DiOrio hurls shutout in Lincoln win
CRANSTON – Giving a high-school softball pitcher of Bella DiOrio’s caliber a fivespot to work with almost seems unfair to the opposition.
Cranston East found that out on Tuesday afternoon as DiOrio fired a complete-game, seven-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts. The senior righthander was backed by one timely hit in particular – a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning by sophomore Riley Riendeau that proved crucial in Lincoln High’s 5-0 triumph at the Brayton Avenue Softball Complex.
“We don’t always have the hitters, but Bella keeps us in every game,” LHS head coach Kevin Palumbo said. “She’s one of the top pitchers in the state because of the pressure she’s under.”
For the longest time, it appeared DiOrio would, once again, be the victim of limited run support. The Lincoln bats managed just two hits through the first four innings while Cranston East stranded two runners in the second inning and two more in the third. The Thunderbolts also had a runner at third base with one down in the fourth inning, yet DiOrio was successful in keeping the game scoreless with a strikeout and a weak pop-up that she caught.
The fifth inning saw Lincoln take full advantage of two walks and a hit batsman. The first free pass loaded the bases with one down. The second forced in the game’s first run as senior Delaney Cavanaugh collected the RBI.
Riendeau came to the plate with two outs and bases still loaded. Timing her approach perfectly, she laced an offering from Cranston East pitcher Kaitlyn Drowne into the left-field corner. All three runs easily scored as the Lions gave their star pitcher some much-deserved breathing room.
For good measure, Lincoln cleanup hitter./freshman Hope Walinski. came through with a run-scoring base hit that upped the lead to 5-0. Walinski is also the Lions’ starting catcher.
“She’s an unbelievable catcher and a clutch hitter,” Palumbo said. “She’s been helping out Riley a lot. Riley in the No. 3 spot and Hope hitting cleanup have been unstoppable. Every game we’ve won, they’ve both hit.”
DiOrio took care of the rest. She struck out two in the fifth and was aided by a great defensive play by third baseman Abigail Colletto in the sixth. With Cranston East’s Taylor Sykys standing on third base following a one-out triple, Colletto calmly fielded a hot smash, faked while holding the ball just long enough to give Sykys something to think about before recording the out at first.
Sykys did eventually break to the plate, yet she was out by plenty. Palumbo gave all the credit to Colletto for starting what amounted to a 5-3-2 double-play.
“We practice that play for hours and hours,” Palumbo said with a smile.
The Lions improve to 5-3 in Division I action while the Thunderbolts fall to 3-6. Lincoln hosts Cranston West on Thursday.
“This was a fantastic win for us,” Palumbo said.