Fearsome foursome leads Classical to win

LYNN – After rolling through the first half of its Northeastern Conference North schedule unblemished, the Classical softball team is finding the competition in the NEC South to its liking as well.On Thursday at Grace Rogato Field, the Rams cranked out 10 hits and five runs off Saugus ace Ashlee Patterson before having to hold off a three-run seventh-inning rally from Saugus to grab a 5-4 win and move to 7-2 for the season.”The South is just as strong as the North and we know that we have to bring our best to beat these teams,” Classical coach Chris Warren said.For the second straight game, it was the quartet of Afton Dean, Sam Barker, Kristen Dean and Amanda Stevens that led the way to victory for Classical.The foursome had nine of Classical’s 10 hits, drove home four runs and scored all five Rams runs. Barker led the hit brigade, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored while Afton Dean was 3-for-3 with three runs scored.Kristen Dean, who was playing despite an injured knee, was 2-for-3 while Stevens was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI.”Those four have done it for us all year,” Warren said. “They come to play every day and are tough outs and they pulled through when we needed it.”Classical was a walking MASH unit in this one, as Dean was scratched from field duty just before the game with a balky knee. The Rams then lost first baseman Hannah Byrne in the fourth inning to an injured ankle and then had to sweat out a Barker injury in the fifth.”We’re all banged up and we had to exhaust our bench except for one player (Jill Adams),” Warren said. “And you’re only as good as the people behind you and everyone did a good job filling in.”