RallyNorth.net

HUDSON, N.H. — Pinkerton senior Shannon Doherty was apparently determined to extend her softball career a bit longer.

Doherty (2 for 3) drove in all three Pinkerton runs yesterday and called a superb game behind the plate as the No. 14-seed Astros (9-11) shocked No. 3 Alvirne, 3-2. in the first round of the Class L tournament. Pinkerton will now be at Spaulding Saturday at 4 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

The sophomores continued to lead the way offensively for Salem's softball team (11-2). In a 4-0 win over Pinkerton, leadoff hitter Sarah Frahm was 2 for 4 and had a two-run double in the second, classmate Stephanie Long was 2 for 4 with an RBI and fellow sophomore Nicole Gubellini had the other RBI. Nora Galvin pitched a three-hitter to pick up the win.

Trailing by two runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Pinkerton rallied for three runs to nip Nashua North 9-8. Kasey Marraffa, who earlier had a solo home run, singled in the eighth and scored the winning run. Winning pitcher Melanie Dusseault had a double in the eighth and Shannon Doherty belted a three-run homer in the first inning.

The way Londonderry sophomore Samantha Corey is pitching, the injury to standout Theresa Zwart is providing a silver lining for the Lancers. Corey threw a brilliant one-hitter, striking out 11, in a 11-0 pasting of arch-rival Pinkerton. Nicole Williams had two triples for Londonderry (8-3) and both Sam Nitso and Sarah Pierce (3 for 4) had home runs.

Freshman Sami Hennequin allowed just two hits in a complete-game effort as Pinkerton topped Manchester West 12-0.

Brittany Gentile's bases-clearing tripe in the sixth broke open and close game and paced Pinkerton to a five-run inning and a 10-3 win over Goffstown.  Gentile's three-bagger was the big hit in a 13-hit attack. Kasey Marraffa led the hit parade with four.

Sophomore pitcher Melanie Dusseault hurled a one-hitter, striking out eight, as surprising Pinkerton (3-1) blanked Trinity 5-0. Brittany Gentile had an RBI single and two-run triple to pace the offense.

Senior tri-captains Brittany Gentile (RBI triple and run-scoring single), Shannon Murphy (2-run single) and Shannon Doherty (RBI single) drove in all of Pinkerton's runs in a 5-2 victory over Nashua South.

Kasey Marraffa's single was the lone hit Pinkerton could manage in a 3-0 loss to Spaulding.