St. Mary’s softball at home in Div.3 North semifinals

For the St. Mary’s softball team, the location is familiar. So is the opponent, and so is the desired outcome.St. Mary’s, seeded 15th in the MIAA Division 3 North sectional, takes on fellow Catholic Central League team Marian in the semifinal round today (3 p.m.) at Martin Field in Lowell. The Spartans have already played the No. 8 Mustangs once this season, winning 6-1, and Martin Field is familiar territory for coach Colleen Newbury’s playoff-tested team.”The kids really like playing there,” Newbury said on Wednesday. “It’s definitely a tournament atmosphere, the way the stands are set up and the dugouts are set up.”Just about everyone on the team this year returns from last year’s Spartan squad, which means that this year’s edition has some unfinished business. A year ago, West Bridgewater foiled St. Mary’s in the EMass final.”Our big thing last year was to appreciate the moment you have,” Newbury said. “You’ll never know when you’ll get back.”As it happened, the return trip came one year later.This season, the coach said, “Our ultimate goal was to get back to Lowell and win some games.” But while she she’s hoping for a return trip to the North final, she said her team is not looking past today’s opponent.”We’re very focused,” Newbury said. “There’s no talk about anything else. The focus is on Marian, their pitcher, and how to attack their defense.”The coach called Mustangs senior pitcher Keliann Kirby “dynamite” and the team’s senior leader, adding, “The infield does a good job backing her up.”When the Spartans take the field, they’ll likely go with Vanessa LaFauci as the starter and bring in Sam Kiley to finish games.”That has been working,” Newbury said. “Why change it?”The coach did add, however, that “both have done well and are big supporters of each other. We usually decide as the game gets closer.”LaFauci and Kiley both pitched in the Spartans’ 6-2 quarterfinal-round decision over Ipswich at the Tigers’ home field on Tuesday. The offensive stars included catcher Erin McAndrews – who helped douse an Ipswich rally defensively and singled in the tying run for St. Mary’s – and centerfielder Maria Nazzaro – who had an outfield assist, collected three hits, and drove in two runs, including the go-ahead tally.”A lot of people have contributed offensively,” Newbury said.Those she mentioned included McAndrews, who also hit a key homer against Shawsheen; Nazzaro; Kristina Burri, who has performed well in the leadoff spot; Angela Dandreo, who delivered a pinch-hit home run; Brianna Holmes; and Brittany Hanscom, who came up with a big leadoff hit.The coach also praised McAndrews’ work behind the plate, as well as the contributions of the infield, which has played together for two years and “communicates really good.”Asked what has fueled this most recent playoff run, the coach credited pitching and defense.”The pitchers are throwing strikes, and we’re playing defense,” Newbury said, noting that in past games, “We would come out on the short end of a 3-2 or 4-3 score. But so far, we’re playing defense.”