Hornets improve to 7-0 on the season

JUNIOR Cassandra Pascucci was the hero for the NRHS softball team on Monday against Lynnfield. Pascucci pitched five innings of relief, striking out six batters and only giving up two runs. At the plate, she hit a home run to tie the game in the 5th and hit a walk-off base hit in the 8th to give the Hornets an exciting 6-5 win.(Dan Pawlowski Photo)

Published in the May 3, 2018 edition.

By DAN PAWLOWSKI

NORTH READING — Winning seasons for the NRHS softball team are nothing new. Neither are exciting games.

But this one is up there.

On Monday afternoon, the Hornets hosted rival Lynnfield, looking to keep their perfect season alive. After a wild back-and-forth game featuring five lead changes, North Reading won in walk-off fashion as Cassandra Pascucci scored Abby Paine in the bottom of the 8th on a base hit to win it 6-5.

Paine hit a bloop single to lead off the inning and then tagged to second and third on consecutive fly balls to score easily on the knock from Pascucci, who also did an excellent job in the circle as she came in to pitch in the 4th, and only gave up two runs in five innings of relief. Throw in a solo shot home run in the 5th and Pascucci was certainly the star of the day for the Hornets.

The Hornets put up three runs in the 2nd when they were trailing 1-0. Jessica Ferrazzani hit a two-RBI double to left with runners at second and third to give NR the lead at 2-1. The third run came off the bat of Courtney Luker, whose second single of the day scored Ferrazzani.

The Pioneers came right back in the 3rd and scored three runs to reclaim the lead at 4-3.

After Pascucci settled the game down for North Reading and the rain cleared, the Hornet bats went to work in the 5th, putting up two runs to reclaim the lead at 5-4. Pascucci’s homer tied it, and Ferrazzani got her third RBI on a base hit that scored Bridget McDonough from second.

Just when it seemed to be over, the Pioneers scratched out one more run in the 7th which would send the game into extras when the Hornets couldn’t score in the bottom of the 7th.

Emma Valade had a nice running catch in right and Paine made two plays at short for a quick inning, setting up the Hornet offense in the 8th.

Both of Paine’s tag-ups were close plays, but the senior tri-captain gave everything she had to get to third base where the chances of scoring vastly increase. She got that chance after Pascucci’s walk-off gave NR the lead for good.

The Hornets look primed for a deep run in the postseason this year. They were the top seed last season after going 18-3, but fell to Swampscott, 7-5 after 10 innings in the first round.

North Reading was undefeated in the CAL last season and are currently 7-0 overall this season. All games have been league games. The Hornets now have wins over Masco, Amesbury, Ipswich, Triton, Newburyport, Pentucket and Lynnfield.

North Reading hosted Manchester-Essex on Wednesday after press time and travel to Hamilton-Wenham today, Georgetown tomorrow and Masco on Monday.