LYNN — After dropping a close game to Bishop Feehan over the weekend, St. Mary’s softball team (14-4) got its revenge against the Shamrocks 4-2 Tuesday.
The Shamrocks struck first during the opening inning, but the Spartans responded quickly. Lina Owumi led the second inning with a triple before scoring on an RBI single to left field by Paige Quigley (1-1).
Jayla Walsh followed with a ground-rule double to left field, putting runners in scoring position with two outs. Abbey Sousa then reached on an error, allowing Quigley to score. Olivia DiSessa followed with a double to right-center field, driving in two more runs to give St. Mary’s a 4-1 cushion.
“Our confidence was definitely better today. Feehan graduated 11 seniors last year. I think, for us, going down there, we anticipated the game a little differently,” said St. Mary’s coach Colleen Newbury. “We had our chances in that game. We left a lot of people on base and we had one mistake that cost us a few runs. You can’t make a mistake against a team like this. Today, it was the total opposite. We played more confidently and played great defense.”
It wasn’t a straightforward game for the Spartans, who dealt with early heat, heavy winds, and a minor delay because of a downpour. Despite battling the elements, St. Mary’s stayed focused, especially on defense.
One player who stood out was DiSessa at third base. Multiple times, she snagged line drives or dove down the line to keep Feehan off the bases.
“She started the year at short and Sydney Wells was at third and we switched them,” Newbury said. “It just looks better and feels better. I’m not sure why, but it clicked for them. It’s a new position and it takes time to learn the position with the angles and everything. She had a great game today.”
Owumi stayed hot, batting 2-for-3 with a triple.
“Lina started off batting ninth; she liked batting in the nine spot for some reason. Then, we moved her to the six spot and then I decided, today, to have her hit in the five spot. She’s just so loose and plays loose. She does everything,” Newbury said. “She’s always so aware of pitch count, game situation, and pitch selection. She’s another one who started slow this year. Because of basketball, she couldn’t hit as much. She has a great sense of humor and everyone loves her. We need that.”
In the circle, Aliza Crean-Oviedo pitched all seven innings, recording five strikeouts and allowing one earned run and no walks.
“Aliza was phenomenal again today. She pitched only the last three innings on Saturday, so that’s why she got the start today,” Newbury said. “She had everything working today. Her drop-curve was working great early in the game.”
Before the game, St. Mary’s celebrated senior Cate Morgan, whom Newbury praised highly.
“She broke her leg her freshman year sliding into third base in the second game of the season. It was a long recovery for her,” Newbury said. “This year, she’s been at first and has been great. She’s a great kid all-around with a great family.”
St. Mary’s ranks No. 10 in Div. 3. With the postseason nearing, Newbury believes her team is clicking at the right time.
“We’re feeling good. We’re coming together at the right time,” Newbury said. “They love doing their thing. They’re listening, but they’re really encouraging each other out there, which is great.”
St. Mary’s returns Saturday when it hosts Concord-Carlisle at 1 p.m.
