Softball, 21-3, won the Division 1 North Final for the first time in school history last Sunday night, beating Billerica (15-9) 2-1 in a close match at Endicott College.
Despite having pitched a complete game the three nights before, senior Madison Schaefer, a captain with senior Elizabeth D’Agostino, was dominant, recording 14 strikeouts.
North fell behind in the first inning, after Billerica’s Ashlie Jones hit a double, and would then score on a throwing error. They were soon to respond however, as senior Elizabeth Wu hit an RBI fielder’s choice.
“We got down in the beginning of the game, but I knew my teammates always have my back,” said Schaefer.
When mentioning key players in the game, assistant coach, Kate Shaughnessy said, “Madison Schaefer pitched an eight innings, and she just did a phenomenal job giving our offense more time to get a run across, by shutting down the Billerica offense.”
The game was tied one apiece after the completion of seven innings, but in the bottom of the eighth inning, senior Caroline Bass hit a double to the centerfield gap.
“She had a great at bat and was able to foul off a bunch of pitches,” said Shaughnessy. “Once she got got on base we knew we were going to win that game.”
Then, with only one down, Wu came through for the Tigers again, when she hit a single to leftfield, handing the Tigers their first North Sectionals championship.
“The whole coaching staff is just so excited for this team. They’ve worked really hard, and many of them have been put in tough games like yesterday’s,” said Shaughnessy when describing how the team felt after the game.
“It was great to see them rewarded for their hard efforts,” she added. “They are a really selfless and hardworking group, which made it even better to break school history with this group of girls.”
North will play Milford Tuesday night at 7 p.m., in the state semifinals at Taunton High School.