(Amesbury) Liv DeLong didn’t know until the game was over.
“One of the umpires said it would have been a perfect game without the walks,” said Liv.
Liv DeLong had a no-hitter, with eleven strikeouts, leading Amesbury (4-0) past Newburyport, 9-0, on Wednesday afternoon.
“She shut us down and there was nothing we could do about it,” said Newburyport coach Bob Gillespie post-game.
Amesbury was in contact mode against the Clippers’ starter Emily Meleedy. They whacked thirteen hits, getting at least one in every inning.
“We knew that (Emily) Meleedy is good, so we wanted to attack at the plate,” said AHS coach Jacqui Waters afterwards. “We talked yesterday about going after the first strike.” Amesbury never walked once.
Amesbury hit the ball hard and it was a credit to the Newburyport defense that they kept this one from entering the mercy-rule zone.
3B Sophie Lavallee saved two runs snaring a line drive in the second inning. RF Matigan Richmond made a nice running catch to start the Amesbury third inning. Shortstop Emma Keefe kept numerous red-hot grounders in the infield and also made a good running catch in back of second base.
All these good plays lessened Amesbury’s run production and extended the game the full seven innings.
Amesbury turned three hits into four runs in the first inning. Two Newburyport infield errors prolonged the inning. Ella Bezanson, Liv DeLong, and Olivia Levasseur had the first-inning RBI’s.
Ella Bezanson had a solo homer over the centerfield fence in the Amesbury fourth.
“The pitch was right down the middle, and I saw it well,” said Ella afterwards.
Newburyport picked up their first baserunner (walk to Emily Meleedy) after Liv had retired eleven straight, striking out six of them.
Sophomore Grace Habib had a leadoff walk in the fifth inning.
“I gave up two walks, but that happens,” said Liv. “Neither one of them got past first base.”
The closest Newburyport came to getting a hit was on a grounder to short by leadoff batter Nieve Morrissey. Nieve is a fast runner and shortstop Olivia Levasseur’s throw to first just barely beat her.
The Clippers were unable to get the ball out of the infield. 2B Cali Catarius had four assists.
“They were up there to hit,” said Liv. “My movement pitches were working especially my curveball.”
“Liv takes things in stride and is so easy to coach,” said Coach Waters. “I don’t think she knew it was a no-hitter until the end. We didn’t tell her. I think it was her 4th no-hitter.”
Liv is committed to play softball at Boston University next year. “I’m not sure if it’s for pitching or hitting but if I’m being honest, it is probably hitting.”
Liv had three singles against Newburyport today. I asked her about the two strikeouts she had against the slow-pitching, eighth grader from Georgetown recently. “Getting the timing down is difficult. Slow pitching brings out all the flaws in my swing. There’s no time for that against fast pitching. We do better as a team against fast pitching.”
Ella Bezanson, Lexi LeBlanc, and Lauren Celia each had two hits for Amesbury.
The Clippers (1-4) have three games next week. “We’re looking to bounce back,” said Coach Gillespie.
So far, Amesbury has scored forty-three runs and given up only one (Peabody).
Amesbury has now defeated Newburyport three straight times.
Coach Gillespie took an Amesbury run off the books by appealing that a runner had left early tagging up.
Liv DeLong: “Winning the basketball championship was bitter sweet because I knew that I wouldn’t be playing basketball again but I was excited to win a championship. There was only one day between basketball and softball. I now want to get a softball championship.”
Wonderful weather for April 13th.
Newburyport 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 = 0
Amesbury 4 0 0 2 1 2 = 9
(The pictures will enlarge.)
McClelland Miscellanea 