Saugus softball overtakes St. Mary’s

LYNN – It’s been a tough season for the Saugus softball squad, but Saturday’s 4-3 triumph over an always-strong St. Mary’s club helps to ease the pain.The Sachems (5-10) pushed across three runs in the top of the third to take the lead for good, then held on at Grace Rogato Field.With her club trailing 2-1 entering the inning, centerfielder Jackie Doherty got things started with a single to center. She advanced to second on a passed ball. Teammate Lauren Garchinsky was issued a one-out walk by Spartans righty Sam Kiley, and an infield single by catcher Megan Joyce (who went three-for-four) loaded the bases. Right fielder Gina Reppucci was hit on the foot by a Kiley offering to bring home Doherty with the tying run, and then designated hitter Ashlee DiChiara hit a slow roller back to the mound. Kiley threw the ball to catcher Erin McAndrews to try to get Garchinsky, but she beat the tag to give Saugus a 3-2 edge. Left fielder Elizabeth Shaw then hit a sharp grounder to Jenna Fraher at third, whose throw to home was wide of McAndrews, and Joyce crossed the plate with the fourth Saugus run.”We took opportunity of their mistakes, and they don’t make many of them,” said Sachems coach Bobbie Finnochio, whose squad had been belted by St. Mary’s earlier in the season. “It was certainly our best win of the year. It shows that we can play good softball with anyone. Jackie (Doherty) played a great game, and she’s been on a good hitting streak for us (she went two-for-four) lately.”St. Mary’s coach Colleen Newbury saw her team fall for the second straight time. “We made the wrong (defensive) plays, especially in that third inning,” she said. “Saugus didn’t hit the ball hard, but they’re a very much improved team, and took advantage of what we gave them.”The Spartans (10-4) looked as though they would cut into the Saugus lead in the bottom of the fourth. Left fielder Brianna Holmes led off the frame with an infield single off Saugus starter Nicole Lowe, then took second on a sacrifice bunt. A strikeout followed, then Kiley walked. Second baseman Kristina Burri then lashed a sharp single to right-center, but Reppucci made a perfect throw to gun down Holmes at the plate for the final out of the inning.The Sachems had a chance to add to their lead in the sixth. Third baseman Rachel Forgione reached on a one-out error, then moved to second on a single by Doherty. Infielder Kelsey Sturgis then drilled a grounder to short, where Kristen Mondello gathered it, and threw low to Burri at second to get Doherty. Forgione continued to the plate, but Burri’s throw to McAndrews completed the inning-ending double play.St. Mary’s pushed across its final run in the bottom of the seventh. Pinch hitter Vanessa LaFauci singled on Lowe’s first pitch, went to second on a wild pitch, then took third on an infield out. Designated hitter Ariel LaRosa singled across LaFauci to bring the Spartans to within 4-3, but Lowe induced McAndrews to fly to left and end the game.Saugus opened up the scoring in the first. Garchinsky got aboard on a two-out single, then Joyce brought her around with a double to right-center.St. Mary’s answered in its half of the inning. With one out, Fraher walked. After a fly to left, McAndrews singled just inside the third-base bag to place runners at the corners. Lowe walked Mondello, and Holmes followed with a single to center, plating Fraher and McAndrews to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.