RallyNorth.net

Mon, May 19, 2008 04:00 PM @ Peabody

Team	Final
Lynn Classical	1
Peabody	4

Peabody softball a step closer to NEC title

Monday, May, 19 By Mike Grenier
Sports editor

PEABODY | Robin Helas drove her black Nissan XTerra to Kiley Field yesterday to watch her daughter, freshman MaryKate Helas, play for the Peabody High softball team. MaryKate Helas then drove Peabody's biggest homer of the season over the fence in left field, smacking the family car.

Fortunately, there was no damage to the car, but Peabody's 4-1 victory put a serious dent into Lynn Classical's objective of winning the Northeastern Conference South title outright. The Rams, who split the season series with Peabody, are 12-3 in the conference. Peabody is 11-3 (13-3 overall) and can clinch a first place tie with wins over Revere (today) and Winthrop (tomorrow).

"We were very excited about the game," said sophomore right-hander Nicole Wilson, who pitched a two-hitter and smothered Lynn Classical after the Rams scored an unearned run in the first. "We've been waiting for it and we wanted to show what we could do.

"We've been watching what's going on in the GBL (referring to the Greater Boston League, which had Peabody as a member for more than 30 years). The NEC is much more competitive."

As well as Peabody played | Wilson took a no-hitter into the sixth | the Tanners trailed 1-0 until Stephanie Fodera hit a towering solo homer to left in the bottom of the fourth off Lynn Classical ace Jenny Garrity.

But the Tanners really shook things up in the fifth. Catcher Sam Terenzoni led off with a walk. Michelle Grifoni flew out to left, but Helas launched the two-run shot that made it 3-1 and hit the front end of her mother's car.

"I knew (it was gone) when I hit it," said Helas, who is having a terrific freshman year, hitting .382 with two homers and a team-high 21 RBIs. "I think my mother was sitting in the front seat (when the ball hit the car)."

A quick inspection of the XTerra revealed no dings.

"I thought I heard an alarm go off," chuckled Peabody coach Butch Melanaphy.

Mrs. Helas said that wasn't the case.

"Somebody just beeped (a horn)," she said. "If (MaryKate) had broken something, I guess it would've been alright."

Wilson, who is 12-2 and saw her earned run average dip to 0.99 for the season, had no trouble protecting the lead. She was so efficient that she had a three-pitch inning | grounder to short, grounder to second, grounder to third. It might've been the fastest inning in history.

"I think it's the best she's been all year," Melanaphy said of Wilson. "It was an outstanding game for us. The kids were focused. Lynn Classical is good and we talked to the kids (about the importance of the game)."

The Rams were hitless until shortstop Aston Dean stroked a single to left with two outs in the sixth. Kristen Dean added a leadoff single in the seventh.

"I wasn't concerned about the (possible) no-hitter," said Wilson. "The 'W' was more important. We really wanted it."

Peabody padded its two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth Fodera singled and Tawny Palmieri doubled in the run, making it 4-1.

"There was a lot of anticipation about this game," said Lynn Classical coach Chris Warren. "Jenny (Garrity) is only a sophomore and she left a couple of pitches in the zone (on the home runs by Fodera and Helas). The long ball was the difference today."

Robin Helas may not want to leave her car in home run territory anymore. The way she's been hitting, MaryKate Helas may use it for target practice.