Arlington Upsets Top Seed

The Arlington Catholic softball team, behind a complete game from sophomore pitcher Jaime Riccardi, knocked-off top-seeded Newburyport Saturday in the quarter finals of the North Division 2 tournament.

The No. 8 seed Cougars (16-6) stunned Newburyport (16-4) at its home field with a 5-1 win that only took 90 minutes.

"It was a really good game for us," Cougar skipper Joel Burke said from the field. "We knew that they were a talented team, but I think already having one game under our belts was a big advantage."

Newburyport had a bye in the first round. Arlington Catholic beat No. 9 seed Tewksbury 1-0 at home.

The Cougars advance to play the winner of Tuesday's game, No. 12 North Reading at No. 4 Wilmington, in the semi-finals.

Riccardi, of Tewksbury, allowed the sole opposing run in the fourth inning off consecutive doubles with no outs. She had three strikeouts, no walks and gave up seven hits in the win.

"She seems to get better as games go on," Burke said. "She's not going to get a lot of strikeouts, but she's going to make the other team put the ball in play."

Arlington Catholic had 13 hits in the game, including three by sophomore right fielder Sara D'Arcangelo.

In the second inning, D'Arcangelo batted-in third baseman Melissa Donahue, who had an RBI single earlier in the inning, and Riccardi on a double to make it 3-0 Cougars.

In the fourth inning, D'Arcangelo made a spectacular diving catch in right field and then doubled off the runner at third base, who wrongfully assumed the ball would drop for a bloop single, to end the inning.

Arlington Catholic got one more in the third inning off an RBI single from catcher Allison Noyes, two hits, to take a 4-0 lead.

After Newburyport scored in the fourth inning, first baseman Brianna Siciliano had an RBI double in the top of the sixth, knocking home shortstop Emalee Watkins, who doubled to lead-off the inning.

Riccardi squelched any drama with a perfect sixth inning and a quick seventh inning, where she only allowed one hit.