The Winthrop High softball team’s bats came alive last Thursday, blasting Mt. St. Joseph 14-7. Among the Lady Vikings who feasted on the Mt. St. J pitching were Ashley Fiandaca, who enjoyed a fine day at the plate, going three for five with three RBI and a run scored; Lindsey Barker with three hits, two RBI, and two runs; Courtney Finn with two hits, two RBI, and three runs; Abby Belcher with two doubles, a run, and a ribbie; Alyssa Moore with two hits, a walk, two runs, and two RBI; Kristen Lanza with a hit and three RBI; and Andrea Martucci with three runs.
Angela Pettee pitched the entire seven innings for Winthrop, allowing seven runs (only four were earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts and seven walks.
The victory was sandwiched between losses to Salem last Wednesday and Lynn English on Monday. Finn went three for four, including a double, against Salem, while Belcher had two doubles. Elaine Lanza and Christine Jones also had base hits for the Lady Vikings.
Elaine Lanza came on in relief in the second inning and pitched well in her five and two thirds innings of work against the Witches. Elaine allowed just five hits and four runs while walking three and fanning two.
Monday’s 5-3 defeat to English was a close contest all the way, but the Lady Vikings couldn’t put together a big rally that might have turned the game in their favor. Winthrop scored a run in the second when Martucci doubled, Haley Benson walked, and a throwing error by the pitcher on a bouncer by Amanda Brogna allowed Martucci to score.
Finn then popped a homer in the third to tie matters at 2-2, but English forged ahead with a run of its own in the third. The Lady Vikings made it a 4-3 contest with a tally in the sixth when Moore and Martucci singled and moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Benson. Moore came around on an infield hit by Belcher.
But that would prove to be the final run of the game for the Lady Vikings and English added an insurance run in the sixth for the 5-3 finale.
Elaine Lanza worked the six innings for Winthrop, yielding six hits and five runs with three walks and three Ks.
“Elaine pitched well enough to win,” noted WHS head coach Dave Guffey, “but we didn’t give her the support she deserved. This wasn’t our best week, but hopefully we’ll bounce back.”
The Lady Vikings were set to be back in action last night (Wednesday) under the lights at home against Revere and will journey to Peabody today. They will host Gloucester Monday and travel to Swampscott next Wednesday.