JUNIOR CAPTAIN Paige Crovo has been a standout hitter for the MHS softball team, who looks to earn their first win this week. (photo by Raj Das edphotos.com)
By STEVEN MARTELLUCCI
MELROSE—It’s been a challenging opening for the Melrose High softball team, who are searching for wins after two losses in the opening weeks of play.
Having battled with Mother Nature last week, and opening with a loss against Belmont, Melrose looked to rebound on Monday afternoon when they faced Winchester on the road. But the team lost, 16-4, after the Red and Black scored five runs against Melrose in the bottom of the sixth inning to evoke the 12-run mercy-rule to end the game.
“We were in the game for a while but the wheels came off in the fifth inning,” admitted Melrose assistant coach Frank Sorrenti, whose squad fell to 0-2 overall and in the Middlesex League. Winchester scored twice in the third inning but Melrose took the lead earning four runs in the top of the fourth.
However, Winchester scored five times in the bottom of the fourth and four more times in the bottom of the fifth to go up 11-4.
Melrose’s defense struggled, committing seven errors, which is the same amount they had in the season opener against Belmont.
Pitcher Riley Jones went all five-plus innings, giving up seven earned runs, seven hits, while striking out two.
Melrose had five hits as junior Paige Crovo went 2-3 with a run scored. Fellow junior captain Ava Viola was 2 for 4 with one RBI, a steal and a run scored. Jones had a three-run triple as she was thrown out at home trying to stretch it into an inside-the- park home run.
The next game for Melrose will be on Friday Apr. 12 as they visit Burlington at 4:15 pm. The next morning at 10:00 a.m. they host Reading in a make-up game that was postponed due to weather back on Apr. 3.
On Patriots Day on Apr. 15, Melrose hosts Whittier Tech at 11 am in a non-league game. Two days later, they host Wilmington at 10 a.m. Those two games will be at Pine Banks.
