Mustangs Perfect Against Silver Lake

The Norwood girls' softball team has a nice problem this post-season, shown as the Mustangs batted up, down and around against Silver Lake on Monday night at Balch Field for the 10-0 playoff win.

Their problem is which ace to throw against their Division 1 South Sectional opponents.

Monday night Ali Maloof got the start before Lauren Duggan came in and slammed the door on Silver Lake, to advance the Mustangs to Tuesday afternoon’s 5:00 p.m. match-up against New Bedford at Taunton High School.

“Ali pitched a great game,” said Norwood’s head coach Carol Savino. “Ali had an advantage, she plays summer ball with a lot of those kids, so she knew what their weaknesses were.”

Maloof held the Silver Lake team hitless for five innings and struck out nine, before surrendering the circle to Duggan who pitched a perfect sixth and seventh inning for the combined perfect game against Silver Lake.

At the plate, the top of the order was hitting on all cylinders as the Mustangs jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one inning.

Maloof led off with a walk followed by a Sarah Eckhardt single to set the stage for Makenna Lane who swatted a triple to left-center - scoring both runners.

The Mustangs weren’t done there. Duggan came up and lofted a two-run home run to center, which she finished with a perfect slide home to avoid the tag for the fourth Mustang run. Freshman Emily Kelly added a triple in the next at-bat and she scored on a Jess Gorman ground ball for the 5th Mustang run.

Silver Lake never had a chance to regroup - from then on the Mustangs played mistake free softball and cruised to the 10-0 final.

“The younger kids and everybody pulled through tonight," said Savino.

The Mustangs finished with eleven hits, and six of those hits went for extra bases.

“I get wrapped up in one thing,” said Savino. "And that’s my offense.”

But the emphasis for Savino is to teach, and try to get her young team to understand that this game is about everybody.

Savino praised her shortstop Lane after the game for her willingness to give up an at-bat so senior Katie Trask could get some post-season experience and appreciate her last night in front of the home crowd.

“Makenna gets it,” said Savino. "I am still trying to teach these kids.”

“They are dying to get to the South Sectional Finals to get to King Phillip,” added Savino, "but you know what you got to do is get by New Bedford first.”

The Mustangs will face New Bedford Tuesday at 5:00 p.m., and coming off the combined perfect game for Norwood's pitching, Savino is still adamant that the girls remember the basics.

“This is a team game, this is not about Maloof and it’s not about Duggan,” Savino said.