Novans drop finale to Smithfield
Roderick homers in 6-5 loss to Sentinels
WOONSOCKET — The Woonsocket softball team’s three-run uprising in the sixth inning didn’t change the outcome of Friday’s Division I clash with one-win Smithfield, but it did give Novan coach Dan Belisle some hope that his top hitters were ready to break out of a three-game slump with the playoffs on the horizon.
After back-to-back shutout losses to first-place Moses Brown and Chariho, the Novans were held to two unearned runs by Smithfield sophomore pitcher Kasey Ruo through the first five innings. But, with one out in the sixth inning, Lauren Peloquin hit a single to left and junior Holly Letourneau followed with an RBI single to left. Abbie Roderick finished the rally with a two-run home run to right field.
Ruo set down the final five Novans for a 6-5 Division I victory at Cold Spring Park, but Belisle hopes what happened in the sixth inning of what was effectively a meaningless game for both sides will hold the Novans in good stead when the playoffs start next week.
“We need to play with a little more intensity and try to find our offense,” Belisle said of getting ready for the playoffs. “I hope what happened in the sixth inning gets us going. Right now we’re taking defensive swings and we’re not showing much confidence at the plate. We have to do something to get our confidence back. We have to find it or the season is going to end.”
Woonsocket (7-9 Division I) came into Friday’s game knowing the result didn’t matter because the Novans were going to be the No. 10 seed in the Division I playoffs. They Cranston West or next Monday or Tuesday. The Novans suffered a 6-2 defeat to the Falcons on April 23 thanks to the pitching of Liv Feole.
Of course, the last time the Novans were in the playoffs they won five straight games and beat heavily-favored Moses Brown twice to win the Division II title in 2016. Letourneau, Roderick, catcher Maddy Hereth and pitcher Lundyn Forcier all started on that team.
“I expect to face a competitive, well coached and talented team in the playoffs,” Belisle said. “We’ll come in and play as hard as we can. We’ll see if we can come up and surprise someone.”
Smithfield only seems to beat Valley teams because the Sentinels’ only other win came in the season opener against Lincoln. Ruo ended up allowing three earned runs on four hits to go along with four strikeouts. The sophomore also hit an RBI double in a two-run first inning to give the road side a lead they would never relinquish.”
In an attempt to keep Forcier’s arm fresh for the playoffs, Mia Plasse started in the circle, but the talented sophomore struggled to find the plate. Plasse walked Allison Oliveira to start the game and then she hit Meghan LaFlamme before Ruo hit an RBI double as part of a tworun inning.
The Sentinels took advantage off two more walks and a hit batsman to score three runs in the second inning. Oliviera hit an RBI single and Ally Stevens knocked Plasse out of the game with a two-run single to center. Forcier came in and allowed just one run on two hits in 5.1 innings of work.
“I liked what I saw from Lundyn, she threw well,” Belisle said.
Woonsocket took advantage of a pair of Sentinel errors to grab two runs in the second inning. Roderick reached on an infield error and scored on a wild pitch. Plasse reached first when Ruo dropped a pop up and the sophomore scored on a wild pitch.
Smithfield scored the game-winning run on an Oliveira fielder’s choice to Plasse at third in the third inning. Woonsocket was held at bay in the middle innings before Peloquin singled with one out in the sixth to start a three-run rally. Smithfield 231 000 0–653 Woonsocket 020 003 0–542
Kasey Ruo and Meghan LaFlamme; Mia Plasse, Lundyn Forcier (2) and Julia Beech, Maddy Hereth (3). 2B – S, Ruo; HR – W, Abbie Roderick.