Everything clicks for Classical softball

LYNN – For the Lynn Classical softball team, Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Saugus provided a chance for all three facets of the Rams game to shine.Jenny Garrity held the Sachems to four hits and struck out eight while the defense played flawlessly behind her and Chelsey Bartlett broke open a 2-1 game with a 2-run double in the fifth.”Jenny just got stronger in the circle as the game went on and the defense played clean behind her,” Classical coach Chris Warren said. “The girls aren’t happy with their performance in the box (Wednesday) but they got the big hits when they needed to.”Across the diamond, the Sachems were lamenting a boatload of chances to take the lead. Two times in three innings, Saugus saw potential rallies killed by inning ending double plays and in the fourth saw another double play turn a no out bases loaded situation upside down.”We had a bunch of chances,” Saugus coach Bobbie Finocchio said. “That being said, you can’t get four hits and expect to win the game against a team that hits like they do.”Classical (9-2) started quick against Sachem starter Nichole Lowe as Fallon Gaudet led off the first with a bloop single to right. After stealing second and going to third on a Hannah Byrne (3-for-3, 2 RS) single, Gaudet scored on Bartlett’s ground out to short.The Rams knocked on the door again in the second but saw a potential big inning thwarted when Mackenzie Coppinger was caught too far off third on Angela Erelli’s grounder back to the mound.Saugus put the leadoff runner on in the third before Garrity snared Allie Cooper’s rocket up the middle with one down and flipped to Olivia DeJoie at first to double up Nicole Roberto to end the inning.”Our defense has been playing really sound the last three games,” Warren said.Classical used that momentum to plate another run in the bottom of the third as Byrne and Bartlett singled in front of a Garrity sacrifice fly to center.Saugus would have its best chance in the fourth as Jackie Doherty and Gina Repucci singled. Angela DiCenzo was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.Pinch hitter Lauren Donati lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Doherty from third. A heads up Coppinger got the ball into Gaudet, who chased down a caught off second base Reppucci to complete an unlikely double play.”Yeah, that was heartbreaking,” Finocchio said. “We had the meat of our order up there and were expecting good things.The Classical defense did the job again in the fifth as Garrity snared Stefani Terrazano’s pop up to the mound and doubled up Gabby Cogliano to end the inning.The Rams then put the game away in the bottom of the fifth. Danielle Moran singled with one out before Byrne hit a double just out of the reach of a diving Doherty in center.Bartlett then delivered both with a double up the gap in right to make it 4-1.”We’re doing the little things right now,” Warren said. “We talk about those all the time and they’ve been a big help to us.”