Peabody softball takes down Reading in Div. 1 Sweet 16 matchup
Jun. 8—READING — The Peabody softball team went on the road Tuesday afternoon and didn't disappoint, defeating Reading, 7-4, to advance to the Division 1 Round of 8.
The Tanners will now welcome Newton North to Kiley Field sometime between Friday and Sunday after the latter knocked off top ranked Bishop Feehan.
It was sweet revenge for Peabody, since the squad lost to Analise Grady and Billerica in the North Finals a year ago on a late home run. Freshman Abby Bettencourt took the heartbreaking loss in that one, but a year later the tables were turned.
Now, Grady is pitching for the No. 8 seed Rockets (19-3), and Tanner coach Tawny Palmieri was determined to do everything she could to get her team ready to face the hard throwing senior.
"Our whole coaching staff promised the girls a year ago they would be better prepared for a pitcher like Grady, who throws hard and throws strikes (14 K's on Tuesday)," said Palmieri, her team now 20-2. "We brought in a couple of college pitchers to throw fast balls and changeups which we knew we were going to see. Grady is a great pitcher, and this time around we knew all about her. Last year we only had heard a little about her, and she can really throw."
Peabody used a combination of the long ball and bunts to produce runs. The first batter of the game, Abby Bettencourt, blasted a triple to deep center field that was bobbled allowing her to come all the way around to score.
Bettencourt wound up with three hits and a walk while scoring four times, not to mention pitching a great game. She gave up six hits, walked three, hit a batter and whiffed seven.
Emma Bloom followed with a single up the middle to plate Bettencourt and give her team a 2-0 lead before Reading came up to bat for the first time. The Tanners briefly trailed, but every time the Rockets chipped away they answered right back with more runs. Peabody was also very aggressive on the base paths, and it paid off.
"That was a typical Abby day, and it was crucial to get runs in the first inning," said Palmieri. "We wanted to jump on them right away, and Abby certainly did the job. The outfield here was tough on the fielders because of no fences, and once the ball gets by it just keeps on going. But it worked to our advantage today."
Peabody had nine hits in total. Abby B., Bloom and Isabel Bettencourt collected eight of them with Avery Grieco getting the other one. Reading (19-3 overall and 14-1 in the Middlesex League) got on the board in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on two errors. It took a 3-2 lead in the second when No. 8 hitter Katie Hurley tripled with two down, and Grace Weston followed with a homer to deep right-center field.
That lead didn't last long as the Tanners struck for three runs in the top of the third to regain the advantage and never let go.
Abby B. started things off with a double to set the stage for Bloom, who homered. Isabel Bettencourt singled, advanced to second on a passed ball and later scored on a wild pitch for a 5-3 lead. Grady retired nine of the next 10 batters, but Abby B. was the one to hit safely with a solo homer in the fourth.
Twice the sophomore hurler worked her way out of bases loaded jams. In the bottom of the third inning she gave up a single to Ella Haley and with one out, walked Grady. Emily Martel was hit by a pitch to load them up for Ava Kiley, who grounded out to end the threat.
The Rockets threatened again in the fifth to put together a big inning when Jackie Malley beat out an infield hit, Gray walked, and Caroline Higgins hit an RBI single. Logan Lomasney handled a high pop up to second base, but Kiley walked to load the bases. Katie Hurley grounded back to the circle, and Bettencourt fired to first baseman Gina Terrazzano to end the inning and give the Tanners a 6-4 lead heading to the sixth.
"Abby was hitting her spots all game, but was getting squeezed a lot,' said her sister and catcher Bo. "She had everything working well. I'm so excited that we are going on to the Round of 8, and also that we're going to be playing at home next game."
The NEC champs added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, and this time it wasn't with power hitting but small ball. Abby got it going with a one out walk, stole second and went all the way over to third when the catcher's throw was off the mark. Bloom laid down a perfect bunt to bring her home, and Bo B. followed with another bunt single.
"I figure if you can hit you should be able to bunt," said captain Bloom, who had three hits and three RBI. "It's awesome to win, a great feeling. It all came down to mental toughness. We pick each other up."
Bettencourt struck out the first batter she faced in the bottom of the seventh, Higgins reached on an infield hit, but Martell grounded back to the circle and a double play from Bettencourt to Lomaseny to Terrazzano ended the game as the Peabody girls began to celebrate.
"Abby does it all four us," said Palmieri. "We count on her in the leadoff spot, in the circle, and with outstanding defense on anything hit her way. She never panics and remains confident."
Contact Jean DePlacido @JeanDePlacidoSN
Contact Jean DePlacido @JeanDePlacidoSN
