OUT AT THE PLATE. Hornet senior Bryanne Riley is out at the plate on a close play in the second inning of last week’s win over Pentucket. (Bob Turosz Photo)
By BOB TUROSZ
NORTH READING – The varsity girls’ softball team won their fifth game in a row with a 13–0 pummeling of Georgetown High School on Monday. The girls improved their record to 5–1 and traveled to Rockport to take on the Vikings Wednesday afternoon, after deadline.
The Hornets put runs on the board in every inning but the fifth against the Royals, amassing 16 hits along the way. Kendra Butner was the winning pitcher. Home runs were hit by Butner, Monica Ferrazzani, Jill Trischitta and Tara Driver. Butner also had three RBI. Trischitta and Julia Perrone had two RBI and Ferrazzani and Driver had one each. On the bases, the Hornets had five stolen bases, including two by Ferrazzani and one each by Sophia Warren, Carly Swartz and Lily Malloy.
On Saturday, the girls edged Central Catholic, 3–2, in a low scoring game at the Little School Field. Julia Perrone pitched seven innings and was the winning pitcher, giving up only four hits and striking out one. North Reading led 3–2 at the end of the third inning and Perrone, a sophomore, stymied the Raiders the rest of the way.
Saturday’s low scoring win over Central Catholic was in stark contrast to Friday’s pummeling of Masconomet, a 14-0 rout of the Chieftains on their home field, played in blustery, cold conditions more appropriate for football in November. The game was ended after five innings under the mercy rule, with the score 13-0 in favor of the Hornets, who dominated in pitching, hitting and defense.
North Reading led 6-0 at the end of the second inning and never looked back, scoring multiple runs in every inning but the fourth.
Senior Kendra Butner pitched all five innings for North Reading and proved to be a puzzle the Chieftains could not solve.
The Masco starting pitcher was injured in the top of the fifth inning and had to come out of the game. That inning was pretty typical of the way Hornet bats dominated in Topsfield. Taylor Connor led off with a double and went to third on a wild pitch. She scored on a single by Sophia Warren. Monica Ferrazzani hit into a fielder’s choice that forced Warren at second base but a single by Kelsey DeMild put Hornet runners at the corners. Julia Perrone hit into a fielder’s choice scoring Ferrazzani. Butner helped her own cause with a single, putting runners at second and third.
Masco’s starting pitcher was injured on a hard grounder by Cassidy Gaeta and forced to leave the game. Her replacement was greeted by Bryanne Riley, who whacked the first pitch into right field, scoring two runs. North Reading scored five runs in the frame, putting Masco in a 13-0 hole before they came up in the bottom of the fifth, where Butner retired the side on two strikeouts and a ground ball to first sandwiched around a double.
Hornets 9, Pentucket 3
On Wednesday, the Hornets also let their bats do the talking as they beat Pentucket, 9-3 at the Little School field. Butner started the game for North Reading and Julia Perrone came on to pitch in the fifth. Cassidy Gaeta hit two home runs and Tara Driver also homered. Riley was called out in a close play at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning.
