MIAA Roundup: Fenwick softball grabs another late-inning win to advance

For the second consecutive game, the No. 14 Bishop Fenwick softball team found a way to score the winning run in its final trips to the plate.On Sunday afternoon, Charlotte Powers? seventh-inning single plated Gaby Hart, who led off the frame with a double, giving the Crusaders a 2-1 win over Lexington in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 North state tournament.Fenwick starter Natalie Moore went the distance, matching counterpart Maddie Orcutt (3 hits, 12 strikeouts), who will pitch for Cornell University next season. Moore allowed just one hit and an unearned run while striking out three and walking seven.?Natalie stepped up today and pitched a terrific game,” lauded coach Paul Lyman. “Orcutt is obviously a phenomenal pitcher with a bright future, but we were able to make our hits count.”Jenn Crovo opened the scoring for the visitors with a solo home run in the first inning.The win comes on the heels of a 3-2 walkoff victory over No. 19 Westford Academy on Friday evening in Peabody. A two-out, two-run homer from Gianna Pizzano tied the game at 2-2, setting the stage for Hart?s game-winning single.The Crusaders advance to the quarterfinals on Wednesday (4), where they will meet the winner of Tuesday?s game between No. 11 Central Catholic and No. 6 Newton South.In other softball action on Sunday, No. 2 Danvers earned a trip to the semifinals of the Division 2 North tournament with a 4-2 victory over Reading. The Falcons will square off with sixth-seeded Tewksbury on Wednesday at Martin Field in Lowell (4).Rockport 15, Lynnfield 6At Rockport, the Pioneers? season concluded with a first-round loss in the Division 3 North tournament. No. 13 Lynnfield fell into a 9-0 hole early and didn?t show life until Annika Han blasted a three-run homer in the fifth. Jackie Whelan added a two-run single in the sixth for the visitors. The Pioneers finish the season at 12-10 overall and will graduate six seniors.Lowell Cath. 5, Winthrop 1At Winthrop, the No. 7 Vikings saw their season come to an end in the first round of the Division 3 North tournament. The hosts mustered just two hits in the game, including a third-inning single from Jen Adamson, who would later score on Michelle Lasalla?s fielder?s choice. The fourth-seeded Crusaders recorded seven hits off Maura Lanza, who struck out eight. Winthrop finishes the season with an overall record of 13-8.BASEBALLLynnfield 11, Whittier 0At Lynnfield, the Pioneers advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division 3 North tournament with a combined shutout performance from pitchers Greg Basilesco (four innings, 0 hits) and Andrew Carbone (3 innings, 3 hits).Spencer Balian (2 for 3) drove in three runs for Lynnfield, who got big days from Jack Fraulini (3 for 4, RBI, run) and Traverse Briana (2 for 3, RBI). Jordan Roper, Dan O?Leary and Basilesco each added RBI singles. The Pioneers host Pentucket today (4)Andover 3, Peabody 1At Peabody, the top-seeded Tanners bowed out in a Division 1 North quarterfinal upset at the hands of the No. 8 Warriors. Peabody took a 1-0 lead in the third on a double by Mike Petrosino, scoring Tanner Moquin, who singled before a sacrifice from Brandon Butcher.Andover took the lead in the fourth before adding an insurance run in the sixth off Andrew McLaughlin (7 innings, 10 hits, 7 strikeouts). The Tanners finish the season with an overall record of 17-6.N. Reading 2, Fenwick 1At North Reading, the Crusaders dropped a tight one to Lynn native Frank Carey?s second-seeded Hornets. Fenwick got seven solid innings from Rob Carillo (4 hits, 3 strikeouts) and a two-out RBI double from Jake Baressi in the fourth.The hosts grabbed solo runs in innings two and three. The Crusaders finished the regular season at 12-10, earning the No. 15 seed in the Division 3 North tournament.Boston International 3, Winthrop 0At Boston, the Vikings? season came to an end in the quarterfinals of the Division 4 North tournament. Tied 0-0 in the sixth, the hosts scraped across three runs, which proved t