Coach Diane Parisi | McClelland Miscellanea

Hannah Lorden scores on a Triton passed ball

Kristen Turner pitched a four-hit shutout

(Byfield) Memo to the rest of the Cape Ann League softball teams: Rockport is good….very good.

Undefeated Rockport (8-0) shut out Triton, 9-0, on a windy Friday afternoon in Cape Ann League action at Triton.

(Since both teams are the Vikings, I’ll limit my use of the name.)

Senior Kristen Turner allowed Triton (2-6) only four singles and walked no one earning the win.

Triton’s lone threat was in the sixth. They loaded the bases on two singles (Mara Spears & Cori Simons) and an error (Kendra Adams) with no outs. However, a force at home, a popup, and an infield grounder ended the one and only potentially big inning for Triton.

Triton’s starter (Cori Simons) didn’t fare as well when Rockport loaded the bases against her in the first inning with no outs. Passed balls brought in two runs (Hannah Lorden & Mollie Watson) and a fielder’s choice RBI by Kendra Adams scored Gabby Muniz with Rockport’s third tally.

Mara Spears reaches third

That was more than enough runs for Rockport as Kristen locked down Triton with only two singles through the first five innings.

Rockport had runners on in every inning and it was a credit to pitcher Cori Simons and her teammates that they recovered from the first inning (three runs) and held Rockport scoreless over the next three innings.

Rockport collected their fourth run in the fifth inning. Kendra Adams reached on an error (Kylie Gilroy), went to third on a Kayla Parisi single, and scored on a passed ball.

A walk (Hannah Lorden), an RBI double (Mollie Watson), and an RBI triple (Gabby Muniz) and Rockport had two more runs in the sixth. A passed ball allowed Gabby to score Rockport’s seventh run.

Two more runs were added in the seventh. After two outs, Hannah Lorden walked, went to second on a passed ball, and scored on Lily Anderson’s (first baseman) drop. Gabby Muniz (single) drove in Mollie Watson with the final run.

Hannah Lorden – three runs, two hits, three walks

The top three in the Rockport batting order were extremely productive. Leadoff hitter Hannah Lorden was 2-for-2 plus three walks and three runs scored. Mollie Watson was 2-for-5 including a double, scored three runs, and had an RBI. Gabby Muniz was 2-for-4 including a triple, scored two runs, and had two RBI. These three girls are all sophomores! Last year Gabby was Player-of-the-Year in CAL D3 while Mollie was a CAL All-Star.

Kayla Parisi had two hits for Rockport and Cori Simons had two for Triton.

Rockport went 9-11 last season and lost in the first round of the state tournament. I can’t guess how they’ll do in the 2012 state tournament but I am quite certain, from what I saw today, that they will be a high seed in the tourney.

Triton pitching (Cori Simons & Mara Spears) gave up six walks and nine hits. The mix of base runners and passed balls was not a good one for Triton.

Rockport’s next game is home against Masco on Monday afternoon. Masco lost its first game today versus Lynnfield.

Third baseman Casey Ross fields a grounder.

Triton travels to Georgetown on Monday.

It is easy to pick the Triton fans from others. On a sunny afternoon with temperatures in the 50s elsewhere, they show up wearing what could pass as winter gear – warm hats, gloves, etc.. And as they know from experience, by the time the game ended that gear made perfect sense.

Kristen Turner has pitched four years for Rockport. Coach Diane Parisi told me that her freshman daughter (Kayla) can pitch.

Triton coach Jim Hounam sent up three pinch hitters in the bottom of the seventh and Kristen struck out all of them. She had six K’s for the game.

According to the Gloucester Times, Rockport’s 7-0 start was the best ever for the softball program. That was topped today with an 8-0 start.

(The pictures above and below enlarge significantly if you click on them.)