RallyNorth.net

Thu, May 22, 2008 04:00 PM @ Gloucester

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Final
Masconomet	1	2	0	0	1	0	0	4
Gloucester	0	0	0	4	0	4	0	8

Fishermen clinch tourney spot in last game

Friday, May, 23 By Nick Curcuru
Correspondent

The Gloucester softball team can finally breathe a sigh of relief.  

After seeing their record go from 8-3 to 9-10 after losing six straight games, the Fishermen put their state tournament hopes in serious jeopardy. They needed to beat Masconomet yesterday or their season would come to an end.

Fortunately the Fishermen were able to get the victory by ripping nine hits and getting a solid pitching effort from Jill Lukegord en route to an 8-4 win over the Chieftains at Burnham's Field.

"It's about time," Gloucester co-captain Olivia Frontiero said afterward about the team's tournament clinching win. "We lost a lot of close games during our losing streak but we stayed positive because we could have won most of those games. This team is too good not to make the tournament and we knew we would find a way to get the job done."

Tied at four going into the bottom of the fifth inning, Gloucester (10-10) broke the game open with a four-run explosion. Ali Kippen snapped the tie when she singled in Lukegord who reached on an error. One batter later Lani Gannon doubled in Frontiero who singled to make it 6-4. Kippen scored on a Nicole Whipple ground out and Gannon came around on an Addy Blakely (2 hits) single to make it 8-4.

Lukegord picked up the win for the Fishermen, going the distance and allowing just one earned run while scattering five hits and striking out seven.

"The girls came through when they needed to," Gloucester head coach Julie Ferguson said. "We came out a little flat but we fought hard to get the win. These girls have showed a ton of heart all season and it's great to finally get into the tournament."

The Fishermen did not get off to a good start as the Chieftains (3-17) took an 3-0 lead through two innings. KJ McGann made it 1-0 Masco when she singled in pitcher Katie Guido who reached on an error. Masconomet scored two more runs in the second inning when Guido and Amanda Gotts came in to score on a Fishermen throwing error.

Gloucester came back to take the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Alysha Clayton (2 hits) made it 3-1 when she came in to score on a Chieftain throwing error after singling. Whipple delivered the big blow when she cranked a bases-loaded triple scoring Lukegord who reached on a fielders choice, Kippen who reached on an error and Gannon who reached on an error. Masco tied it up the next inning when Ally Shamon singled in Stephanie Guido who singled.

The Fishermen will now focus on the state tournament, they will find out their next opponent on Tuesday when the pairings are announced. Gloucester will most likely be in the preliminary round.  

"We need to be ready because we are going to be playing a good team," Frontiero said. "We have to stay focused and play the way we are capable of playing."

Ferguson is hoping the team can get prepared through a consistent week of practice.

"We are going to get right back to practice tomorrow and we need to be focused, which we will be," Ferguson said. "We made the tournament and now our focus is on our first round game. If we play our game and keep the errors down, we have a chance to make some noise."