Winthrop heads to D3 North softball final

LOWELL – The seedings might have said that the Winthrop softball team was only the 18th best squad when the Division 3 North tourney began. But that’s why games are played on the field and not on paper.On Friday at Martin Field, the Vikings blitzed out to a 7-0 lead against No. 12 Matignon and then had to hold off a late rally to take a 7-5 win over the Warriors and move to the program’s first North final since winning it all in 1983.Winthrop will take on two-time defending state champion St. Mary’s today (1) at Martin Field for the sectional crown.”We’ve come a long way,” Vikings coach Dave Guffy said. “I felt that we were a pretty good team coming into the tournament and we played really well (Friday).”The Vikings (12-11) were in control from the get-go as they started quick in the top of the first. Jen Adamson reached on a walk, but was erased on an Andrea Martucci fielder’s choice.Taylor Brown then ripped a double to put runners at second and third for Haley Benson, who also doubled to give the Vikes a 2-0 lead.Winthrop hurler Alex Ferri, who has been dominant at times through the Vikings run, had a quiet bottom of the first before her teammates blew the game open in the third.Martucci singled and Brown was hit by a pitch. Benson followed with a single that plated Martucci to make it 3-0. After Benson swiped second, Rachel Delsolio delivered her for a 4-0 lead.Ferri added an RBI single to up the margin to 5-0 before an error brought home a run for a 6-0 lead.”We started off really hot,” Guffy said. “We went in saying that it was all hands on deck and that we’d do what ever it takes.”Ferri was breezing until the fifth when a throwing error with two outs got the Warriors on the board. An inning later, Matignon made it rather interesting in a hurry?again with two outs.A throwing error kept the Warrior sixth going and Matignon took advantage, scoring four times to close to 7-5 before a Ferri strikeout shut the door.”I think it was a combination of nerves and a couple of bounces going their way,” Guffy said. “But Alex has been so good for us this year. I felt OK with her out there.”True to her coach’s faith, Ferri worked a perfect seventh to seal the Vikings trip to the final.”Now we get to take on the evil empire,” joked Guffy. “St. Mary’s is a very good team. They are well coached, but my kids are excited and happy to still be playing.”