Tag Archives: Cassie Davis

June 4, 2011 · 10:47 pm

Newburyport Rallies Over Arlington 6-5 in D2 North Softball With 3-Run Seventh

Sam Wahlgren get congrats from JV teammate Casey Barlow at game’s end after Sam delivered a key hit in the final inning.

Taylor Summit heads home with the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh.

(Newburyport) Plenty of excitement at Cashman Park on Saturday afternoon as Newburyport defeated Arlington, 6-5, in the first round of Division 2 North softball.

There were five lead changes and the Clippers (17-4) entered their last at-bats trailing, 5-3, after the Spy Ponders (there is a pond in Arlington called Spy Pond!) had grabbed the lead with three runs in the top of the 7th.

Lea Tomasz led the final inning with a single to right.  She reached second on a fielder’s choice and third on a passed ball.  Rachel Webster earned a 2-strike walk on a pitch that went past the Arlington catcher.  Lea scored Newburyport’s 4th run on that wild pitch.  Kendra Dow reached on a fielder’s choice but the Clippers were down to their last out.  The Clippers, in fact, got down to their last strike with their next batter (Taylor Summit) before she singled to center sending Kendra to 3B with two outs.

Still with two outs, junior varsity call-up Sam Wahlgren drilled a shot to left easily scoring Kendra from third with the tying run.  The other runner on the bases, (Taylor Summit) was off from first on contact with two outs and looked content to pull up at third on Sam’s hit but when Arlington botched the relay Taylor flew home with the game winner and scored standing up.

Kaleigh Tomaszewski reaches third on Courtney Sacca’s double in the second inning.

This was a game with plenty of hitting (each team had ten hits) and plenty of opportunities to score (runners were stranded by both teams in every inning).

Arlington (12-9) picked up three runs in the top of the seventh on five hits.  A key piece of strategy was when NHS coach Peter Murray’s opted to walk the very dangerous Courtney Sacca (two doubles) to load the bases with two outs.  Pitcher Beth Castantini got the next batter (Kayleen McLaughlin) to pop to second to limit Arlington to three runs and a 2-run (5-3) advantage.

Another piece of strategy that also worked was Coach Murray’s willingness to use the sophomore from the JV’s (Sam Wahlgren) in the last two innings.  She delivered hits in both innings and had plenty to do with extending Newburyport’s season into Monday when they will travel to play #4 seed Reading (18-3) in the D2 North quarter finals.  The MIAA site currently has game-time listed at 3:45 AM!  I suspect that time will be changed.

Kayleen McLaughlin out at home in the second.

Cassie Davis out at home in the first.

Sophomore leadoff batter Kaitlyn Morse led Arlington hitters with three singles.  She also scored a run.  Courtney Sacca had two doubles and also scored a run.

For Newburyport, Lea Tomasz, Taylor Summit, and Sam Wahlgren had two hit’s apiece.  Each of them had a key hit in the crucial seventh inning.  Lea ended up scoring three times while Taylor reached home twice including the seventh inning game winner.

Newburyport opened the scoring in the first as Cassie Davis’ triple to left drove in Maddy Stanton who had singled.  Later in the same inning Cassie was thrown out at the plate attempting to score in a delayed fashion after Kendra Dow had bunted.

Leah Tomasz – two hits and scored three runs

Arlington jumped into the lead in the second inning with two runs, one of them unearned.  Kaleigh Tomaszewski walked, went to third on Courtney Sacca’s double and scored on Kayleen McLaughlin’s single.  Courtney came around to score when Taylor Summit dropped a throw covering first.

Newburyport tied the score with a single run in the 4th.  Taylor Summit singled to center, reached second on a passed ball, and scored on Eleni Kacher’s single on the ground into right field.

The Clippers pulled ahead (3-2) in the fifth inning with another single run.  Lea Tomasz reached on an infield single and advanced to third on two ground outs.  Kendra Dow hit a ground single to left to score Lea.

The Ponders collected five hits in a bat-around top of the seventh.  Natalie Tarantino (double), Michelle Reilly (single), and Kaleigh Tomaszewski (single) had the RBI for Arlington.  Three runs were scored and the visitors left the bases loaded.  Those runs, and the 2-run lead they gave Arlington, looked to be enough but weren’t as Newburyport rallied in the bottom of the seventh.

Eleni Kacher steals second base in the 4th inning.

