Lynn 15s drop state softball final

Too much softball over the course of two days did in the Lynn Babe Ruth 16s Sunday.Needing to win one game to clinch the state title, the club dropped a nine-inning opener to Revere, 1-0, then fell in the nightcap, 3-1, at Grace Rogato Field. As a result, Revere wears the crown.”Those were tough losses, and it was a long day of softball for us,” said Lynn coach Larry Coppinger. “We really didn’t hit that well, and when we did get hits, they weren’t bunched together. And we also ran into some tough pitching as well.”Lynn had advanced to the championship by ousting Lawrence, 6-1, and then defeating Revere in an 11-inning affair, 2-1, on Saturday. Righty Mackenzie Coppinger fanned 20 Revere batters in the second contest. Revere moved on to the title game by beating Lawrence in the loser’s bracket, eliminating Lawrence from the double-elimination tourney.Revere, which won the coin flip to decide who would be the home team prior to Game 1 (Lynn won the toss to decide for Game 2), took advantage of Coppinger’s tiredness in the bottom of the ninth. Centerfielder Jessica Simpson led with a walk; she would be replaced by courtesy runner Cassandra Petrola. Pitcher Michelle Zullo then beat out a bunt. Coppinger fanned the following batter, but a bunt by first baseman Kat Prince loaded the bases. Coppinger (13 Ks, four walks) than issued a bases-loaded walk on a full count to shortstop Ashley DiFria to bring in Petrola with the game’s lone run.”Mackenzie reached the wall in that inning,” said the coach of his daughter. “There was miscommunication on a bunt, and we wanted to see how things would work out in that (bases-loaded) situation.”Coppinger and Zullo matched one another throughout the early innings of the game, as neither club could do much damage. Lynn had a runner on from the second through fourth frames, while Revere put its first runner aboard in the fourth.Lynn had a very good chance in the sixth. Catcher Chelsey Bartlett walked to lead off the frame; courtesy runner Taylor Hamelers came in as a courtesy runner for her. Second baseman Fallon Gaudet dropped a bunt to move the runner over, but Hamelers went too far off second, and was caught in a rundown for the double play.”Taylor saw that the bag (third) was open, but hesitated a bit once she went past second,” said the coach. “She was trying to be aggressive, but their left fielder came in to cover third (on the play), and that resulted in the out.”Both teams had opportunities in the eighth to win the game. Third baseman Kim Caron led with a walk by Zullo, and the pitcher retired the next two batters. She was touched for a single by outfielder Shawna Drown, yet Zullo fanned Bartlett to end the threat.Second baseman Paige Licata touched Coppinger for a one-out single in the bottom of the inning. After a strikeout, left fielder Kristie Welch singled to right, sending Licata to third (the first Revere runner to reach the base). Yet Coppinger ended Revere’s chance by striking out right fielder Sara Selevitch.Revere scored the only runs it would need in the opening inning of the nightcap without the benefit of a hit. Coppinger issued a one-out walk to DiFria, then Brianna Holmes grounded to first baseman Keri Donovan. She threw to second to try to get DiFria, but the throw was high, and both runners were safe. A walk to Licata loaded the bases, and then Coppinger beaned catcher Stephanie Lento with the game’s first run. Holmes crossed the plate moments later on a missed third strike.”Mackenzie had control problems at the start of that game,” said Coppinger. “She was going with her fastball too often, and we moved her towards using her breaking pitch. She settled down, and did a good job for us (in the second game).”Coppinger got herself out of further damage in the third. Holmes walked with one down, with Licata following with a single. After an infield out moved the runners, Petrola walked to load the bases once again. Yet Coppinger fanned right fielder Cassandra Zullo to thwart t