Beat Goes On For TMHS Softball Team

Considering the fact that Tewksbury High is one of the speediest athletes in the entire school, you'd expect to see TMHS softball coach Leo "Doc" DiRocco batting Liggiero at the top of the order, not in the No. 5 spot.

But you don't win nine league championships in a 10-year span without learning a thing or two, and DiRocco knows that there's more to Liggiero than a swift pair of legs.

"We've always had her batting in the number one or two spot, but this year I told her that (fifth) is the ideal spot for her, because she's a complete hitter," DiRocco said. "So far, it's worked out pretty good for us."

On Thursday, Liggiero cracked a clutch, bases-loaded, two-out single in the bottom of the sixth inning to bring home two runs and give Tewksbury its fourth straight victory, 3-1 over Andover.

Liggiero had two of the team's five hits and also scored Tewksbury's first run of the game, as the Redmen improved their record to 5-1 overall, 3-1 in the Merrimack Valley Conference.

had another strong pitching performance, facing only 26 batters in earning her fifth win of the season. Benvenuto scattered four hits, struck out seven and walked only two. Andover's lone run, which came in the third inning, was unearned.

"Kayla had another good game," DiRocco said. "She's not walking many people and that's the key for her. We made a few errors behind her today, but we bailed her out when it counted."

Notably, senior left fielder Ally Greene came up with a defensive gem that squashed an Andover rally in the fourth inning.  With runners on second and third and two outs, Greene sprinted to the foul line to make a sliding catch to end the inning.

"It was the defensive play of the year," DiRocco said. "She (Greene) saved us a couple of runs with that catch."

Tewksbury came back to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth when Liggiero doubled, moved to third on an error and scored on an infield out.

In the sixth, Greene walked, and freshman second baseman Brooke Hardy bunted her way on base. Sophomore shortstop Tiffany Marsh also beat out a bunt, loading the bases for Liggiero, who made DiRocco look like a genius for batting her fifth.

The win completed a 3-0 school vacation week run for the Redmen, who beat Triton on Monday and Billerica on Wednesday.

"We're absolutely thrilled," DiRocco said of the team's vacation week sweep. "To be 5-1 and gaining confidence is great."

DiRocco will find out just how fast his young team is developing on Monday when the Redmen go to Chelmsford to face the undefeated (7-0) Lions.

"Chelmsford is tough. They run and bunt and steal and everything else," DiRocco said. "Right now, they're in the driver's seat. We'll know how good we are after we see them."