Westwood Softball Advances to Playoffs

The Westwood Softball team advanced to the Tri-Valley League playoffs with an 8-4 win over division-rival Medway on Wednesday. The big win came on Senior Day, and fittingly enough, Senior Leigha Valentine led the way with three RBI and missing the cycle by only a home run.

The game also came on Westwood Youth Softball Day, with concessions being sold and youths having their faces painted. With temperatures in the 70s and not a cloud in the sky, it was hard to ask for better day for a ball game.

E.B. Messineo went seven strong innings for the Wolverines, striking out four and giving up four runs scattered throughout the game. This was more than enough to win thanks to the nice offensive outburst by Westwood early and late in the game.

Messineo got into some trouble early in the first inning, giving up two straight bloop hits putting runners on second and third. She battled back to get three straight outs to get out of the jam unscathed.

In the bottom of the first, Westwood got on top early with two hits to start the game by Rachel Masotta and Liz Loftus. After Messineo grounded out hard to third, saving a run from scoring, Valentine smoked a hard double to center field scoring both base runners. Keira Travers doubled again right after, but couldn’t get Valentine home. Both runners were left stranded, but they had the early 2-0 lead.

But not for long, because Medway put together two runs using the bottom of their order. Two runs were scored that inning, with one on a close play at home thrown by Valentine and the other coming on a 6-3 ground out that brought a run home to tie the game 2-2.

In the bottom of the second, Westwood fired right back with two more runs. Messineo walked with the bases loaded to take the lead. Right after, Valentine hit an RBI single to make it a 4-2 game.

Medway inched closer in the third inning, manufacturing another run due to errors and a wild pitch to make the game 4-3. In the fourth inning, Medway tied up the game when Messineo gave up an RBI double to center.

In the bottom of the fourth, Westwood took the lead on when Massota scored on a passed ball. The Wolverines never looked back from there, adding another two runs in the fifth inning and another in the sixth inning to make it an 8-4 ballgame.

In dramatic fashion, Messineo got through the heart of the order and ended the game with a strike out. The girls charged onto the field and hugged and cheered in the excitement of their playoff berth.

The win brought the Wolverines to 10-9, and everyone was excited especially after a disastrous 2-18 season last year.

“It’s amazing,” said Valentine who went 3-4 a double, triple and three RBIs. “We are all in a little bit of disbelief especially with this compared to going 2-18. It’s surprising. It’s amazing. I love my team.”

Head Coach Jonas Sherr was proud of his team and noted that they have worked so hard from the end of last season until now. He said that the team is full of good people, and they try to make good things happen to good people.

“I am incredibly proud,” said Sherr. “This is a really great thing for all of them.”

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