Saugus softball team battles for playoff berth in final games

By Dom Nicastro

In the final week, the Saugus High School softball team still has a fighting chance to make the postseason. That’s because they are getting hot at the right time.

The team was 9-9 heading into its final two games this week against Winthrop and Revere. If they beat one of their two neighbors, they will get win No. 10 and make the postseason.

The team did itself a big favor by starting the week on May 20 with an extra-inning, 2-1 win over Northeastern Conference rival Masconomet. Then, the Sachems followed up with a 14-2 win over Watertown on May 21.

“This was a great game and a much-needed, well-deserved win against a solid Masconomet team,” Saugus coach Steve Almquist said. “Neither team could generate any offense as both pitchers were outstanding, with Taylor Deleidi going all eight innings for the win. At the plate, she went 2-for-4 with the game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning.”

Saugus did have a chance to break things open in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs and their 2-3-4 hitters coming up.

“Unfortunately, as has been the case for much of this season, we just couldn’t get that timely hit, letting the Masco pitcher off the hook unscathed,” Almquist said.

Neither team threatened in the seventh, setting the stage for some extra-inning heroics.

With one run already in for Masco in the eighth and a runner on third, third baseman Ava Rogers made the play of the year with a diving backhand catch on a line drive down the third base line, which was going to be a sure double. Not only did she catch it, but she also had the presence of mind to tag the runner trying to get back to third, getting Saugus out of the inning and keeping the score at 1-0.

In the home half of the inning, the Sachems managed to load the bases with one out when Taylor Deleidi came up with a clutch single to center field, tying the game at one.   With two outs and bases still loaded, Devany Millerick delivered big time with a line-drive walk-off single to right field, giving Saugus the hard-fought win.

“As mentioned, Taylor was outstanding on the mound, pitching her best game to date,” Almquist said of her pitcher, who went eight innings, allowing one earned run, striking out eight, and walking one.

Danica Schena had a hit and “has been phenomenal in center field, putting together a gold glove season and making several fine catches in this game,” Almquist said.

Kaitlyn Pugh had a hit, and Sabrina Tamburello was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored.

“Sabrina is an eighth-grader and continues to impress,” Almquist said. “She had a great at-bat in the bottom of the eighth, resulting in a key walk, and would eventually score the game-winning run; Hannah Duong pinch-ran for her,” Almquist added.

Against Watertown, the Lady Sachems got a gem from captain Taylor Deleidi, who gave up two hits and struck out five. She continued to be red hot at the plate with four hits and four runs scored.

The offense had 17 hits. Captain Lily Ventre had two triples, a double, and three RBI. Pugh had three hits. Captain Millerick added two hits and an RBI, and captain Ava Rogers had two hits and an RBI.

Saugus previously lost to Swampscott, 6-5.

“This was a tough loss as it was a game that we probably should have won,” Almquist said. “We started slow, falling behind 3-0, but then we came alive, scoring five times in the top of the fourth to go ahead 5-3. We had an opportunity to add to the lead in the top of the fifth when we loaded the bases with no outs, but what has plagued us all year came back to haunt us again as we just couldn’t get that timely hit.”

Swampscott capitalized in their home half, scoring three times with the eventual game-winner coming home on an infield throwing error.

“This gave them a 6-5 lead which they never relinquished,” Almquist said. “We outhit Swampscott 13-9 in this game, but as has been the case much of the season, we just couldn’t capitalize when we needed to. Taylor Deleidi was the hard-luck loser in this one and certainly deserved a better fate.”

She allowed five earned runs and nine hits, striking out four and walking two. She also went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Millerick was 2-for-4 with a run. Rogers was 2-for-4 with a double. Felicia Alexander went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Tamburello had a hit and an RBI. Ari Chianca went 1-for-2 with an RBI, as did Sydney Deleidi. Lily Ventre and Kaitlyn Pugh had hits.

Saugus had a nice 11-8 win over Salem.

“It didn’t start out very promising as we fell behind 4-0 in the first inning, but we clawed our way back to eventually tie the game at 6-6 heading into the bottom of the fifth,” Almquist said.

Salem pushed two across in their home half, giving them an 8-6 lead entering the sixth.

“This is when things got a bit interesting, and that timely hit that we’ve been waiting for much of the season finally came to fruition,” Almquist said.

With two outs and a runner on first, catcher Lily Ventre launched a mammoth home run over the fence in deep left-center field, knotting the game at eight and giving Saugus some much-needed momentum.

This carried over to the seventh inning, where the Sachems scored three more times to ice the game at 11-8.

Taylor Deleidi went the distance in this one to get the win.

“She had some back stiffness, which resulted in her control being a bit off, but she toughed it out and bore down when needed to get the victory,” Almquist said.

The pitcher allowed two earned runs, two hits, struck out seven, and walked 14. At the plate, she continued to swing a red-hot bat, going 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored.

Freshman DH Ari Chianca had a monster game in the leadoff position, going 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Eighth-grader Alannah Duong delivered two key singles and scored two huge runs.

Ventre went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored. Alexander had a double and two runs scored. Sydney Deleidi had a double, Pugh was 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Rogers went 2-for-3 with three runs scored.