The Everett High softball team captured two games in fine fashion this past week, winning a pair of tight contests to finish its regular season at 13-7. Coach Stacy Poste and her squad now are awaiting the announcement of the MIAA seedings and opening round opponents in the state tourney that was supposed to have come yesterday (Tuesday) as the Independent was going to press.
A 3-2 win over Lynn English last Tuesday saw the Lady Crimson Tide battle back from a 2-0 deficit and then pull out the win in a tiebreaker in the eighth inning.
English scored solo markers in the first and third frames, but Everett evened the count with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. After Taylor Sweeney and Kristie Welch walked, Alea Martinelli attempted a sacrifice bunt, but popped it up. However, the English third baseman overthrew the ball to first and it was ruled a dead ball, allowing Sweeney to score and Welch to get to third. Welch then scored on a base hit by Tori Cyrus.
In the Everett eighth, the Lady Crimson Tide started with Welch on second. Martinelli reached first on a bunt and Samantha Rebelo singled to load the bases. Rachel Pierce came through with a base hit into the outfield for the walkoff victory.
Stephanie Chaves hurled the first three innings, allowing both English runs while fanning four, giving up four hits, and walking two. Michelle Zullo came on in the final five frames and pitched shutout softball the rest of the way, giving up just two hits.
Zullo and the Everett defense were at their best in the English eighth when English started the inning with a runner at second. A sacrifice bunt was fielded by Cyrus, who threw the ball to Sweeney to get the girl out and then Zullo fanned the next two batters.
“This was a huge win for us,” said Poste. “We had beaten them the first time and we knew we could do it again. We had so many runners on throughout the game, but we could not produce a run until the eighth inning.”
In a 4-2 win over former GBL rival Revere, Zullo went the distance, whiffing seven opposing hitters, allowing just three hits and two earned runs
The Lady Crimson Tide grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Welch reached on by an error, moved to second on a passed ball, then scored on a single by Cyrus.
Revere evened the count with a run in the third, but the Lady Crimson Tide erupted for three markers in the fifth to give Zullo all the runs she would need. Welch started off with a single,.followed by a bunt by Martinelli and then another single by Cyrus, loading the bases.
Pierce unloaded a two bagger, knocking in Welch and Martinelli, and Amanda Ray came through with a single, bringing in Cristian Faia, who was running as a courtesy runner for Pierce.
“This was another great win for us,” said Poste. “It was nice to win the last regular season game of the year as we head into the tourney.”
Four Lady Crimson Tide were honored with all star selections by the Greater Boston League coaches: Junior Michelle Zullo, pitcher; senior Samantha Rebelo at second base; junior Rachel Pierce at catcher; and sophomore Tori Cyrus at third base.