C-C Softball Takes Advantage of Opportunities to Oust Woburn

Concord-Carlisle High School’s softball team did as any squad contending for a sectional title would: The Patriots took advantage of mistakes made by Woburn High School and made the Tanners pay.

Already leading by three runs in the MIAA North Division 1 First Round contest, the No. 4 Patriots put the game out of reach with two runs in the sixth inning off miscues by No. 13 Woburn. C-C went on to win 6-1 on Thursday afternoon at the high school.

“We got some timely hits,” Patriots coach Lisa McGloin said after the victory. “We have a strong team hitting, and it’s hard when you got a whole bunch of kids hitting the ball pretty well to decide where who’s hitting where.”

McGloin’s squad advances to the Quarterfinal round to take on the winner of No. 5 Central Catholic of Lawrence and No. 12 Newton North high School. Those two also met Thursday.

C-C was in control for much of the game against the Tanners, but a victory was all but assured with its two runs in the sixth inning that would make up the five-run final.

Woburn sophomore pitcher Amanda Pappalardo lost the strike zone a bit to start the inning, placing Concord-Carlisle’s Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, junior Abby Bruins and freshman Alli Colleran, respectively, on base with back-to-back walks.

“Abby Bruins and Alli Colleran took some nice pitches and had a real selective pitch zone, which is good,” McGloin said.

It didn’t help things for Woburn that its defense got a bit sloppy as well.

With Colleran at the plate, a wild pitch advanced Bruins to second base. After Colleran worked her walk, both runners advanced on a passed ball that got by Woburn’s freshman catcher, Courtney Davis. Bruins would later score on a sacrifice fly by senior Monica Diercks and Colleran crossed the plate on another passed ball.

Knowing the talent of the Patriots and their playoff experience (C-C advanced to the D-1 state semis last year), Woburn coach Courtney Sigsbury said you can’t give such teams extra outs and opportunities.

“I think they’re one of those teams that this time of year you can’t give teams more than three outs and we clearly did that,” Sigsbury said. “(Concord-Carlisle) is a team where, you open the door, they’re clearly going to barge right through. We made uncharacteristic defensive mistakes, they took advantage and made us play.”

Woburn came out in the top of the seventh with two straight flyouts, an infield single by junior designated player Heather Bushmich and a strikeout by senior first baseman Jen Booker to end the game. Bushmich’s base hit was just Woburn’s second in the final three innings off C-C starting pitcher Galen Kerr.

The sophomore was on, surrendering just five total hits to go with nine strikeouts and no walks. The lone run Kerr gave up was unearned and scored in the third inning when C-C senior first baseman Shannon Laughlin couldn’t handle a throw from second on Woburn junior Jacqueline Reynolds’ grounder to second base.

Pappalardo, who reached with a bunt single, scored from second base on the play.

Despite the defensive miscue, McGloin said the Patriots played very good defense overall. Their play in the field was highlighted by a nice sliding catch by senior right fielder Brianna Rohan in the fifth inning.

McGloin credited C-C’s improved defense to the help of ex-Patriots Georgia Guttadaro and Maya Allen, both of whom attended practices this week.

“I think it was special in that we were working hard on defense,” McGloin said. “We made some nice plays. The outfield did a fabulous job with some of the plays they made.

“It was great how the defense played behind Galen Kerr. I think it let her throw a lot more relaxed, which is nice to see because Woburn is a very strong hitting team.”

There wasn’t too much special about how Concord-Carlisle scored its first four runs, but style points are of little value in the postseason. All the Patriots are looking for is old-fashioned executive.

They got on the board first with two runs in the second inning. Bruins drove in both Laughlin and sophomore Maddie Creighton, who served as a courtesy runner for Kerr after she reached on a fielder’s choice, with a double to deep left field.

Two more runs, one of which was unearned, were added in the third inning.

Diercks singled and, with Rohan at the plate, advanced to second when the catcher Davis’ snap throw to first sailed into right field. Diercks then advanced to third on a wild pitch and ultimately scored when senior Gayle Miner reached on an error by Woburn third baseman Taylor Pacheco.

C-C manufactured its second run of the inning when freshman catcher Angela DeBruzzi reached on a fielder’s choice and her courtesy runner, sophomore Sarah Bagley, later scored on a single by Kerr.