefeated Skippers play a 5 p.m. contest on Thursday.
Crowley, whose team hasn't beaten the Oakers in the last few seasons, knows exactly what his veteran squad will be up against.
“Tough battle,” Crowley said. “Both of those programs are rock solid and they're both championship-caliber programs. We'll find out this week where we're at.”
Jalbert walked to start the bottom of the first and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After All-Stater Maddi Leite walked, senior first baseman Sydney Provencal singled to plate Jalbert for the game-winning run.
“It's definitely important to get out there and score the first run,” Jalbert said. “We got going with the lead and then we added more runs. It's good to get going.”
After Bodington made quick work of the Tigers in the second, Katie Calabro started the second with a single. Following a pair of outs, Jalbert reached on an error and Lacroix followed with a two-run single to left to increase the lead to three.
The Clippers only had one more hit – a sixth-inning single from Emily Anderson – over the final four innings, Salzillo wound up walking three and striking out one in a complete-game effort.
Bodington gave up a lead-off single to Ally Larson in the third and Larson singled again in the seventh to bring the game-tying run to the plate. Bodington set down Sophia Marchese and catcher Brittney Baptista to finish the shutout.
“Tolman's a good team and they play great defense,” Crowley said. “Division I is a tight division from the top to three-quarters down. Tolman is one of those teams that's a good team and (Tolman coach) Craig (Giarrusso) does a great job with his program. You have a fight on your hands when you play them.”