Messenio Tosses Gem, Lifts Westwood Over Millis

Westwood High School freshman EB Messenio threw what was arguable the best game of her career Tuesday afternoon as she led her Wolverines (8-8) past Millis at home, 5-1. Messenio struck out 13 while allowing a lone infield single in the second inning and didn’t allow a Mohawk to reach base after that.

“She was on fire and we couldn’t catch up to her,” said Millis head coach Jeff Kearney.

After giving up an unearned run in the second inning following consecutive past balls, Messenio turned it up a notch and sat the Millis lineup down one by one despite the reoccurring rain showers.  

“After that second inning, she was hitting all her spots,” said Westwood head coach Jonas Sherr. “Even the balls that we wanted to be balls were where they were supposed to be.”

Messenio didn’t allow a ball out of the infield after the third inning and her fielders needed to make just five outs behind her the entire game.

What was more incredible, however, was the fact that the day before, she threw 160 pitches in an extra-inning victory in Medfield.

“She’s an impressive athlete, whether she’s a freshman or a senior,” said Sherr. “To throw 160 pitches in nine innings and come back the next day in the rain and the cold and give up one hit and strike out 13 is impressive, but she’s been impressive the entire season.”

An extremely modest Messenio talked after the game about her performance and explained why she was truly satisfied with it.

“I’m really happy that we won and are that much closer to the state tournament. Our captains Leigha (Valentine) and Rachel (Masotta) have just been awesome all season and they really deserve to go to the tournament this year.”

Valentine belted her team-leading sixth home run in the third inning and scored in the sixth, and Masotta scored twice as well for Westwood.

Millis starter Katlyn Nicholson contained the Wolverine offense early, with her only hit allowed through the first four innings being the Valentine home run. Westwood led 3-1 in the sixth when Valentine stepped up to the plate with Masotta on first.

Neither Nicholson nor Kearney wanted any part of her after previously going 2-3 so the decision to intentionally walk her was made. Keira Travers then stepped up to the plate and made the Mohawks pay as she drove them both in with a single past the second basemen.

“It’s a great example of how we are a complete team,” said Sherr. “It’s a difficult lineup to just pitch around one kid because there are other kids who are going to come up and do some damage and it was nice to see Keira step up and do that.”

Messenio went on to finish her business in the top of the seventh in what was the most fitting way possible, striking out the final two batters.

She will get her fourth consecutive start Wednesday in Norton while Liz Loftus continues to recover from an injury. Loftus hopes to return to action sometime next week.

Messenio's final line for the game is as follows: 7 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 0 earned runs, 13 strikeouts. 

The Wolverines are now 8-8 on the season and must win two of their next four games in order to make the state tournament.