Extra innings pays dividends for Swampscott softball

PEABODY – For nearly six innings on Wednesday, things weren’t exactly going well for the Swampscott softball team.The Big Blue had lost third baseman Moe Bradley after she was hit with a line drive in the fifth inning and had been held to just one hit by Peabody’s Nicole Wilson. But Swampscott found a way to tie the game in the sixth, and won the game in the ninth on Marissa Gambale’s infield single in a 2-1 decision.”I was really proud of the girls for battling back like they did,” Swampscott coach Anna Addonizio said. “They stayed intense.”The comeback was aided by an uncharacteristically shaky Peabody defense, which committed four errors, including one in the ninth that resulted in the game-winning run.”There were way too many errors,” Peabody coach Butch Melanphy said. “We stress pitching and defense, and that was awful. Swampscott did everything right and we did everything wrong.”Another thing that didn’t help the Tanners was their leaving a small village on the basepaths in the first four innings, and nine for the game.A lot of credit for Peabody’s struggles has to go to Kirsten Vinal, who took over for Carissa Roche in the fifth inning and held the Tanners to one hit while striking out six.”That’s our thing now. I kind of feel like that with the mound back at 43 feet, the batters start to get to know the pitches well,” Addonizio said. “And when you change it up like that, the batters get a little off guard.”Peabody (8-3) got the scoring started in the first against Roche. Sam Terenzoni, Michelle Grifoni (4-for-4) and Mary Kate Helas all singled to load the bases with one out. Amanda Smith’s infield hit, Peabody’s fourth in a row, scored Terenzoni to make it 1-0. But Roche struck out Lauren Tucker and Kenia McKeon to end the inning.”We couldn’t get the timely hit,” Melanphy said.Peabody would leave a runner in scoring position in the second and two more in the third. Fortunately, Wilson was keeping the Big Blue in check, holding Swampscott to one hit over the first four innings.Vinal took over in the fifth and gave up a hit to Grifoni and saw Tucker reach on an error but pitched out of the jam.Mallorie McGrath and Katherine Gorham singled to start the inning. McGrath moved to third on a Sam Perry fielder’s choice and scored when the Big Blue executed a perfect delayed steal to tie the game at 1-1.Swampscott had an even better chance to go ahead in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs before McGrath hit a line shot to Tawny Palmieri at short to end the inning. (While her team didn’t win the game, Palmieri finalized some good news: She has decided to attend Endicott College.)After a scoreless eighth, the Big Blue went ahead in the ninth. Sarah Stephens reached on an error and was sacrificed to third by Roche and Alex Wilson.Gambale followed with a grounder in the hole at short that left Palmieri with no play anywhere, giving the Big Blue a 2-1 lead. That was all Vinal needed as she retired the Tanners in order in the bottom of the ninth.