THE LHS softball team kicked off their 2024 season with a 10-5 victory over Boston Latin on April 2 at Lynnfield High. (Courtesy Photo)

After press time: Lynnfield falls to Newburyport 9-6 (April 10)

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — On Monday afternoon, the Lynnfield High softball team lost its Cape Ann League opener as they fell 6-4 to Triton at home. With the defeat, the Pioneers fell to 1-1 overall.

“We had four errors that proved costly,” said Pioneers second-year head coach Hector Longo, as the Vikings scored four unearned runs.

Triton scored three times in the first inning and once more in the second. Their other two runs came in the top of the fourth.

Lynnfield, meanwhile, scored twice in the fourth and two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Sophia Brown pitched four innings to fall to 1-1. The senior co-captain gave up six runs but only two were earned. She gave up five hits one walk and she struck out three.

Gia Gagno then pitched three scoreless innings to keep the game close giving up just two hits, no walks and fanning four.

“Gia pitched great,” stated Longo. “She was throwing strikes and kept us in the game.”

Lynnfield’s offense had just four hits off Vikings pitcher Emma Penniman, who was the league’s MVP last year.

“She is a very tough pitcher,” admitted Longo.

Morgan Hubbard led the offense going 2 for 3 with two triples and two runs batted in. Catie Kampersal scored on both of those triples and she was 1 for 2 with a walk.

Brown (1 for 2) had the other Pioneer hit.

Because of the eclipse, this game got started a little later in the afternoon as it started at 5 p.m.

In the season opener on April 2, the Pioneers doubled up guest Boston Latin, 10-5, on a cold day.

Brown went all seven innings allowing five runs (four earned), five hits, four walks and she struck out nine.

“This was closer than the final score would indicate,” pointed out Longo. “It was tied at two in the fourth inning but we then scored four times in the fifth and sixth innings.”

The Pioneer offense had nine hits in this game led by Hubbard again who was 2 for 4 with one being a three-run homer to left center in the sixth.

“She has been leading our offense,” said Longo, about the CAL Second-Team All-Star from last year.

Fellow junior, Kaila George, was the team’s other multiple hitter going 2 for 4 with one RBI.

Ava Gamache, a two-time Cape Ann League First-Team All-Star, also delivered a two-run triple in the fifth for her lone hit of the afternoon.

The game at Lowell Catholic, slated for last Friday, was postponed due to the weather and will be made up on May 10 at 4 p.m.

On Wednesday, the Pioneers host Newburyport at 4:30 p.m. Two days later, they visit CAL newcomer Essex Tech, up in Danvers. That game will start at 4 p.m.