Classical softball cashes in on chances, gets win over Peabody

LYNN – Having graduated seven starters from last season, the Classical softball team was a squad that many observers overlooked as a factor in the Northeastern Conference this season.On Wednesday at Grace Rogato Field, however, the Rams delivered a very clear message to the 11 other NEC teams that they are going to be a force in the NEC North race.Taking advantage of a pair of chances handed to them by previously-unbeaten Peabody, the Rams scored twice in the first and again in the fourth as sophomore Jenny Garrity twirled a six-hitter to give the Rams a 3-1 lead and first place in the North.”These kids have come in and bought right into our philosophies,” Classical coach Chris Warren said. “We played very well, especially on defense, and were able to take advantage of their mistakes.”Peabody (5-1) had come in playing very good softball, but a pair of outfield mistakes proved to be too much to overcome despite a superb pitching effort from Nicole Wilson, who held Classical (4-2, 4-0) to four hits.”Being 5-0, the bull’s-eye was on our backs,” Tanners coach Butch Melanphy said. “But I told the kids not to hang their heads about it. Classical played well, and that’s a credit to them.”The Rams’ sharp defense was on display again, beginning shortly after Peabody shortstop Tawny Palmieri, who was 3-for-3 in the contest, tripled into the left-field corner on Garrity’s second pitch of the game.Two pitches later, she broke for home on a ball that got past Sam Barker, but the Classical catcher recovered and flipped to Garrity, who applied the tag to get Palmieri.”I’m aggressive on the basepaths and I will not yell at them for being aggressive,” Melanphy said. “They have to make the play, and Classical did.”The aggressive baserunning proved costly when Sam Terenzoni singled one pitch later before Garrity got out of the inning without further damage.Classical would then get its offense going in the bottom of the first. Wilson retired Katie Fitzgerald and Courtney Sullivan to start the inning before Afton Dean lined a shot off Wilson’s knee and into center.Barker followed with a bullet to right for a hit. And when the ball was misplayed and got to the fence, both runners would find their way to the plate to give Classical a 2-0 lead.”Sam got a nice hit there and they made the mistake and we jumped on it for two runs,” Warren said.Garrity breezed through the second before Palmieri singled with one out in the third. But the Tanners wouldn’t score as Terenzoni hit a one-hopper to Kristen Dean at first to start a 3-6 inning-ending double play and a stretch that saw Garrity set the Tanners down in order twice in a row.In the fourth, Classical added to its lead. With one down, Barker ripped a single up the middle and moved to second when the ball was misplayed.After a groundout, second baseman Amanda Stevens came through with a base hit to right that brought Barker around to make it 3-0.And with Garrity befuddling the Tanner lineup, that looked like an insurmountable gap.”Jenny pitched incredible. She moved the ball around and kept them off-balance,” Warren said. “We knew they were a good hitting team, and (Garrity) and Sam did a great job.”In the sixth, though, Peabody would make Garrity and the Rams sweat a bit on an 82-degree day.Palmieri’s second triple of the game to the left-field corner gave Peabody life with one out. Garrity then walked Terenzoni, who headed for second while Palmieri broke for the plate.Palmieri slid home ahead of Afton Dean’s throw, but Barker’s throw back to second was in time to get Terenzoni. After a walk to Michelle Grifoni, Garrity got Mary Kate Helas to fly to right to end the inning.Peabody would have one more threat in the seventh when Amanda Smith singled and reached third. But Garrity struck out Erica Ricci and Emily Milewska to end the game.”Everybody talked about Peabody. But Lynn Classical is in the North also, and they’re pretty good,” Warren said. “This is a great confidence-boost for us.”