Amanda Schell (Player-of-the-Year)
Emily Dow (Player-of-the-Year)
Carolyn Lynch
Shortstop Rachel Gallagher
Maddie Kelly
Carley Siemasko
Cassidy Gaeta
Jen Castro and Tarah Reilly
Tyler Feeney
Hannah Lorden
Jess Collins
Kylie Gilroy
(Jackie Whelan of Lynnfield also made the CAL 2014 All-League team.)
Filed under Amesbury, Cape Ann League, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Masconomet, Newburyport, North Reading, Pentucket, Rockport, Triton
Jordyn Murray about to score the winning run on a wild pitch
Tayla Murray slides across with the tying run in the 7th inning
(Topsfield MA) For 2 1/2 innings Masconomet looked like anything but a softball team on a twelve game winning streak.
The rest of the way? The Division 1 Chieftains (17-2) overcame a five-run deficit and overtook Division 2 North Reading, 7-6, with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on a sunny Wednesday afternoon.
The Hornets (14-5) carried a 6-5 lead into the top of the seventh inning and were in an excellent position to pad their lead as they loaded the bases with one out. But Masco’s complete game winner, Emily Dow, struck out Emma Santosuosso and got Bryanne Riley to fly out keeping NR off the scoreboard.
Masconomet celebration begins
Now Masco needed a run to tie and another run to win. They got both. Emily Dow hit a two-strike single on the ground up the middle. Tayla Murray ran for her. Jordyn doubled sending her sister to third with one out. Second baseman Carly Swartz opted to come home with Kylie Currier’s grounder but Tayla Murray slid home safely to tie the score. Her sister (Jordyn) reached third on the play. A fly to center wasn’t deep enough so Jordan held at third with two out. Jordyn did get home standing up on a Kendra Butner pitch in the dirt, that eluded NR catcher Sophia Warner, to give the Chieftains the win.
The victory gives Masco the Cape Ann League Kinney Division title.
Catcher Sophia Warner waits for the throw as Sarah Webster prepares to slide in with the first Masco run
I came away impressed with the Chieftains’ hitting. They collected thirteen hits and everyone in the lineup had at least one of those hits. Eight of the hits came in the final three innings.
Junior Sophia Warren was a perfect four-for-four. She also scored a run and had an RBI for North Reading.
Kendra Butner launched a no-doubter over the fence in left in the NR fourth.
The Hornets did get five runs in the first three innings but they also stranded five runners. Once the Masco bats came to life those stranded NR runners became very important.
Julianna Kostas paced Masco with two RBI. Maddie Kelly, Alex Mendelsohn, Emily Dow, and Kylie Currier had one RBI apiece.
North Reading captains Jen Castro and Tarah Reilly
Cassidy Gaetta, Tarah Reilly, Sophia Warren, and Kendra Butner had the RBI for North Reading.
Errors by shortstop Casey Maidment (fielding) and rightfielder Jordyn Murray (throwing) gave NR two unearned runs in the first inning.
The last Masco loss? 6-5 in nine innings at North Reading. The Hornets scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to send that April game into extra innings.
The other Masco loss? 4-1 to Newburyport in the season opener.
This was the fourth one-run loss for North Reading in the Cape Ann League. The other one-run winners? Amesbury, Lynnfield, and Pentucket
A young Masco fan was hit by a hot grounder. Two North Reading players were quick to bring ice packs. Somewhere they learned that there is more to life than softball.
Emily Dow
Emily Dow played the National Anthem with her trumpet.
A key to the Masco win was limiting 2013 CAL All-League Tarah Reilly to just one hit. As shortstop, Tarah made a sure-handed play to end the sixth inning preserving NR’s one-run lead.
Maddie Kelly (2013 CAL All-Star) had a double, triple and scored a run.
Weather? Perfect with plenty of sunshine.
