Guiliana Peppe | McClelland Miscellanea

Grace McGonagle tagged out at home by Tara Driver after a great throw from RF Guiliana Peppe.

Winning pitcher Cassie Pascucci struck out seven Vikings

(Byfield MA) Not so fast, Triton!

North Reading was the opponent today riding an undefeated season and a win in April against Triton.

The Hornets (16-0) re-asserted themselves as the best team in the Cape Ann League defeating the Vikings, 5-2, on a sunny Monday afternoon. Triton had won twelve straight games.

Using Mascores as my source, I figured out that NR has now won fifty straight CAL softball games. Last loss? May 18,2015 (5-4) to Pentucket.

North Reading defeated Triton 6-2 earlier this season and catcher Tara Driver launched three homers in that one.

This time around Triton was not going to let that happen. In all four at-bats, Tara was intentionally walked.

Tara Driver was intentionally walked four times. She will play at D1 Niagara next year.

But we learned today that there’s more to the success of the Hornets than Tara Driver (commit to D1 Niagara).

“We took advantage of the little things,” explained Coach Michelle Morales. “Cassandra did a great job pitching. She got the outs when she needed them, and she pitched around their bigger hitters.”

Triton coach Dave Dupere narrowed the loss to timely hitting, “They got a couple of timely hits and we didn’t.”

The Vikings (15-2) picked up single runs in the last two innings but stranded eight baserunners in the first five innings.

The visitors took the lead in the third inning when junior Cassie Pascucci doubled in Jess Ferrazzani from second.

The home team looked to have the equalizer in their half of the 3rd but a terrific throw by RF Guiliana Peppe nailed Grace McGonagle at the plate.

This game got away from Triton in the NR fourth inning. The Hornets put together three runs and I wish that there was instant replay of that inning so that I could be sure that I have what happened right! North Reading loaded the bases (singles Julia Howse & Abby Paine, walk Christina Simblaris) with no one out. Then the “what happened” part kicked in. Shortstop Bridget Sheehan fielded a grounder and tagged out a runner. No run scored, and the bases stayed loaded.

2B Emily Karvielis then made a wild throw to first scoring two runs. The play wasn’t over, however. Jess Ferrazzani got into a rundown between third and home and scored. The play still isn’t over. Courtney Luker also got into a rundown between third and home and pitcher Katherine Quigley tagged her out at third.

Shortstop Bridget Sheehan in the middle of a 4-6-3 double play

“I told my assistant coach that it was one of those wacky plays that can happen in girls’ softball,” said Coach Dupere. “It was weird and unfortunate for us.”

Triton broke into that 4-0 deficit with a run in the sixth inning. It was another inning that instant replay would have been appreciated.

Colleen McCarthy and Liv Doane started the inning with hits. Dani West moved them up with a fielder’s choice. Eve Paicos hit a grounder to SS Julia Howse. Julia tagged the runner near her and threw widly home, allowing Colleen to score. Catcher Tara Driver found the bad throw and picked Eve Paicos off first base. The potential for more than one run was wasted.

NR padded their lead to 5-1 in the top of the seventh. Pinchrunner Elinor DeCleene was driven home by freshman Julie Howse. This was the only time that intentionally walking Tara Driver hurt the Vikings.

Fay Paicos turns for home in the 7th inning

Another wasted big-inning chance in the Triton 7^th. The Vikings had a run in on CF Abby Paine’s drop of Zoe Cesati’s deep fly to center with only one out. But Cassie Pascucci K’d Bridget Sheehan looking and got Emily Karvielis to ground out to end the threat and the game.

The Vikings had only two runs in their first meeting with NR. Both Triton runs today were unearned.

Wasted chances for Triton not only involved hitting but also baserunning.

Coach Dupere: “That team (North Reading) is undefeated for a reason. They’re a good team but we only lost 5-2. I would love to play them one more time because I think that we could beat them. I am proud of our girls. From where they were three years ago to now, I couldn’t be happier.”

Coach Morales: “Tara (Driver) has been walked a lot. In the past Tara has swung at bad pitches but I told her today to take the walks. I told her to look south for a college to play for because of the warm weather.”

