April 10, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School: In a mercy-rule shortened game, AB’s softball team defeated the Waltham Hawks, with starting pitcher Aislinn Ryan and reliever Stacey Loram combining for a no-hitter against Dual-County League opponent Waltham. The Revs set the tone early, with three runs in the first inning, courtesy of a walk, an error, and a triple and single, respectively, by Ila Gillespie and Ryan.
In the second, the hit parade continued, with singles by Shay Maria, Alexis Haff, Alice Rosecan, and Georgia Ammendolia adding three more runs. A five-run fourth inning put the game out of reach for the visitors when Gillespie and Ryan both recorded their second hit of the day, following a walk by Ammendolia, and a single by Cassidy Ford. In the fifth, Haff singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored the walk-off run on Loram’s single, which invoked the “mercy” rule to end the game.
AB pitchers continued their great control, allowing only two walks on the day, and ten strikeouts, including two by Loram, who relieved Ryan in the fifth, and retired three of four batters. The next week, the team geared up for three important league games: Newton South on the 14th, Westford on the 16th, and Wayland on the 28th.
__________________________
On the adjacent baseball field, Coach Patrick Grucela’s team executed a crisp 4-6-3 double play in the seventh inning to seal a 4-3 victory over Westford, their first of the season.
James Conboy played in the Acton Adult Softball League for seventeen years, and now plays in the EMASS Senior Softball League. He covers many sports games for the Acton Exchange.