ITEM PHOTO BY KATIE MORRISON
Caitlyn Wood of Saugus pitched well in her team’s 1-0 loss to Charlton-Webster. But her opponent, Madison Johns, was just that much better.
By SCOT COOPER
WOBURN — Even though it was a beautiful day Saturday, it was a washout for the Saugus Senior all-star softball team.
Charlton-Webster took the first two games in the best-of- three series to win the state championship at Gonsalves Field.
C-W pitcher Madison Johns pitched both games allowing just two hits in a 1-0 win to start things off, and then holding Saugus to three hits in the 8-0 clincher. Johns wasn’t supposed to pitch in game two, but C-W’s second starter, Alyssa Ward’s back stiffened up between games and she couldn’t go.
Johns was very, very good, 14 shutout innings Saturday, with one walk and just five hits over two games. Saugus pitcher Caitlyn Wood matched her in the first game, but C-W’s bats got going early in the second. The winners scored in every inning but the fifth in Game 2 to lock up the championship.
Saugus knocked off host Woburn to get the title round, but highlights were hard to come by against C-W. In the opener, a single by D. J. Munafo in the third, and another base hit by Wood in the fourth were all Saugus could get off of Johns. Game one saw Johns whiff 10 batters, walk one and drive in the winning run with a single.
C-W manager Ed Johns said the first game was a thrilling pitcher’s duel
“Not many hits in that game, their pitcher (Wood) did a nice job against us, she pitched very well,” Johns said. “We were able to get a run and win it, it was a really great softball game.”
Needing a win in the second game to force a third game Sunday, things went awry for Saugus right after it won the coin toss to be the home team. Devan Weatherbee reached on an error, and she came home on a double by Johns. Hailey Delphia ripped a triple into the gap in left-center bringing Johns home, and C-W had all the runs it needed. Hallie Kahn, Chloe Heffernan and Wood had the hits, and were the only baserunners, for Saugus. Kahn took second on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first, but that was as far as Saugus got on the bases in the second game.
Saugus manager Dan Prezioso said that the team was certainly disappointed that it couldn’t win the state title, but it was a great season for his team and for Saugus softball.
“It was tough today,” he said. “We just didn’t have it. We’re a good defensive team. We hit well today, (but) we just didn’t have our best games.
“This is as far as any Saugus team has gone,” he said. “It’s been a great year. We’ve had great support in this tournament, and this is great for Saugus softball.”
Infielder Sophie LaRay said that her team had a great season despite the results Saturday.
“We’ve gone farther than any Saugus team ever, and we did that because we played as a team, I’m very proud of my team,” LaRay said.
Centerfielder Nystasia Rowe said her team’s success is very good for future Saugus all-star teams.
“I think it’s awesome we were the first Saugus team to make it to the states,” Rowe said. “There are a lot of little girls, younger girls that play and we’re role models for them on how far you can go with teamwork.”