(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)
Kendra Butner reaches home after a shot over the fence in left.
attempted steal
Tarah Reilly takes in a popup as baserunner Maddie Kelly ducks out of the way
Emma Santosuosso tries to bunt as first baseman Kylie Currier charges
Cassidy Gaeta
Kendra Butner
Maddie Kelly
Filed under Cape Ann League, Masconomet, North Reading
Lauren Singer, caught in a rundown, escaped and later scored as Coach Lori Solazzo looks on.
Victoria Allman gets congratulated by Kendra Dow after her third win of the season
(Newburyport) Last year these two teams met at Cashman Park in early April and there were thirty hits and Masconomet left with a 9-6 win in nine innings.
Not this time. The hits were scarce (eight) and the Clippers won, 4-1, in Cape Ann League action on a cold/bleak Thursday afternoon in Newburyport.
Newburyport (3-0) is off to a perfect start with Victoria Allman showing that she can handle the every-game pitching assignment.
Victoria gave up three singles and one unearned run.
This was the opener for Masconomet. They did have several scrimmages leading up to this game. The Chieftains were 17-3 last season under first-year Mike Gibeley. Mike was named coach-of-the-year for his terrific season.
Pitcher Rachel Shamon leaves the game with an injury.
Rachel Shamon (CAL D1 player-of-the-year) started for Masco but went out after 2 1/3 innings after getting a finger in the way of a ground ball. Emily Dow came on to pitch one-hit ball the rest of the way.
The Clippers picked up a run in the first, two in the second, and another in the fifth.
In the first, Lauren Singer doubled to right center and reached third after a liner by Meghan Stanton was dropped by Rachel Shamon (pitcher). Meghan took second uncontested. Kendra Dow then grounded back to Rachel. Rachel faked the throw to first then tried to get Lauren Singer off of third. She couldn’t and the bases were loaded with one out. Carley Siemasko worked Rachel for a walk and the Clippers led, 1-0.
Molly Stanton heads home with second Clipper run
In the second, Victoria Allman walked (Molly Stanton ran for her). Meghan Stanton lined a 2-out triple over the head of leftfielder (Sarah Webster) scoring her sister. Lea Tomasz singled to the right of second base driving in Meghan and giving Newburyport a 3-0 lead after two innings.
The Chieftains picked up their lone run in the fifth. Sammy Martin walked and Alex Mendelsohn reached on a single to deep short. Rachel Shamon’s grounder to third (Meghan Stanton) went through the sophomore’s legs allowing Sammy Martin to score an unearned run.
The Clippers got that run back in the bottom of the fifth. Kendra Dow doubled to right and reached third on Casey Barlow’s sacrifice grounder. Shelby O’Brien walked but on ball four the ball got away from catcher Alex Mendelsohn allowing Kendra Dow to slide in with the fourth Newburyport run.
Kendra Dow handled seven grounders flawlessly
Senior shortstop Kendra Dow had two hits, scored a hustle run, and handled seven grounders flawlessly.
Masco second baseman Erin Campbell made a terrific backhand stab of Vicki Allman’s liner to end the fifth inning.
Outfielders Lea Tomasz and Ashley Hodge collided in the fourth inning but Lea came away with the catch.
Sophomore Meghan Stanton had two hits, an RBI, and scored a run.
Sophomore Lauren Singer had three hits off pitcher Rachel Shamon last year.
The quickest feet were shown by Angus as he circled the field then raced back to obedience school for a lecture.
Masco and Newburyport will meet again on May 13th at Masco.
The Chieftains next game will be hosting Triton next Wednesday.
Newburyport will face an excellent North Reading team on the road next Wednesday.
(All of the pictures above and below enlarge considerably if you click on them.)
Erin Campbell congratulated after making a nice play at second
Sarah Rogers sights a fly in right
Angus shows speed
Julianna Kostas steals second as Kendra Dow awaits the throw
Meghan Stanton
Casey Barlow makes a catch
pitcher Emily Dow
Lauren Singer gets ready to catch
Filed under Masconomet, Newburyport
McClelland Miscellanea 
