THE NO. 24 LHS softball team celebrates their exciting 4-3 win over No. 9 Notre Dame of Worcester on Monday. The Pioneers traveled to No. 8 Uxbridge on Tuesday after press time. (John Trainor Photo)
Update post publication:
Lynnfield falls to Uxbridge 9-1 in the Round of 16 (6/6)
Published June 7, 2023
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
WORCESTER — On Monday afternoon, the Lynnfield High softball team had to travel to Worcester to take on Notre Dame Academy of Worcester in the first round of the Division 4 state tournament.
The ride home turned out to be a happy one for the Pioneers as they won 4-3 on an unseasonably cool afternoon.
With the victory, the 24th-seeded Pioneers improved to 12-9 while the 9th-seeded Rebels end the year at 15-6.
“The girls were fired up,” said Pioneers first-year head coach Hector Longo, who picked up his first playoff win as Lynnfield’s coach.
Ava Gamache, who led the offense going 3 for 4, singled and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first inning. She made it to third on a hit by Morgan Hubbard who went 2 for 4 on the day.
The Rebels then tied the game in the bottom of the first.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Pioneers took the lead for good. Catie Kampersal (2 for 4) tripled to left field and scored on a ground out from Abi Travers to make it 2-1.
Lynnfield scored twice more in the top of the fifth as Libby Considine had an RBI single while Ava Marotta added an RBI on a fielder’s choice.
Notre Dame answered with a couple of runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to one but the Pioneers were able to hold on the rest of the way.
Sophia Brown was the winning pitcher going all seven innings to improve to 10-8 in the circle. The junior gave up three runs, six hits, no walks and she struck out five Rebel batters.
“Sophia was dynamite and our defense did not make an error and when you go error-less, that is half of the battle,” said Longo.
The Pioneers visited Uxbridge in a Round of 16 game on Tuesday (results not available at press time). The winner will play the winner of No. 1 Joseph Case vs. No. 16 Advanced Math and Science in the quarterfinals.