Kayleen McLaughlin was thrown out at the plate to end the second inning.

The weather was fabulous – sunny with a light breeze.  Certainly not what we’ve been used to over the past two months!

Both pitchers (Beth Castantini and Erica County) pitched complete games.

Newburyport AD John Daileanes delivered timely rosters for the good-sized crowd on hand.  Some potential spectators were probably watching the NHS baseball team in action about the same time at the high school.

That roster was especially helpful for identifying Sam Wahlgren.

#1 seed Amesbury lost today to Marblehead.  I wasn’t totally surprised by that because I had seen Marblehead defeat Triton on Thursday.  The Magicians didn’t use their top pitcher versus Triton so she was available for Amesbury.

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures.  Inaccuracies can result for which I apologize for in advance.)

Leadoff batter Kaitlyn Morse (reaching third) paced Arlington with three hits.

Natalie Tarantino – a hit, an RBI, and a run scored

Shortstop Kendra Dow catches a popup to end the sixth inning.

Courtney Sacca smiles after fourth inning double.

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May 24, 2011 · 9:15 pm

Newburyport Downs Ipswich 7-0 to Win 14th

Taylor Summit, Beth Castantini, and Kendra Dow are all smiles after Win #14.

(Newburyport) The Newburyport Clippers (14-3) are on a big-time roll.

On the last regular-season home game, the Clippers defeated Ipswich, 7-0, on surprisingly warm (for spring 2011) Tuesday afternoon at Cashman Park.

The red-hot Clippers have won eleven of their last twelve games and now get to play Amesbury (Wednesday at Amesbury) and sort out which of them is the best team in Division 2 in the Cape Ann League.  Amesbury won the first meeting, 10-9, at Cashman Park.

The loss eliminated Ipswich (7-11) from any chance of making the post-season.  In this one the Tigers did themselves in early in the field and didn’t have the hitting against Beth Castantini (four hitter with eight K’s) to recover as the innings went by.

Liz Glavin – Tiger slugger was intentionally walked twice.

A key piece of strategy kept Tiger Liz Glavin (CAL’s most dangerous hitter?) from hurting the Clippers.  In the first and third innings Newburyport intentionally walked Liz even though there already were runners on.  The batters after Liz (Sam Wideberg and Rachel Glaubitz) couldn’t deliver.

In the fifth,  the Tigers had runners on first and second when it was Liz’s turn.  Newburyport, with a 5-0 lead, opted not to walk her.  This strategy also worked as Liz hit a hard grounder to third that Maddy Stanton fielded and stepped on third to retire the side.

Liz will be continuing her softball at Wentworth Institute in 2012.

The opportunistic Clippers took full advantage of some low-light film defense by the Tigers in the first.  Newburyport gathered four runs on just two hits (Maddy Stanton & Ashley Casellini).  Ipswich committed three errors and had two wild pitches.  It wasn’t pretty stuff if you watching from the Ipswich sidelines.

Pitcher Katie Gaubitz (allowed five hits in five innings) fielded a one-hopper hit by second batter Lea Tomasz and went for the force-out at second.  Good idea except neither second baseman Becca Dunlop nor shortstop Carolyn Lynch covered second.  Katie’s throw went into centerfield.

Before the inning ended, catcher Liz Glavin had a bad throw to second and Carolyn Lynch had bobbled a grounder.

Ashley Casellini drove in the only earned run of the first with a single to center.

Newburyport added a single run in the second as Cassie Davis tripled (to center) to drive in Maddy Stanton.

In the fifth, Cassie Davis put herself into a rundown past first and Lea Tomasz (who had singled) slipped home from third for Newburyport’s sixth run.

Lea Tomasz’s single in the sixth inning drove in Rachel Webster with the Clippers’ seventh, and final, run.

Lea Tomasz starts the play in which she will throw Rachel Glaubitz out at 3B in the sixth inning.

Ipswich killed a developing big inning in the 6th when Clipper left fielder Lea Tomasz threw out Rachel Glaubitz at third on a Carolyn Lynch single.

There were balloons attached to the Newburyport bench for their six seniors: Cassie Davis, Taylor Summit, Shannon Brunault, Rachel Webster, Eleni Kacher, and Corrie Benton.

Jill Lombard recorded the Tigers first hit (infield grounder) with two out in the 5th.

Lea Tomasz had two hits, scored two runs, and had an RBI to pace Newburyport’s hitters.

