LYNN — Everything came together at the perfect time for the No. 7 Classical softball team in Saturday’s 2-1 win over No. 10 Reading in the first round of the Division 1 North state tournament at Grace Rogato Field.
Senior captain Rebecca Walker drove in the winning run with a single in the sixth, an inning where the Rams put together as many hits as they had all game, and after a late double pitcher Brooke Warren (seven innings, one run, five hits, six strikeouts) struck out her last two batters to seal the win.
“I felt it was that kind of game from the second we were here (Saturday),” Classical coach Erika Richard said. “We always say, ‘the tournament is do or die and whoever plays from the very beginning to the very end is going to move on.’ (Reading) is a very good team. We were very evenly matched. It was just who was going to get that one play.”
Walker came through with that one play and then some. At shortstop she had six putouts, including a diving play to end fifth inning, and went 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt, one RBI and one run scored.
“Rebecca came up with the big hit and she made a great play at shortstop,” Richard said. “She has been at shortstop since she was a freshman. I think she has played every inning except for maybe a couple her entire career. She’s one of those kids that she’s not the big loud kid that gets as much recognition as she probably should but she came up so big for us (Saturday). We’re just excited to keep playing.”
The Rams had been on the verge of taking the lead several times in this one but struggled to get the big hits they needed. Classical left a runner stranded in scoring position in each of the first three innings.
The Rams put together a pair of hits in the fourth inning. Walker got things started with a single and moved over to second on a passed ball. Next up, Ciara Collins laced a single into center field to drive in Walker and give Classical a 1-0 lead.
Reading responded in the fifth inning with help from a Classical error. A would-be single slipped by an outfielder and turned into a runner on third base. Another single drove in the run and tied the game at 1-1.
The Rams put together their best inning at the plate in the sixth. Kayla Morrill started with a single and Kiara Edmonds moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Maddie Dana laced a single before Walker came through with the game-winning hit to drive in Morrill and give the Rams a 2-1 lead.
Classical’s defense did the rest. Maggie McHale made a nice catch in center field and threw a runner out at first for a double play to end the sixth inning. Reading threatened with a double in the seventh but Warren shut the door, striking out her last two batters to clinch the first round win.
The Rams travel to No. 2 Acton-Boxboro in the quarterfinal Monday (4:30), a team that knocked Classical out of the tournament last year.
“(Acton-Boxboro) is a good team,” Richard said. “But we just always say it doesn’t matter who it is, it’s how we show up. Anybody can win on any given day so bring it on.”