Peabody LL softball squad runner-up in state finals

The Peabody Little League 12-year-old softball all-stars finished second in the state finals this weekend, losing two of three games in the finals against eventual champion Charlton.”It was a great accomplishment to get there,” manager Keith LeBlanc said. “It was only the third year of fast-pitch softball in Peabody. Last year, we won the district championship. This year, we went a little bit further, the state finals. Maybe next year?”In the decisive game of the series on Sunday, Charlton defeated Peabody 14-6. The teams had split the previous two games, with Charlton winning 9-2 on Friday and Peabody winning 8-6 on Saturday. All games were at Winchendon.On Sunday, No. 2 pitcher Mallory LeBlanc started for Peabody.”She pitched three great innings on Friday and only let up one run,” Keith LeBlanc said. “It was the second time she pitched in over a month.”The manager said his team struggled in the first inning, yielding seven runs. However, he said, Mallory LeBlanc “battled back” and Peabody scored twice in the bottom of the inning.Kaycie Groom singled, stole second, and then tried to steal third. However, she was called out on the latter play despite a protest from her manager.Olivia Keane then walked and stole second, and Mallory LeBlanc hit an RBI single. Amanda Crawford drove in LeBlanc on a sacrifice groundout that made it 7-2.Peabody got two more in the third. Keane singled and stole second and LeBlanc hit an RBI single. LeBlanc stole second and Crawford hit an RBI triple. Crawford tried to score on the play, but was called out on the relay to the plate.Peabody pulled within 7-6 in the bottom of the fourth. Kristina Rossignol and Sydney Lowry both singled before Alycia Gillen bunted. On an overthrow, Rossignol and Lowry scored, with Gillen taking third.However, Charlton made a statement with five runs in the top of the fifth en route to the win, and the championship.”It took the wind out of our sails,” Keith LeBlanc said. “They got two more in the top of the sixth and we went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth.”The girls did great. If you look at it, we had two bad innings. Other than that, we were right there with them.”Charlton moves on to represent Massachusetts in the next round, at Bristol, Conn., Friday.Peabody 8, Charlton 6On Saturday, Keane started for Peabody, which scored three runs in the top of the first. Groom singled and stole three consecutive bases, culminating her trip around the basepaths with a steal of home. Mallory LeBlanc bunted, Crawford singled and Rossignol walked. Lowry hit a sacrifice fly and Crawford stole home on a passed ball for a 3-0 lead.Yet Charlton scored three times in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.Peabody reclaimed the lead with two runs in the top of the second. With two out, Groom walked and stole second. Keane doubled, scoring Groom. Keane reached third on an error and stole home for a 5-3 lead.Peabody made it 7-3 in the fifth. Keane hit a leadoff single and stole second. LeBlanc singled, with Keane taking third. LeBlanc stole second. Crawford hit a sacrifice grounder for an RBI, as did Rossignol, for a four-run advantage.In the bottom of the fifth, Charlton scored a run. With two outs, its No. 4 batter hit a line drive that struck Keane in the knee. The batter rounded first and a run scored on the play. When the batter tried to reach second, LeBlanc ran from third base, grabbed the ball, which had landed next to Keane, and threw to Crawford, who applied the tag for the inning-ending out.Keane came off the field and ice was placed on her, Keith LeBlanc said. She returned to pitch the sixth.In the top of the sixth, Kirsten Buckley hit an infield single and Groom entered as a special runner. Groom stole second, third and then home for an 8-4 lead.In the bottom of the sixth, Charlton scored twice and had the bases loaded with two out and its No. 3 hitter up. Keane induced a groundout to Crawford to end the game.Rich Tenorio can be reached at [email protected].