Portsmouth Softball Wins Over Prout

WAKEFIELD – The Prout School may have made their share of comebacks earlier in the season, but on Thursday afternoon it was a different story.

The Crusaders could not provide an answer to Portsmouth starter Kelly Beck’s complete game in a 5-4 loss. 

Prout (9-4 Division II-South, 10-4 overall) fell behind 3-0 in the first inning on an error that scored two runs, and a sacrifice fly to center field. Although it may have seemed the game was beginning to get out of hand, Portsmouth head coach Tom Galib never takes these situations lightly.

“Three to nothing isn’t comfortable against Prout, or anybody else for that matter,” Galib said.

After that rocky first inning, Crusader starter Kimberly Rameika settled down for the rest of her five-inning outing, allowing only four base runners after the opening frame and striking out four.

Beck found herself in a jam in the fourth. Leading 3-1 and with Crusaders on second and third base, she threw a wild pitch that rolled around the backstop and allowed Sarah Duxbury to score and Riley Martin to advance to third.

On the next pitch, Victoria Jedson grounded sharply to Beck. Beck turned to first to get the sure out, but she didn’t see Martin making a dash for home. The throw to home from first base was late and Prout had tied the game at 3-3.

However, Beck did not let the two runs get to her – she struck out the next batter to end the inning. She finished the afternoon with four strikeouts.

Portsmouth (9-5 Division II-South, 9-6 overall) helped out Beck in the fifth inning with back-to-back hits. Alison Hamilton hit a single to right and Noelle Robinson smacked a triple to deep left that scored Hamilton all the way from first. Amy Hamilton’s sacrifice fly would score Robinson and secure Portsmouth’s lead for good.

“The good thing about them [Portsmouth] is that they don’t quit,” Galib said. “They don’t hang their heads when the game gets tied or they fall behind.”

Prout’s bats came to life in the seventh, with a pair of doubles, and all of the Crusaders’ outs were on fly balls to the outfield. It wasn’t enough though, as the Portsmouth defense sharpened for the win.

“You can’t be bummed out,” Prout head coach Mark Paliotti said. “Coming back and everything like that, putting ourselves in a situation to almost tie it.”

With the season coming to a close soon, both coaches stress the remaining games are crucial for their teams. Prout has three games left on their schedule before the postseason begins.

“I told them from now on we’ve got to treat every game like a playoff game,” Paliotti said.

Portsmouth finished its road portion of the regular season and will return home for their final two games.

“We’ve got two games left and we’ve got to go out and play our best in those also,” Galib said.

Prout’s next game is Monday at South Kingstown (5-8 Division II-South, 5-8 overall) and Portsmouth plays Tuesday at home against Rogers (1-11 Division II-South, 1-12 overall).

Game Notes

• There was a 22-minute delay before the game due to soggy infield conditions.
• The two teams combined for 11 hits. Alycia Marsello was the only player with multiple hits for the Crusaders (2-for-3). Alison Hamilton (2-for-4) and Morgan Williams (2-for-3) had multiple base hits for the Patriots.