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  Any mistakes are unintentional.)

senior Corrie Benton

senior Eleni Kacher

senior Rachel Webster

senior Taylor Summit

senior Cassie Davis

senior Shannon Brunault

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May 23, 2011 · 8:00 pm

Newburyport Softball Defeats Masconomet 7-3 for Thirteenth Win

Centerfielder Eleni Kacher relaxes after catching the final out in Newburyport’s win over Masco.

Molly Rowe – retired eleven of the last twelve batters in a complete game win.

(Newburyport)  The Newburyport softball team defeated Masconomet, 7-3, on Monday afternoon at overcast Cashman Park in Cape Ann League action.

Newburyport (13-3) continues to roll along.  They’ve won ten of their last eleven games.  Masconomet (4-12) continues to roll along as well but unfortunately for them it is in the opposite direction – they’ve lost eight of their last nine games.

The Clippers stacked up five runs in the second inning to recover from a 1-0 deficit and that was enough as Molly Rowe limited the Chieftains to four hits over the last five innings.

Molly had five strikeouts and retired eleven of the last twelve batters she faced.

Newburyport was hitless in their first inning but erupted for twelve hits off of Masco pitcher Molli Marshall the rest of the way.  Other than the five-spot in the second, the Clippers had solo runs in the third and fourth.

Masco picked up two runs in the 4th and then their bats were nearly silent the rest of the way.

Kendra Dow – Clipper shortstop had three hits and scored two runs.

Kendra Dow led the Newburyport attack with three hits while scoring two runs.  Cassie Davis, Shannon Brunault, and Rachel Webster each had two hits.

Julia O’Reilly and Kiki Brown collected half of Masco’s eight hits between them.

Julia’s first hit in the top of the first was a well-placed bunt that attracted the attention of pitcher Molly Rowe and first baseman Rachel Webster.  Unfortunately, for Newburyport, no one was covering first and it turned into a hit.  Two hits later the Chieftains had a run (RBI by Molli Marshall) and runners on second and third with one out.  However, Molly Rowe K’d Taylor Evans and handled Lissa Rescigno’s grounder to get out of the jam.

In the Newburyport second, the Clippers mixed five hits together with a throwing error by third baseman Julia O’Reilly.  Newburyport batted around in the five-run outburst.  Shannon Brunault, Rachel Webster, Maddy Stanton, and Lea Tomasz had RBI.

The Clippers picked up their 6th run in Inning #3. Kendra Dow singled, went to second on a wild pitch, and to third on Taylor Summit’s single.  She came home on shortstop Taylor Evans’ throwing error.

Julia O’Reilly – two hits and RBI

Kiki Brown – two hits and run scored

Masco tallied two runs in the fourth inning.  A walk (Lissa Rescigno), a hit (Kiki Brown), and a sacrifice bunt (Courtney Gotts) put runners on second and third with one out.  Third baseman Maddy Stanton decided to go home with Samantha Martin’s grounder and was too late to get Lissa Rescigno.  Julia O’Reilly’s single to left brought Kiki Brown home with the second run.  Still threatening with runners on second and third, Molly retired the next two hitters to limit the Masco damage.

Newburyport got a gift run in the bottom of the fourth.  Cassie Davis singled, went to second on a passed ball, and reached home on third baseman Julia O’Reilly’s 2-base throwing error.

NHS coach Peter Murray was heavily into landscaping the Cashman Park field when I arrived early.  He made the usual puddles disappear.

What can you say about the weather!  The good news during this game was that there was no wind and it didn’t actually rain.  Bringing an umbrella to a game this season has been almost as important as trying to guess which of the three home fields the Clippers will be playing on.

Molli Marshall – Masco pitcher

Molli Marshall was just about the most relaxed pitcher I’ve seen.  She was carrying on conversations even while she was pitching!

After a missed popup by her third baseman Julia O’Reilly, who was wearing a mask, Molli said, “Take off the mask and let them see the dye job!”  Comedy Central material!

Clipper shortstop Kendra Dow continues to impress with her strong, accurate throws.  I learned that she grew up throwing a baseball rather than a softball.

I’m still looking forward to Wednesday’s game at Amesbury between the Indians (16-1) and the Clippers (13-3).  The Indians were beaten by North Reading on Saturday.  The Clippers lost, 10-9, in their earlier non-league meeting with Amesbury.

