Softball fell to Weymouth 7-1 in an intense and hard-fought game, Wednesday, May 21 at home.
“We made some mistakes in the field that were costly at times,” said PEHW teacher Lauren Baugher. “But it’s all stuff that will help us prepare for the tournament, which is the ultimate thing.”
North entered the game as the 13th ranked team in Massachusetts, according to MIAA softball power rankings. The top 32 teams by Wednesday, May 28 will enter the state tournament.
Weymouth came out strong in the top of the first, scoring two runs with two down off of a well-hit single from their fifth batter. Although the Tigers were able to get out of the inning soon after, Weymouth retained its early lead.
Throughout the first few innings, the team additionally struggled making meaningful contact with the ball on offense due to Weymouth’s formidable starting pitcher, Jillian Ondrick—a D1 commit.
“We knew going into the game their pitcher was really good,” said senior Emily Hurley, a captain along with seniors Ellie Fahey and Collette Rousseau.
“We kind of psyched ourselves out a little bit,” added Fahey. “She was probably one of the fastest pitchers we have faced all year.”
Back in the field, the Tigers soon found some success in holding Weymouth back from scoring more runs. Sophomore Nora Hamel, the starting pitcher, contributed to this significantly, striking out eight across five innings.
Multiple North errors in the field, however, gave Weymouth further opportunities to extend its lead, including a stolen home plate on an overthrow. By the end of the fifth, the Tigers trailed 5-0.
“We have had worse games, errors-wise,” said Rousseau. “But I think this time, especially our errors, gave them lots of runs.”
After a few times through the lineup, the Tigers were finally able to put offensive pressure on the Weymouth team. In the sixth inning, back-to-back hits by Hamel and sophomore Lyla Berton—pinch hitting for Fahey—allowed the Tigers to score their first run of the game.
“Lyla Berton coming in and just getting a hit straight away was really nice,” added Rousseau.
Junior Sophia Boehmer substituted for Hamel in the sixth and went on to finish the game. Throughout her two innings pitched, she let up two, including a rocket to left field for a home run.
Although the Tigers were not able to secure a victory, the night was still special, according to Baugher, as the team was celebrating senior night.
After the conclusion of the game, the seniors on the team were honored for their contributions to the team and the sport. Each senior ceremonially rounded the bases and received tokens of admiration from their fellow teammates.
“Being able to honor the seniors was awesome,” said Baugher.
The Tigers, 11-8, defeated North Andover in the first round of the State Tournament before falling to 1 seed King Philip Regional in the Sweet Sixteen.
