Marblehead LL softball loses to Woburn

The Marblehead Little League softball all-stars have some work to do on their quest for a state title following a 2-1 loss to Woburn in sectional play Wednesday at Marblehead.The District 16 champions won their opening game of the sectionals Monday against East Bridgewater, 6-3, but Woburn proved to be a tough nut to crack. Both teams played well, but Woburn managed to push the winning run across in the bottom of the seventh inning.?They?re a good team,” Marblehead coach Andrew Trasher said. “They?re solid top to bottom.”Both pitchers, Marblehead?s Charlotte Plakans and Woburn?s Kaci Madden, went the distance. Madden struck out seven and allowed only three hits while issuing only one walk. She also hit a batter. Plakans struck out six and allowed only one hit. She only walked two, but both ended up scoring.?Charlotte did a great job. It was a yeoman effort. She got a little nervous at one point and they got a runner on, but she came right back and struck out a girl,” Trasher said. “Unfortunately, they?re too good a team to make the mistakes we made.”Woburn scored in the first inning when Erica Gangi walked and scored on a Madden pop up to shortstop. Marblehead threatened in the second inning when Plakans singled and Corinne Ahern reached on an error, but the rally fizzled on a double play.Marblehead managed to tie things up in the fifth when Ahern led off the inning with a double to right center and scored on an error on a ground ball by Maddy Dimare. Ahern?s aggressive base running paid off when she jarred the ball loose sliding into the plate.With the score tied 1-1, both teams turned up the heat defensively in the sixth inning. Woburn center fielder Juliet Taylor broke a few Marblehead hearts with two nice catches on well-hit balls including one that she turned into a double play by catching the runner off second base.Mercedez Pelletier flashed some leather at shortstop for Marblehead that inning, flawlessly fielding two ground balls and firing to first for two quick outs. Katie Doyle doubled to make things interesting, but Plakans got the next girl to strike out to end the inning.Earlier in the game, Marblehead had come up with a couple of nice plays to keep the game close. First baseman Ahern threw a runner out at the plate as did third baseman Rachael Saulnier.Woburn scored the game-winning run in the seventh when Kelsey Doherty walked, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a hard-hit ball back to the mound with one out. Plakans knocked it down, but had no play at the plate.?It was an outstanding game by both teams,” Woburn coach Jim Doherty said.Doherty was very happy with his pitcher?s effort.?She (Madden) is just consistent. She keeps it low. She always smart, picking at the corners … she?s always buzzing around the plate.”Marblehead will play East Bridgewater Saturday in a losers? bracket game. If it can win, it?s on to a rematch with Woburn at Woburn. Marblehead would have to defeat Woburn twice to advance.