Errors doom Cumberland in elimination game
WOOD RIVER JUNCTION — The No. 8 Cumberland softball team must have used up all their postseason magic in their come-back win over North Kingstown. After losing to top seeded Moses Brown last week, the Clippers were ousted from the double-elimination tournament by Chariho on Sunday, 6-0.
Only two of the six Charger runs were earned. Four infield errors gave Chariho a big lead that starter Kate Power complimented with a two-hit shutout.
“I thought we kind of self-imploded,” Clipper coach Marty Crowley said after the season-ending defeat. “We had good swings, good approach at the plate. We didn’t score that first inning and that set the tone. They get a couple [in the bottom of the first].
“Hats off to Chariho. They hit the ball. They made the most of their opportunities.”
The Clippers put two runners on in the first when Hailey Ballou walked and Jocelyn Bodington singled. Powers worked out of that jam on two strikeouts, the start of six straight strikeouts for the senior.
Cumberland didn’t get another hit until the sixth inning, at which point they already trailed by six runs. Hannah LaRose broke the hitless streak with a single, and moved to second when Renae Lacroix reached on an error.
Gretchen Gilbert appeared to have hit the ball hard enough to drive in both of her teammates later in the frame, but a ranging catch by the Charger centerfielder ended the inning and the most serious scoring threat of the day for Cumberland.
“Our Achilles’ [heel] is runners in scoring position, not getting that big hit,” Crowley said. “Their centerfielder made a heck of a catch. Gretchen Gilbert smoked that ball, about as good a ball as I’ve seen hit. That would’ve gotten us a couple runs and kept us in it.”
The Chargers found ways to make their chances count, meanwhile. A out-out walk in the first turned into a 2-0 lead when Sarah Dias cleared the centerfield fence with a home run. Bodington worked a clean second inning, but could only watch as four un- earned runs came across to score in the following two frames.
“We didn’t play clean defensively,” Crowley said. “At this point in the tournament, every team is a good team. You can’t just give out outs and runs. We did that.
“Bods is Bods, she’s going to keep us in every game she pitches. She pitched pretty well today, but we didn’t play clean defense.”
Bodington gave up three singles in the two-inning span while her defense committed three miscues. She pitched a perfect fifth, and ended her day with seven strikeouts.
While Chariho will advance in the losers’ bracket to face Pilgrim, Sunday’s loss was the end of the road for the Clippers and their seven seniors.
“We’re proud of our kids, the growth they made this year,” Crowley said. “Our seniors have been great ambassadors for our program. Our captains have been spectacular.
“Their work ethic, their leadership. They took the young kids under their arms. They mentored them. I can’t say enough about this senior class. They’re outstanding. Our three captains went above and beyond.”
The three senior captains this season were Bodington, Lacroix and Ally Pina. The other four seniors were Dayna Jackvony, Gilbert, Ballou and Cassidy Carr. In their final two high school seasons, the group helped Cumberland win 21 regular season games and a pair in the playoffs.