Both teams have qualified for the post-season.  At stake could well be a share of the CAL Division 2 title.

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures.  Mistakes happen.)

Shannon Brunault heads for third

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May 11, 2011 · 9:11 pm

Julianne Meehan K’s Thirteen in 3-1 Pentucket Win Over Newburyport

Bernadette Corrado stretches for the throw beating Cassie Davis for the final out as Julianne Meehan (#12) watches.

Julianne Meehan – thirteen strikouts/ two hits/1 run scored/1 RBI

(Newburyport) Pentucket scored three runs in the first and they held up as the Sachems defeated Newburyport, 3-1, in Cape Ann League softball on Wednesday afternoon at Cashman Park.

Weather conditions were challenging with a steady gale blowing in from right field under a cloudy sky.  I thought I saw whitecaps on the Merrimac River in the distance!

Julianne Meehan struck out thirteen batters after she had those three runs to work with in the top of the first.

The Sachem runs were the result of two Clipper errors.  Taylor Summit’s bobble on a grounder allowed Colleen Jenkins to reach safely and she was driven home on Julianne Meehan’s double to left.  Beth Castantini had the next batter (Megan Haley) struck out but catcher Cassie Davis dropped the ball and then threw it into right field scoring Julianne with the second run.  Bernadette Corrado long triple to left scored Megan with Pentucket’s third and final run.

Megan Haley rounds third heading home as Bernadette Corrado runs out an RBI triple in the background.

Those runs didn’t seem like that many early on but as Julianne flashed the K pitch it became difficult for the Clippers to string hits together.  In fact, they didn’t get their first hit until Shannon Brunault’s infield one in the 5th.

The Clippers (8-3) didn’t lack base runners through five innings.  They stranded eight.  The key for Julianne was her ability to strike out Kendra Dow.  She did it in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th.  Each time for the last out of the inning with runners aboard.  Kendra ended up stranding seven runners.

The Clippers broke through for an unearned run in the sixth inning.  Molly Rowe, who had replaced Beth Castantini in the fifth, hit a sinking liner to right that got by right fielder Julia Torvi and Molly reached third.  Taylor Summit’s single to center drove in the run.

Molly Rowe reaches third in the sixth inning.

Newburyport didn’t get another hit or base runner over the final inning and 2/3.

Pentucket (7-5) has now won two straight.

CF Eleni Kacher and SS Kendra Dow had a near collision in the sixth chasing a pop fly.

Sarah Dickinson made several strong throws from short for Pentucket.

Pentucket stranded runners in every inning.

Julianna allowed just four hits.

Pentucket had seven hits including two infield hits by Kaci Dumas.

( I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  Mistakes sometimes happen.)

Eleni Kacher and Kendra Dow converge on a pop up. They did collide but Eleni held onto the ball and neither player was injured.

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April 27, 2011 · 8:29 pm

Newburyport Takes Triton 2-1 in Softball

Cori Simons slides in under Cassie Davis while Molly Rowe backs up the play.

(Newburyport)  I hoped to take in/write about the Newburyport/Triton softball game this afternoon but was misguided by the online edition of the Newburyport Daily News to Byfield rather than Cashman Park.

Beth Castantini catches the final out for Newburyport

I did end up seeing almost all of the game and watched Newburyport (4-2) prevail, 2-1, in a Cape Ann League contest on Wednesday afternoon that was undecided until Beth Castantini, playing first, latched onto a last-out popup in the top of the 7th.

Beth at first base was a bit of a novelty by her account.  “I haven’t played there since, like, seventh grade,” I overheard her say during between-innings practice after she had taken over first.  She did fine there.  She handled a low throw from Maddie Stanton (3B) and later took in the final out.

Before that final out, the Vikings (2-5) had runners on second and third and were in excellent position to tie or even go ahead, but it didn’t happen.

Molly Rowe (six strikeouts) was the complete-game winner for the Clippers.  Marion Dullea (eight strikeouts) went the distance for Triton.

Rachel Webster heads for third after a long triple to center. Her pinch runner (Molly Sullivan) would later score what turned out to be the winning run with Eleni Kacher getting the RBI.

A long triple by Rachel Webster set up Newburyport’s winning run in the 4th.

Cori Simons scored Triton’s only run in the 6th.

(I take my own pictures and collect my own stats……as best I can.)

Taylor Summit takes the throw as Cori Simons slides into 2B

Everyone wanted to play!

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