Mustangs humble Everett in close decision

After pummeling non-league Boston Latin Academy, Tide softball loses to Medford to snap streak

  The Everett High School softball team (6-1 in the Greater Boston League, 7-1 overall) ventured out of its comfort zone last Friday to face a perennial formidable opponent at Glendale Park, but for the Crimson Tide fans it was the same dominating results. Before taking on non-league Boston Latin Academy, the Everett girls were 6-0 against their GBL counterparts, and all of those games were not even close – the latest was a 16-3 rout at Revere on April 19. The script remained the same in the non-league contest, with the Crimson Tide picking up another five-inning mercy rule triumph after beating the Dragons to the tune of 16-0.

  “Latin Academy always gives us great games,” said coach Stacy Schiavo. “Last year, we beat them, 7-3, but the second time around they beat us, 2-0. The girls were once again ready to play them this year.”

  “At practice, leading up to [Friday’s] game, we focused on hitting. The girls had to adjust to fast pitching, but the extra work paid immediate dividends by their swings in the game. The defense also continued to support [pitcher Kristi] Skane in the circle, while she also had another great game teaming up with her batterymate Kayley Rossi,” added Schiavo.

  Skane issued just one hit with no walks in five innings against the Dragons to account for her fourth shutout this spring. She ended up fanning six.

  The Tide scored one in the home half of the first inning. Emma Longmore started it off with a walk. Emilia Babcock then reached on a bunt and went to second as a result of an error, putting runners in scoring position for Rossi, who doubled home Longmore.

  The Tide broke the game wide open with 13 runs in the second. Ashley Seward led off with a triple. Arabella Cvitkusic then singled her home before Longmore drew another walk. With runners on first and second, Babcock blasted a three-run homerun. Skane drew a walk to keep the inning going. Rossi was then safe on first on a hit that bounced over the shortstop’s glove. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a passed ball before Gianna Masucci doubled home Skane. Rossi scored a short time later on a passed ball. Alexa Uga was then hit by a pitch to put two runners back on base for Seward, who belted the team’s second three-run round-tripper in the inning. Bryanna Mason and Longmore followed with solo shots. Babcock then singled before coming all the way home on a double by Skane to close out the offensive surge in the frame.

  The Tide was credited with their final runs of the game in the third. Masucci got it started after getting hit by a pitch. Uga followed with a walk before Seward came through with another three-run homer, this time to the left-centerfield gap.

Winning streak ends at seven against Medford

  Sometimes a regular season loss does a team good. It humbles them, while trying to figure out what went wrong, before they get into pivotal late season games and the postseason. The visiting Medford Mustangs upset the surging Tide on Monday, April 24, 7-5.

  “This loss was a tough one to take,” said Schiavo. “Their pitcher was a lefty, and was hitting the outside corner of the plate. Once we adjusted, we just hit the ball directly to their fielders.”

  “I know we are a much better team than we showed [against Medford]. Maybe this loss will be a learning experience, and the girls will only improve from it,” added the veteran Everett coach.

  Skane pitched all seven innings, allowing nine hits, two walks and six earned runs. She whiffed four.

  Longmore led off the home half of the opening stanza with a walk. Babcock then singled. After Skane hit a line drive to the shortstop, Rossi singled to load the bases. But Medford got out of the jam by recording the final two outs.

  “We needed to get these runs in, because it could have changed the outcome of the game,” said Schiavo. “We had two strong batters up, but could not produce the hits needed to get those runners home.”

  As fate would have it, the Mustangs scored the first run of the game when they came back up to the plate in the second. But the home team scored twice in the home half to take the lead. Mason singled with one out, followed by a triple from Cvitkusic to tie up the proceedings. Longmore then singled in the go-ahead run. Longmore then stole second before Babcock walked. After a successful double steal, the Tide once gain couldn’t bring them home, and in a close game, it ultimately proved costly.

  Again, the Mustangs took advantage of the Tide’s inability to deliver in the clutch when they were able to score three times in the third to regain the lead, 4-2. They added three more runs in the fifth.

  Everett got one back in the home half. Babcock singled to begin the rally. She then proceeded to steal second and third before coming home on a hit by Masucci.

  The Tide then threatened again in the seventh and final frame. Longmore started it off with a single, and, after a failed bunt try for a hit, came home on Skane’s two-run blast to account for the final 7-5 verdict in favor of rival Medford.

  After closing out the week against Malden (April 26) and O’Bryant (April 27), the Tide begins a new month against host Chelsea on Monday, May 1, beginning at 4 p.m. They will then come home to go up against Lynn Classical two days later at Glendale, starting at 4:15 p.m.