Sports
Reading Eliminates TMHS Softball Team, 9-6
Despite Sherri Liggiero's 4-for-4 effort, Tewksbury High's post-season run ends in a North Sectional semifinal loss.
It was the end of the road for the Tewksbury High girls softball team as a five-run fourth-inning explosion sparked Reading High to a 9-6 victory over the Redmen in the Division 2 North Sectional semi-finals Wednesday evening at Lowell's Martin Field.
The loss eliminates Tewksbury from the MIAA state tournament, and wraps up a successful, 16-6 season for coach Leo "Doc" DiRocco's diamond girls.
"We put up a good fight," DiRocco said. "But we gave them a few too many extra baserunners with walks and hit batsmen, and they took advantage of it. Reading is a good team, but we were right there with them."
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Tewksbury jumped out to a 2-0 second inning lead and added two more runs in the third to make it 4-0, before Reading got two runs back in the bottom of the third. The game-breaker, though, was a bases-loaded triple by Reading third baseman Morgan Fallon that ignited a five-run Rocket rally in the bottom of the fourth. Reading took a 7-4 lead into the fifth, and Tewksbury never recovered.
"That was the momentum-changer," DiRocco said. "But we didn't quit. We came back and we gambled and we tried to make some things happen, but it didn't work out for us."
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was the biggest bright spot for Tewksbury, going four-for-four at the plate with three singles and a home run. Liggiero, who had gone three-for-three against Marblehead and one-for-two (with two walks) against Wilmington, ended up hitting .888 in the three state tournament games.
"She was something else," DiRocco said of Liggiero. "If it was up to her, we'd still be playing. I can't ever remember a kid hitting that good in the state tournament before."
The highlight of Liggiero's day was an inside the park home run to lead off the Tewksbury seventh. Liggiero roped a line drive down the left field line and rounded the bases while the Reading outfield chased the ball down. She scored four of Tewksbury's six runs in the game.
"She's got all the tools," DiRocco said. "She can hit, she can run, she can field. She'll be our next big player to end up playing somewhere good in college."
Liggiero's efforts, however, weren't enough, as Reading reliever Sammy Gabriella bent but didn't break in the seventh inning. The Redmen had the tying run at the plate when Gabriella coaxed the final out on a harmless ground ball.
"We made it interesting," DiRocco said. "We left it all on the field. That's what I feel good about."
went the distance on the Tewksbury mound and added two hits and a run scored to her own cause. Sophomore right fielder Missy Cordwell also had two hits and junior third baseman Katie Doherty looped a two-run double in the Tewksbury third.
DiRocco sung the praises of his two graduating starters, Benvenuto and , after the game.
"Kayla came up from the junior varsity to become our starting pitcher this year and she ended up winning 15 games. You don't hear of that very often," DiRocco said. "And Greenie was our spark plug all year long. I really credit them for getting us to where we got to this year. They just did one heck of a job coming out and leading a very young team."
That young team returns seven starters in 2012, the thought of which had DiRocco looking forward to next spring before the team bus even departed.
"With the experience that these young kids got this year, and knowing that they can do it now, we're gonna challenge again next year," DiRocco said.
