Cashing in at the right opportunity, the Newton Lions (18B) softball team bounced back from a three-run deficit to defeat the Chelmsford Blue Crush, 6-4, during MiddleEssex League action Thursday night at Newton South High School.
“Some of these games, they get their big inning, we get our big inning,” said Newton coach John Riley. “I just told the girls we won the big-inning battle 4-3. Then we got two more runs late by just applying the pressure. We tried to play hard the whole game.”
With the victory, the Lions improve to 7-3. The Blue Crush, meanwhile, fall to 6-3 on the season.
“They fought hard,” Chelmsford coach Dave Melanson said about his team. “They kept at it, you know what I mean. They’re a good team and they stayed with it.”
The Lions produced their “big inning” in the bottom of the third trailing by three runs.
With one out, Emily Rizzo walked. She was followed by consecutive singles from Jen Kaplan and Joy Yang to load the bases. But then Blue Crush pitcher Sarah Booth forced a pop out leaving the Lions’ scoring chance precarious.
But it was no problem as Izzi Carter stepped to plate and ripped a double to right field clearing the bases. Meryl Hayes drove her home with another double, and Newton led 4-3.
Chelmsford threatened to score the next three innings, but each time the Newton pitcher was able to extricate the team from the jam--none more dramatic than the double play in the sixth inning.
Rizzo fielded a bunt, threw out the runner at first, and the ball was relayed home where Booth was tagged out, which prevented the tying run from scoring and ended the inning.
“I thought the double play was great,” said Riley. “Kids, late in the game, easy to let down; they didn’t do it. They made the play.”
Newton added two more insurance runs in the sixth, which would prove crucial as Chelmsford filled the bases with runners in the seventh. Booth singled in a run, but Rizzo managed to induce a ground ball to end the contest.
