RallyNorth.net

HAVERHILL — Those two days of rain earlier in the week may have given Amesbury the edge it needed Wednesday afternoon in the Division 3 North quarterfinal matchup against Whittier.

Olivia Beauchesne doubled in Kayle Hobbs with the walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh to lift Whittier to a 2-1 victory over Essex Tech in the first round of the Division 3 tournament.

Winning pitcher Alyssa Wilson (3 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBI) and Kelleigh Greaney (3 hit) had the hot bats as Whittier beat Greater Lowell 13-1 in five innings to wrap up an 18-2 regular season.

Whittier got a boost prior to this weekend's Methuen Invitational with an impressive 3-2 win over Lowell. Allison Beauchesne smacked a two-run single in the first for the Wildcats (16-1) and Kaley Thibault had an RBi hit in the fifth to back up the clutch six-hit pitching of Nicole Verrette.

Whittier freshman Alyssa Wilson struck out 15 batters, allowed only two hits and also drove in a run to help the Wildcats throttle Ipswich 11-0. Olivia Beauchesne crushed a three-run home run in the win.

Whittier's softball team clinched the Commonwealth Conference large school title for the third straight year with a 6-1 victory over Essex Tech, Nicole Verrette threw a 3-hitter, striking out 10, and the Beauchesne sisters paced the offense. Allison Beauchesne was 2 for 4 with a home run and Olivia was 3 for 3 with two RBIs.

Nicole Verrette threw a 5-hitter and fanned seven and her sister Jacklyn had a bases-clearing triple to break the game open as Whittier won its showdown with Essex Tech 8-3.

Kaley Thibault's three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth broke open the game for Whittier, as the Wildcats (9-1) earned a big 9-3 win over Mystic Valley (10-3). Thibault and Alyssa Wilson each had three RBIs, and pitcher Nicole Verrette had 10 strikeouts.

Whittier softball's pitching had its way with Notre Dame, striking out 11 batters in five innings in a 13-0 win. Alyssa Wilson struck out five batters in two innings while also going 2 for 2 with a run and RBI at the plate, and Nicole Verrette struck out six in three innings.

Whittier had a hit parade in a 16-1 romp over Notre Dame of Tyngsboro. Kyleigh Jo Campbell led the 18-hit attack, going 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Allison Beauchesne had a home run and three RBIs.