4-run first helps Amesbury defeat Boston Latin Academy 7-1 in D3 North Q’finals

(Amesbury MA) Boston Latin Academy made mistakes in the first inning, fell behind, and never recovered losing 7-1 to Amesbury on Wednesday afternoon.

The Indians (19-3) get St. Mary’s tomorrow in the Division Three semi-finals at Lowell’s Martin Field.

Freshman Alana Delisle continues to impress everyone including her coach Jacqui Waters: “Alana was on top of her game.”

Alana walked only one batter and struck out ten.

No strikeout was bigger than the one she got versus Sophie D’Amico to end the sixth with the bases jammed with Dragons.

“She (Alana) was great,” said catcher Avery Hallinan.  “Her pitches have a lot of movement.”

The Indians put four runs on the board in the first inning.

“Every once in a while, we play young,” explained BLA coach Rocco Zizza.  “That is what happened in the first inning.  We gave them five outs.”

Amesbury had runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with one out.  Instead of conceding the run and getting the second out, shortstop Ellie Etemad-Gilbertson chose to go home with the grounder hit her way.  The throw was late.  The runner (Liv DeLong) scored and no out was gotten.

The bases were soon loaded, and Avery Hallinan walked to force in the second run.

An infield error allowed the third run (Julia Campbell) to score.

Meg McElaney’s sacrifice fly brought Alan Delisle home for the 4^th AHS run.

The early 4-run cushion was important.  “It was awesome to get that early lead,” said Alana.

“We were more relaxed after the first,” added Avery.

In the second inning, Liv DeLong singled, stole second and came home on freshman Olivia Levasseur’s double.

Senior Michaela Russell put the Dragons on the board in the third inning.  The Trinity (CT) commit singled and stole second.  As Michaela tried to steal third, the throw from catcher Avery Hallinan to 3B Olivia Levasseur went past third bringing Michaela across.

But that was all the scoring that the team from the Boston City League would do.

An infield throwing error in the 5^th inning, and a drop in right by Brenna Emma allowed Julia Campbell to tally Amesbury’s sixth run.

The Dragons (17-7) had their chance in the sixth inning to put a dent in the Indians’ 6-1 lead.  They loaded the bases (singles by Carleigh Schievink, Caroline Conroy, and Brenna Emma) with two outs.  But Alana Delisle got Sophie D’Amico swinging, registering her ninth strikeout.

“We started getting our bats on the ball after the first few innings,” said Coach Zizza.

Amesbury added their final run in the sixth.  Meg McElaney tripled down the left field line and came home on junior Lauren Hale’s sacrifice fly.

Coach Zizza: “Credit Amesbury.  There are a good team and they beat us.  Those four runs in the first inning changed things.”

Coach Waters: “Alana is unusual.  She doesn’t get nervous before the game.  I hope she stays like that for the next four years.”

The sun was tough in right field.

Both teams’ centerfielders (Julie Campbell & Sophie Rutstein) made terrific catches.

Boston Latin Academy was fifteen minutes late and the game started at 4:30 instead of 3:45. Trying to imagine what the traffic might be like going back to Boston after the game since the Red Sox had a 4PM start and the Bruins an 8PM start.

BLA has won the Boston City League championship fourteen straight years.

The Dragons were 12-10 last season but 23-3 the year before.

Amesbury gets a rematch with St. Mary’s.  The Indians defeated the Spartans last season at Martin Field after a string of losses to the team from Lynn.

Michaela Russell and Caroline Conroy each had two hits for Boston Latin Academy.

Leadoff batter Liv DeLong paced Amesbury with three hits and also scored twice.

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)