Westwood Softball Loses 6-5 in Playoffs

It was a good run for the Westwood High School softball team, but on Monday the group lost to Hanover 6-5 and, were eliminated from the playoffs.

After four innings, Hanover was up 4-0. The team scored two runs in the second, which were both unearned. The fourth run came in on an obstruction call after an RBI single with runners on second and third. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Westwood rallied back and scored two runs on a two-RBI single by Rachel Masotta that scored Kristina Barounis, who had singled, and Molly O'Brien, who had doubled. 

Hanover came back with another run in the fifth inning to make it a 5-2 ballgame.  The team had a second runner that inning thrown out at the plate to end the inning on a pitch, which moved past catcher Emileigh Rau, who made a great toss to EB Messineo for the out.

In the top of the sixth, Westwood fought back again, scoring three runs to tie the game at 5-5. Kristina Barounis hit a single to right field that scored Keira Travers, who doubled earlier. With the bases loaded, Rachel Masotta then hit a double that scored two runs.

However, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Hanover loaded the bases with two outs and scored on an infield error. Hanover then retired Westwood to end the game. 

Stars of the game for Westwood included Rachel Masotta, who was 3-4 with four RBI. Masotta ended the season 13 for her last 19 with nine runs scored and four RBI in her last five games.

Kristina Barounis was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. EB Messineo pitched six innings and allowed two earned runs, with eight hits and three strikeouts.

After a 2-18 season last year, the team in their final regular season game. Even after a close loss in the playoffs, Head Coach Jonas Sherr was pleased with the way his team has played.

"I'm extremely proud of what our team accomplished this season," said Sherr. "We went from 2-18 last year to winning in the tournament and competing with one of the better teams in the state.

"Our experience this year is only going to help us moving forward," he added. "We're losing three tremendous seniors who have turned this program around, but we have a lot to be excited about in the future. We're all disappointed about today but when they look back on this season, the girls are gonna have a lot to be proud of."