RallyNorth.net

Fishermen use extra innings to knock off unbeaten Falcons

Saturday, April, 26 By Nick Curcuru
Correspondent

There are many different ways to celebrate an extra-innings victory over an undefeated archrival.

The Gloucester softball team decided to take part in a dance to the electric slide after their 5-4 victory over Danvers at Burnham's field. The Fishermen (5-3) had been waiting to bust out the line dance, and a win over Danvers was the perfect time to do it.

"We had been talking about doing (the electric slide) after our last win," Gloucester captain Olivia Frontiero said. "It was definitely great to celebrate after beating our rivals, we are very excited."

Savannah Jacobs would end up being the hero for the Fishermen. With two outs in the eighth, Jacobs came up as a pinch hitter. After swinging and missing at the first pitch, Jacobs ripped a line shot into the gap in right center. She would end up with a triple and more importantly she plated pinch runner Allie McCarthy with the winning run to give Gloucester a 5-4 walk-off win.

"I'm so proud of Savannah," Fishermen captain Ali Kippen said. "She has really stepped it up for us this year and she came through when we needed her most."

Trailing 4-1, Gloucester started its comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning by scoring three runs. Kippen cut the Falcons (5-1) lead to 4-2 when her sacrifice fly drove in Alysha Clayton who reached on an error. Two batters later, designated hitter Lani Gannon drove in Jill Lukegord (single) with an RBI single to make it 4-3. Frontiero tied up the score when she stole home plate on a throw down to second base.

Fishermen head coach Julie Ferguson couldn't have been happier with the way her team rallied.

"The girls fought the whole way through," Ferguson said. "We have been fighting back all year. Even in the games we lost we have fought back from behind."

Ferguson also admitted that the win was a little bit sweeter coming against their previously unbeaten archrivals.

The game didn't start off well for Gloucester, as they fell behind 4-0 in the first three innings. Danvers would go up 1-0 just two batters into the game when shortstop Ashley Burhnam would score on a throwing error after singling. Burnham, who is one of the top sluggers in the Northeastern Conference (and reigning NEC MVP), was intentionally walked in her next four at bats. Alisha Dean would make it 2-0 Falcons when she tagged up from second base on a Jill Carroll fly ball after reaching on a single.

The Falcons opened up their lead in the top of the third as Caroline Moholland drove in Burnham with an RBI single. Carroll drove in Moholland with a single one batter later to make it 4-0.

Lukegord picked up the win for the Fishermen. After the third inning, the senior flame thrower did not allow a run and gave up just four hits. Lukegord was helped by a stellar Fishermen defense that committed no errors behind her. Shortstop Charlie Porter lead the Fishermen defense with a number of tough stops in the hole between third base and shortstop. Gannon paced the Fishermen offense with three hits while Clayton, Lukegord and third baseman Addy Blakely had two each.

"We're really excited to have picked up the win," Kippen said. "We played a great game and it was awesome to knock off our rivals in dramatic fashion."