No strikes for Tara Driver today

Tara Driver: “I’m not bothered that they walk me. It shows respect. Sometimes it’s frustrating when we’re not hitting, and they won’t pitch to me.”

Carisa Boyle ready to run

Tara on winning pitcher Cassie Pascucci: “She is very consistent. Her changeup was good today and she threw a lot of curves.”

Bridget Sheehan: “North Reading is a good team. They outplayed us today.”

The Vikings have a game left with struggling Hamilton-Wenham. NR has four non-league games to play.

Both Triton and the Hornets are in Division Two so Coach Dupere’s wish to face them again could come true. The Vikings have set themselves up for at least one home game in the postseason.

The weather was wonderful. There may have been a few sunburns handed out!

(All of the pictures will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Liv Doane finds a popup

Coach Michelle Morales sends Jess Ferrazzani home

Cassie Pascucci doubled in the first NR run

North Reading outfield – Abby Paine, Guiliana Peppe, Jess Ferrazzani

Zoe Cesati eyes a pitch from Cassie Pascucci

Abby Paine attempts a bunt

Triton support along the fence

Colleen McCarthy slides home safely as Tara Driver chases a bad throw

Cassie Pascucci

Zoe Cesati reached base four times

North Reading pitcher Julia Perrone tossed a 4-hit, 7K, gem against Amesbury

Sophomore Tara Driver smiles her way around the bases after hitting a 3-run homer in the sixth inning

(North Reading MA) This was a surprise.

North Reading (5-1) dominated Amesbury to the tune of 7-0 with terrific pitching (Julia Perrone) and nonstop hitting on Monday afternoon in Cape Ann League action.

This was the first loss for the Indians (5-1). The shutout was a real surprise since Amesbury had rattled five opponents with forty-five runs before running into NR junior Julia Perrone.

The Hornets’ righty allowed only four singles and struck out seven Indians. Julia ended the 2^nd and 3^rd innings with K’s after the visitors had runners in scoring position in each of them.

It was easy to miss the Hornets excellent pitching with all the hitting they did. The word “squibber” would not describe any of those hits. NR hit the fence on a line, hit one over the fence (Tara Driver), and had four doubles.

The only starter without a hit was leadoff batter Carly Swartz but Carly’s terrific defense at second more than made up for her not getting a hit.

Senior Lily Malloy drove in NR’s first two runs with a single in the second and a double to center in the third.

It was a very busy afternoon in the Amesbury outfield

North Reading would get two more runs in the fifth inning on sophomore Guiliana Peppe’s two-out, bases-loaded double to left field.

The Hornets carried that 4-0 lead into the sixth. After two quick outs, Abby Paine singled. 3B Emily Robinson handled the grounder of next batter Julia Perrone okay but looked first to second and then threw wildly to first allowing Julia to reach and extend the inning. That was unfortunate for Amesbury because next batter Tara Driver lofted a high fly to right that cleared the fence for a 3-run homer.

Pitcher Julia Perrone throws to first as teammate Cassidy looks on

This was Tara’s fifth home run of the season.

Starter Julia Perrone now has 46 strikeouts over 37 innings.

Amesbury starter Hayley Catania had three strikeouts but as the thirteen hits would indicate was not missing many bats on this afternoon.

With both teams in Division 2 you can almost be certain that to get where they want to get in the post-season they have a good chance of meeting again.

The Indians had defeated North Reading three straight years by one run each time. I was expecting a close game but NR on this afternoon would have none of that.

Cassandra Pascucci was one of four Hornets with two hits

Julia Perrone, Cassidy Gaetta, Cassandra Pascucci, and Guiliana Peppe each had two hits for North Reading.

Lauren Fedorchak, Hayley Catania, Adrienne Harris, and Chloe Kramer singled for Amesbury.

Next game for North Reading is on the road Wednesday versus Ipwich.

Amesbury’s next game is hosting Masco on Friday.

Danny Ventura of the Boston Herald was in the house.

A wild throw to first by 3B Tara Driver found my ankle. That comes with the territory when you try to get action shots and have the reflexes of a sidewalk.

North Reading box

Amesbury box

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)