LYNN — It didn’t take long to figure out who the winner of Tuesday’s game between the Lynn Tech and Academy of Notre Dame softball teams would be. The Tigers hung close for one inning, but a tough top of the second saw Tech allow eight runs en route to a 14-0 five-inning loss to the Lancers at McManus Field.
The 2018 season hasn’t been kind to the Tigers in terms of results. Tech (0-7) hasn’t won any games but that doesn’t stop the Tigers from bringing enthusiasm to the field on a daily basis.
“We started with a lot of potential but a some of our girls have picked up jobs, so we’ve brought up some of our JV players,” Tigers coach Beth Mercaldi, in her 20th season at Tech, said. “We’re struggling a little but we practice hard, we’re learning each game and it’s going to be a learning year. We’re rotating a couple JV players every game along with the varsity. Today we had five or six JV players out on the field.”
Mercaldi’s team is currently in what she calls a “rebuilding phase.” Underclassmen make up the bulk of Tech’s roster this spring and Mercaldi feels confident about Tech’s standing moving forward.
“We have a good group of girls,” Mercaldi said. “We’re just going to work through the season as we always do. We’ll just hope the girls stay with us and continue to get better. Over my years we’ve had a lot of rebuilding years but sometimes you get girls that are three-year players that really build up.
“I literally have only one senior on the team, Luna Davila,” Mercaldi added. “She’s our shortstop. She’s been with me for four years. She joined as a freshman and she’s learning a lot.”
A pair of RBI singles and a Tech infield error gave the Lancers a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Tech’s Adrianna Torres singled to lead the bottom half of the first and stole second. Alondra Sanchez kept the inning alive with a single of her own, placing Tigers runners on first and third but Tech couldn’t push a run across.
Notre Dame took full control in the bottom of the second, plating eight runs to turn a 3-0 game into an 11-0 rout. The Lancers laced four hits, three singles and a triple, and took advantage of a number of Tech miscues to build their commanding lead. They added three more in top of the third, extending their lead to 14-0.
Tech put another pair of runners on base in the bottom of the third. Jalyiah Aguero was hit by a pitch and Liz Pena drew a walk. Aguero and Pena advanced to second and third, respectively, on a passed ball. Notre Dame escaped the jam unscathed and Tech fell short of finding the board again.
Tigers starting pitcher Theresa Mastropietro, a junior, pitched the first three innings. Junior Shyla Jackson came on in relief and tossed two scoreless innings.
“Shyla has a little bit more behind the ball,” Mercaldi said. “Theresa started the game. She’s a little bit of a different type of pitcher. Shyla wasn’t a pitcher, we made her a pitcher. Her father took her to a pitching clinic. They’re two totally different pitchers and we do the best we can.”
Tech hosts Minuteman Thursday for a doubleheader at McManus Field.
“The girls are coming around,” Mercaldi said. “We stay positive and we keep working every day. Hopefully we can get a win or two, that’d be nice. We just hope for the best.”
