(Byfield) Triton’s good contact and Cardinal Spellman’s defensive struggles were key factors in the Vikings 16-4 win on Sunday afternoon.
#8 Triton (16-5) now advance in Division 3 to the Round of 16 and will have another home game on Tuesday (4PM).
“We had timely hitting today,” said Triton coach Alan Noyes afterwards, “which we haven’t had for a few games.”
The Vikings rapped out twelve hits in a game that ended in the bottom of the fifth inning after an RBI single by Maddy Jacques moved the spread to twelve runs.
“They hit the ball in play,” said Coach Mike Gerrish of Cardinal Spellman. “They made things happen.”
The #25 Lady Cards (11-13) were gifted to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. A dropped foul pop and an infield error extended Cardinal Spellman’s at-bats and they made the Vikings pay. Ava Loud had an RBI single in that inning.
Triton quickly answered taking advantage of three walks and a throwing error. Haleigh Harris had a two-run single, and Skylar Colburn (4-for-4) drove in another run in the Vikings four-run response.
What looked to be, at this point, a high-scoring game in the making did not go that way. Triton starter Emma Penniman settled in, and the Vikings defense was flawless the rest of the game.
Things didn’t go as well for the Lady Cards. The defensive struggles continued (seven errors over the next 3+ innings by my count) and Triton continued to get hits.
“They put pressure on us with the bats,” said Coach Gerrish. “We made mistakes at costly times.”
The Vikings added three in the second inning and blew things open in the fourth with seven more runs. In that fourth, Kyla Story had two hits and two RBI. Maddy Jacques also had two RBI and teammates Mallory Johnson and Haleigh Harris added one RBI each.
Cardinal Spellman kept the Mercy Rule from kicking in by getting two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Emma Barnes and Ava Loud had RBI for the team from Brockton.
Maddy Jacques’ (two hits & 3 RBI) drove Grace Romine in to give Triton the walkoff win in the fifth inning.
“Emma Penniman didn’t have her best stuff, but she battled,” said Coach Noyes.
Emma gave up three singles (Emma Barnes, Ava Loud, Casey DiMastico) and had five strikeouts in five innings of pitching.
“I was nervous going into this game because they (Cardinal Spellman) are a really good team,” said Emma afterwards.
“My fastball and my curve were working today,” she added.
Sophomore Skylar Colburn was the hits leader getting four including a double. She was the one wearing the Vikings headgear afterwards.
“I had a hit every time I batted,” Skylar said post-game. “I don’t know why. I just had a good day.”
Izzy Oldini and Kyla Story both scored three times.
Maddy Jacques, Mallory Johnson, and Haleigh Harris each had three RBI.
A line drive off Ava Loud’s thigh in the fourth inning necessitated a pitching change for Cardinal Spellman. Ava Nabstedt filled in the rest of the game.
The weather, in the low 70s, was as good as it gets.
Cardinal Spellman 2 0 0 0 2 = 4
Triton 4 3 0 7 2 – 16
McClelland Miscellanea 