Softball: Saugus’ seventh inning rally knocks off Peabody

It was a prototypical pitchers duel on Friday at Saugus as the Sachems’ Nichole Lowe and Peabody’s Nicole Wilson went toe-to-toe for most of the way in a Northeastern Conference battle.The ace hurlers kept the game scoreless for six innings before Peabody cracked the ice in the top of the seventh. The Sachems, though, made Lowe’s effort worthwhile as Gabby Cogliano’s walk-off single scored Rachel Forgione in the bottom of the seventh for a 2-1 Sachem win on senior day.”It was a really big win,” Saugus coach Bobbie Finocchio said. “The girls were really pumped up.”Lowe held a tough Peabody (8-5) lineup to just two hits while striking out four and walking one. Wilson was just as good on Friday, scattering four hits with six strikeouts and one walk.”It was a great game, really well played,” Peabody coach Butch Melanaphy said.The Tanner seventh began with a Morgan Yeo single. Ashley Bouchard sacrificed Yeo’s pinch runner (Sarah Graval) to second and Holly Smith’s RBI single brought in the run. Yeo was 2-for-3 in the contest.The Sachems’ (9-8) seventh started when Gina Reppucci reached on an error and moved to second on a Jackie Doherty fly out. Forgione followed with a bunt single and then stole second to put the winning runs in scoring position.Alyssa Furtado then put down a perfect bunt that scored Reppucci with the tying run. Moments later, Cogliano played the hero with her base hit.Saugus needs a win over Gloucester, Winthrop or Manchester-Essex in its final three games to clinch a state tournament berth. The Tanners need two more wins to make the tourney.Classical 5, Everett 2At Everett, the Rams (14-4, 10-4 NEC) avoided a letdown following an emotional win over Salem on Thursday as Jenny Garrity gutted her way through six innings to get the win with Mackenzie Coppinger picking up the save.”This was a game we could have easily lost just from the drain of the other night,” Classical coach Chris Warren said. “This could have been a huge letdown game, but we were able to get the job done.With Peabody’s loss to Saugus, Classical takes sole possession of first in the NEC North standings. The Rams need to win one of their final two games – against Beverly and English – to clinch at least a share of the title. Two wins and the title would be theirs outright.Coppinger led the Classical offense, belting a 2-run homer to open the scoring in the second and then added an RBI single during a three-run third. Chelsey Bartlett also drove home a run in the third while Fallon Gaudet and Danielle Moran each had two hits.Shawsheen 1, Fenwick 0At Peabody, the Crusaders (7-10) now must win their final three games to make the state tournament after failing to convert on a couple of scoring chances down the stretch.Taylor Ahern (3-3) took the loss, allowing six hits and striking out three in five innings. Alyssa Begin went the final two innings. Amanda McInnis had two hits for Fenwick.