Burlington Softball Holds on to Win North Crown

With two outs in the top of the seventh and her team clinging to a one-run lead with the tying run on third base, Burlington High School softball coach yelled from the dugout to her team, asking how tough they are.

Her team's actions spoke louder than its words, and the answer was obvious.

The Red Devils nearly lost a 6-1 lead, allowing one run in the sixth and three in the seventh before bouncing back to record the final out against Tewksbury to earn the North Division 2 championship.

"I asked them how tough they are. They proved that they are very tough," said Mahoney. "I think last year's team would have folded in that situation. But this year we're really strong mentally, so that helps."

Thanks to the victory, Burlington advanced to the Division 2 state title game. The locals will face off against Bishop Stang on Wednesday at 6 p.m. on the diamond of Lowell's Martin Field. The winner will play on Saturday in Worcester with a state championship on the line.

Mahoney praised pitcher Kelly McCarthy for escaping the seventh inning jam, but added she would have liked Monday's game to have ended a little smoother.

"I would rather it not be that interesting at the end of the game," said Mahoney. "But I'm very happy we won."

To relive all the drama from Monday's game, be sure to check out Patch's live blog from the championship tilt.