Published in the June 8, 2017 edition
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
The North Reading High softball team was upset by guest Swampscott, 7-5, in ten innings in the first round of the Division 2 North state tournament last Saturday. It is the second year in a row the Big Blue knocked off the Hornets in the playoffs.
The Hornets trailed, 2-0, but then scored three unanswered runs to lead by one. The Big Blue then plated two runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead but the Hornets tied it in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
Both teams then scored once in the ninth to make it 5-5.
In the top of the tenth, Sydney Cresta had a two-run triple to left field to give the visitors the lead for good with two outs.
Hannah Leary was the winning pitcher going all ten frames. She gave up five runs, and eight hits. At bat she reached base four times and had two RBI.
Swampscott scored twice in the second inning and the Hornets tied it up in the bottom of the fourth taking advantage of three Big Blue errors. Guiliana Peppe and Cassidy Gaeta scored the two Hornet runs.
The Hornets took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth on Cassandra Pascucci’s double that plated Jessica Ferrazzani.
Leahy and Kasey Kennedy both scored in the top of the seventh.
The Hornets tied it in the bottom of the inning.
Ashley Marston scored in the top of the night but Courtney Luker tied the game in the bottom of the ninth scoring the Hornets fifth run.
With the loss, the top-seeded Hornets ended the year at 18-3. Meanwhile, the 16th-seeded Big Blue improved to 13-9 and they played at Wilmington on Wednesday night in the quarterfinal round (results not available at press time).
