Published May 27, 2021
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — The North Reading High softball team won its fifth consecutive game on Monday afternoon as they steamrolled guest Triton 17-2 in a five-inning mercy-rule game. With the victory, the Hornets improved to 7-1.
“They (Triton) are a young team and don’t have a lot of pitching,” said Hornets assistant manager Paul Greene, as his squad swept the Vikings this year.
The Hornets scored three times in the first inning and four times in the second and third innings.
Shea Hanson pitched all five innings to improve to 7-1 in the circle. She gave up two runs, six hits and one walk. The senior co-captain also struck out six Viking batters.
The Hornet offense had 13 hits. Caitlin Reilly was a perfect 2 for 2 with a walk and one run batted in. Hanson and Julia Howse both had huge days at the dish as each player went 3 for 4 with four RBI’s.
Kristen Galvin went 2 for 2 and walked twice to reach base all four times up.
“The middle of our lineup (Howse, Gerber and Hanson) all came through,” said Greene.
It was another rout last Friday afternoon as the Hornets blanked host Hamilton-Wenham 19-0 in five-innings.
“They are short on numbers and had to get players from Manchester-Essex to fill out their roster,” explained Greene.
North Reading scored five times in the first and eight more times in the top of the second.
The offense had 11 hits as Adriana Vittozzi went 2 for 3 with a two-run homer and a walk. Gerber also had a two-run homer while Galvin went 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBI.
“We were able to get everybody into that game,” recalled Greene as his daughter, head coach Michelle Morales, got the bench players a lot of playing time.
Hanson went five innings allowing one hit, no walks and she fanned five.
It was a different type of game on May 19 as the Hornets edged host Newburyport 5-4.
“It was a heck of a game,” stated Greene. “Those are the types of games we really enjoy.”
Reilly was the hero in this one as her sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth scored courtesy runner Keely Hannon with the final run of the day.
Both schools scored three runs in the first inning and one run in the second.
North Reading had 13 hits led by Gerber who was a perfect 4 for 4 with one run scored. Howse was 2 for 4 with two RBI’s while Hanson was also 2 for 4 with one RBI.
Hanson pitched all seven innings allowing two earned runs. She gave up six hits, one walk and fanned three Clipper hitters.
On May 28, the Hornets go to Georgetown with that game starting at 4:15 p.m.
