Tewksbury 12U Softball Team Puts Cap On Outstanding Season

The TGSL Redmen12U Travel Team finished their season with a strong second place finish in the 21st Annual Tewksbury Girls Softball End of the Year Tournament.

The Redmen started the tournament with a 6-5 win over the New England Firebirds.  The Redmen held an early 2-1 lead in this game but a sloppy fourth inning gave the Firebirds a 5-2 lead going into the top of the seventh.

With 2 on Erica Whynot cracked a 2-run triple making the score 5-4 with 2 out.  Kirsten Dick drew a walk and on the first pitch to Colleen MacNeil, Dick stole second and Whynot scored the tying run on the play with Dick moving to third.  MacNeil then delivered an RBI single to left giving the Redmen a 6-5 lead.

The Chugger, Adrianna Favreau, chugged her way to the win by mowing down the Firebirds in the bottom of the 7th to preserve the Redmen win.  Nicole Petherbridge also gunned down a Firebird runner to help anchor the Redmen defense.

Saturday morning brought the the Maine Frozen Ropes Thunder to town.  The Maine powerhouse was shut down by the Redmen 8-1. Marina Russo and Lauren Barletta paced the Redmen offense.  Russo with key run scoring bunt and Barletta with a line drive hit.  Adrianna Favreau picked up the win in the circle.  The third game of the round robin portion of the tournament saw the Redmen take on the Hudson Valley Express from New York. The Redmen derailed the express with strong defense from Marissa Doherty, Christina Noyes and Catherine Butler.  Nora Butler helped pace the Redmen offense giving them a 3-0 record and the second seed of the tournament headed into Sunday's single elimination.

Sunday, the Redmen picked up right where they left off.  The first game saw the Redmen dismantling the Firebirds 11-5.  Redmen Sluggers Nora Butler and Erica Whynot again pounded hits out for the Redmen.  Lauren Barletta continued to hit the ball hard, Marina Russo turned a bunt int a triple and Marissa Doherty ran wild on the base-paths all helping the Redmen to move on to the Semi-finals.

Waiting for the Redmen in the Finals were the Dracut Dominators.  The Redmen rode the defensive play of Kirsten Dick, Christina Noyes and Catherine Butler.  The Redmen showed how to play softball with great base running in building a 2-0 lead. The Dominators scrapped their way back into the game tying the score 2-2 ofter the regulation 7 innings.

Headed to the 8th inning using the International Tie Breaker the Dominators had 1 out and a runner on third when Kirsten Dick made the defensive play of the game.  On a 1 hopper to her at third she faked the throw to third and fired a strike to catcher Nicole Petherbridge and tagged out the would be go ahead run.  It did not take the Redmen long in the bottom of the 8th to take care of business.  With Nicole Petherbridge  starting on second, she took third on a passed ball.  Nora Butler then hit a fly ball to right scoring Petherbridge giving the Redmen a 3-2 win.

Adrianna Favreau showed why they call her the Chugger in picking up her 5th win of the tournament. It was off to the finals.  The finals did not fare to well for the Redmen as they lost to the number 1 seed New England Storm.  The Redmen show their class and pride even in defeat.  It did not take long for the girls to realize the just had one heck of a weekend.  All the players from the Redmen reside in Tewksbury.  They were the only team in the tournament this weekend to have all of their players from one town.  All of the other teams were made up of players from town from all over demonstrating true Redmen Pride.

 This tournament wrapped up a summer of six tournaments all over New England in which the Redmen amassed an amazing 22-10-1 record for a winning percentage of .681, better than any major league baseball team. The team had 2 third place finished and 2 second place finishes.  The girls and coaches are looking forward to moving to the 14U level next season. Training for that begins in just 2 short weeks.