THE MELROSE High softball team scored their highest offensive output of the season thanks to their hot bats. (photo by Raj Das edphotos.com)

 

 

Fowke throws a gem with 7 Ks, 1 hit

 

 

By CONNER BYRNE

MELROSE—It was a dominant win for the Melrose High softball team when they hosted Stoneham and swept the Spartans in a lopsided 12-0 mercy-kill game on Monday, April 15 at Pine Banks.

Freshman hurler Leah Fowke was strong in her innings of work for Melrose with 7ks and just one hit given up. Melrose capitalized on power hitting from senior captain Maddie Kozlowski (7 RBIs) who had a grand slam and triple early in the game to give Melrose a lead they wouldn’t surrender.

At the start of the game, it was a strong defensive performance from Melrose’s first basemen Ava Viola, who accounted for all three outs in the top of the first inning with two catches in foul territory and handling a grounder at first base. From there, the Melrose bats came alive.

The bottom of the first kicked off with a pair of bunts from Maddie Tobin and Itia Figueira and a walk drawn by freshman Paige Crovo to load the bases. Maddie Kozlowski would step up to the plate to drive the ball to left field for an inside the park grand slam which allowed Melrose to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Lauren Overlan stretched the lead to five with a single to center knocking in Ava Viola. Maddie Tobin reappeared in the inning to walk and knock in a run, and Itia Figueira hit a single to drive in Leah Fowke making the contest 7-0.

 

FRESHMAN LEAH Fowke ( 4 innings, 7K) got the win for Melrose as they clobbered Stoneham at home on Monday. (photo by Raj Das edphotos.com)

 

Another walk by Paige Crovo would knock in a run and a Kozlowski single would mark the 10th run of the inning for Melrose. Senior Ava Burns would contribute a single of her own to drive in a run and an eventual wild pitch from Stoneham would allow Kozlowski to cross the plate again. Lauren Overlan’s second single of the inning would stretch the lead and a hit from Gigi Albuja knocked in two more, capping off a crippling inning for Stoneham after one.

A quiet second inning from Stoneham would get Melrose back up to bat. Itia Figueira tripled to knock in Maddie Tobin. A single from Paige Crovo and a sac fly from Ava Viola ended the inning with Melrose keeping a giant lead. Melrose would hold Stoneham down defensively in the third to add more runs to what has already been an impressive offensive performance. A Crovo single and a 3-run triple from Kozlowski took the Spartans out of the game. A Leah Fowke single knocked Kozlowski in during the third inning.

Melrose continued to hold down Stoneham defensively, and the girls would add more runs in the fourth behind the work of Paige Crovo, Maddie Kozlowski, an RBI from Ava Burns, and a bases-loaded walk from Morgan Kirby that helped Melrose roll. The inning was capped off by a Leah Fowke single that extended a large score that would summon a mercy rule.

Stoneham went quietly in the fifth inning to end the game in favor of Melrose.

It would be both Melrose’s overpowering bats that made the difference on Monday, along with strong pitching from Leah Fowke (4 innings, 7Ks 1 hit) and Maggie Turner, who closed out the game in the fifth with a strike out.

Melrose hopes to capitalize on their win this week. Coach Kelly Smith’s squad will next host Lexington at home at Pine Banks on Friday at 4:15 p.m.