Caliri, Tigers playing best softball of D-I campaign

WARWICK – Remember when the Tolman High softball was struggling to gain traction in the standings? That was so last month.

The Tigers notched their second straight win on Tuesday, doing so in convincing 9-1 fashion against Pilgrim. Meg Salzillo’s two-run homer ignited a four-run first inning and Tolman added four more runs in the seventh en route to improving to 2-7 in Division I action.

The Tigers achieved their first win of the season last Thursday, an 11-3 win over North Providence. They followed up that barrage with a 10-hit attack against the Patriots (4-4, Division I).

“We’re starting to hit the ball the way I believe we’re capable of and we’re playing great defense as we have been all year long,” THS head coach Craig Giarrusso said.

Tolman opened the season with games against La Salle, Cumberland, Moses Brown, and North Kingstown. In the eyes of many softball pundits, those are the top four teams in the state.

“You look at our early-season schedule and we were kind of down on ourselves. Every game seemed a little bit harder than the next,” Giarrusso said. “Getting that North Providence win also [beating Pilgrim] … I think the kids are starting to feel confident, especially when they’re in the batter’s box.”

Salzillo’s blast was part of a twohit day while Ally Larson aided Tolman’s cause against the Patriots with two hits and two runs scored. Hannah Caliri allowed just one earned run in the circle with two strikeouts and one walk.

Tolman hosts Seekonk in a nonleague game on Thursday before returning to league play on Friday against Smithfield. The Sentinels will carry a 2-5 mark into Wednesday’s game at Bay View.

“The rest of the way, I’m hoping we can finish somewhere in that upper middle echelon,” Giarrusso said.

Bay View tops Novans

WOONSOCKET — After losing its first eight games of the season, the Woonsocket softball team tried to change its luck Tuesday against Bay View.

Because Bay View’s field was unplayable, the Bengals opted to play a home game against the Villa Novans at Cold Spring Park. The “visitors’ scored the game’s opening run in the first, but Bay View used three walks to score three times in the second inning to secure a 3-1 Division I victory.

Woonsocket ( 0- 9 Division I) grabbed the lead when sophomore Abbie Roderick singled to start the game and then scored on a Maddie Hereth infield single. Woonsocket junior Lundyn Forcier allowed nine hits and walked five while striking out three in a complete- game effort.

The Novans will be the home team at Cold Spring Thursday against East Providence.