Published in the June 4, 2021 edition.

By DAN PAWLOWSKI

WAKEFIELD — Trailing 9-5 with one out in the bottom of the 7th inning at Blatz Field yesterday, the Wakefield High softball team decided that they weren’t quite ready to admit defeat to rival Melrose. Five hits and five RBI’s later, the Warriors were celebrating an epic walk-off win when Allida Kelliher crushed one to the fence, easily scoring captain Bella Zullo who had tied the game seconds earlier on a two-RBI base hit. 

“That was a really fun high school softball game to be a part of,” said Wakefield head coach Chris Tolios. 

Hailey Burke, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI, started the rally in the 7th with a double to left center. After Nora Hagopian walked, Olivia Johnsen brought home Burke on a single up the middle to put runners at the corners. Amelia Galvin then came through with an RBI base hit to make it 9-7 while Johnsen somehow got under a tag at third base to keep the pressure on the Red Raiders with runners at the corners again. 

Later, with two outs, Zullo’s clutch knock tied it as the Warriors flew around the bases. Zullo took second on the throw home setting up Kelliher. Wakefield’s no. 3 hitter came into the at-bat 0-for-4 against Melrose starter Cassie Sleeper but Kelliher won the biggest battle of the game, crushing one deep to complete an improbable comeback. 

“I think this is a huge confidence booster moving forward because everyone had a piece in it,” said Tolios. “From great base running by Emma Johnsen, to a clutch hit and great baserunning also by her sister Olivia, the home run by Paige (Butland), the game-tying hit from Zullo, the walk off from Allida, three hits from Hailey Burke and two from Bella D’Ambrosio, a great pitching performance from Nora (Leach), two hits from Amelia Galvin – the list goes on.

“Everyone did something to help us chip away and battle back into the game twice and then ultimately win it. So individually, I’m sure the girls are feeling good about themselves, but then also realizing what type of gritty team we can be when we put all of those collective efforts and production together.”

Wakefield had six players collect multiple hits in this one including Burke, Butland (4-for-5), D’Ambrosio (2-for-3), Zullo (2-for-5), Leach (2-for-4) and Galvin (2-for-3). 

Butland, who was just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, kicked the Warriors off in style, hitting a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 1st by pulling one over the left field fence. 

Leach pitched the entire game for Wakefield. She was sharp early and though the Red Raiders broke through with six runs in the 3rd and another three in the 7th, Leach shut them out for five of the seven innings to keep the Warriors in it. 

Trailing 6-1 after two-and-a-half innings, the Warriors chipped away, getting one back in each of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th to make it 6-5. Even after Melrose tacked on three more, the Warriors maintained that never quit attitude. 

“It was great to see the battle that the girls had the entire game coming back from two deficits, after being down early 6-1 and then down 9-5 going into the last inning, they didn’t give up and just approached it one at bat and one base at a time,” said Tolios. 

D’Ambrosio’s two out single brought in Emma Johnsen to pinch run in the 3rd. Leach hit a single to put Johnsen at second and Burke poked an RBI base hit to make it 6-2.

Galvin doubled in the 4th and a Butland base hit led to Zullo’s first of three RBI’s on the day when she grounded out to second in a close play at first but the run scored to make it 6-3.

After D’Ambrosio singled again in the 5th, Burke’s second hit put pinch runner Emma Johnsen at 3rd and Nora Hagopian hit a sac fly to make it 6-4. 

In each of these innings, Sleeper did well to limit the damage and prevent Wakefield from putting up big numbers. All the while, Leach settled in, picking up six strikeouts from the 2nd inning on. 

Two of Melrose’s three runs in the 7th were unearned but the Warrior bats picked up any defensive miscues in the 7th. 

Wakefield moved to 5-4 with the win. The two teams will have a rematch at Pine Banks Park on Monday at 4 p.m.

“It’s always good when you can beat your rivals,” said Tolios. “Hats off to Melrose too, they are a tough team and battled us right to the end making us earn everything out there. Should be another good one on Monday.”