Apr. 17—WELLS — In its first game after a breakout season, the Freeport softball team showed it still has a knack for winning.
The Falcons used a four-run sixth inning to complete the comeback from a four-run deficit en route to defeating fellow Class B South contender Wells, 7-5, in both teams’ opener.
“What I think is amazing about this team is the energy,” said senior Izzy George, who keyed the winning rally with a double and also picked up the win in relief. “We could be down 5-1, up 10-0, and the energy will always be consistent.”
The Falcons, who improved from 3-13 to 16-3 last year, trailed by that 5-1 score after three innings, but answered with two runs in the fourth before going ahead for good in the sixth.
“All season last season, the girls had the same kind of drive,” coach Chris St. Pierre said. “They’re not content with just taking the loss. They’re never hanging their heads, they’re always looking to try to get that hit, get that next runner on base. And it carried on to this season.”
George smacked the first pitch of the sixth inning down the third base line for a leadoff double. Vanessa St. Pierre followed by rapping a single up the middle that drove in George. St. Pierre took third on the throw home.
Ali Brown then boomed a 3-1 pitch to the base of the left field wall 200 feet away for a triple, scoring St. Pierre to tie the game at 5.
“It hit the perfect spot on my bat, and as soon as I hit it I knew it was going pretty far,” Brown said. “With a 3-1 count, our coach always tells us ‘You’ve got to wait for it, it’s got to be yours.’ I saw that one come out of her hand and I knew it was the one I was looking for.”
The rally continued when Lillian Larochelle’s fly to right was misplayed due to the sun, scoring Brown for the lead, and Larochelle stole third and scored on a wild throw into left for a 7-5 advantage.
It was enough of a lead for George, who relieved freshman Piper Larochelle (seven strikeouts) in the fifth with one out and a runner on first. She escaped the inning on a fielder’s choice and strikeout, and then set down the Wells side in order in the sixth and seventh.
“I like to close,” George said. “I like to just have fun when I’m pitching. Keep it light, fun, and just trust my team.”
Wells went up 2-0 on Delani Brown’s two-run double, then stretched the lead to 5-1 in the third on an RBI single from Savannah Tardiff (2 for 4, two runs) and a base hit by Cailin Henry. Freeport inched closer in the fourth when St. Pierre and Brown scored on a groundout and wild pitch, respectively.
“I thought we did a lot of things well. Even that big inning, we almost had plays, it was just a close play at third, a close play at second. Timely hits on their part, give them credit,” said Wells coach Kevin Fox, who got three hits and two runs from Payton Fazzina and five strikeouts from Delani Brown. “We just gave up too many extra outs, it kind of got us in the end.”
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WELLS — In its first game after a breakout season, the Freeport softball team showed it still has a knack for winning.
The Falcons used a four-run sixth inning to complete the comeback from a four-run deficit en route to defeating fellow Class B South contender Wells, 7-5, in both teams’ opener.
“What I think is amazing about this team is the energy,” said senior Izzy George, who keyed the winning rally with a double and also picked up the win in relief. “We could be down 5-1, up 10-0, and the energy will always be consistent.”
The Falcons, who improved from 3-13 to 16-3 last year, trailed by that 5-1 score after three innings, but answered with two runs in the fourth before going ahead for good in the sixth.
“All season last season, the girls had the same kind of drive,” coach Chris St. Pierre said. “They’re not content with just taking the loss. They’re never hanging their heads, they’re always looking to try to get that hit, get that next runner on base. And it carried on to this season.”
George smacked the first pitch of the sixth inning down the third base line for a leadoff double. Vanessa St. Pierre followed by rapping a single up the middle that drove in George. St. Pierre took third on the throw home.
Ali Brown then boomed a 3-1 pitch to the base of the left field wall 200 feet away for a triple, scoring St. Pierre to tie the game at 5.
“It hit the perfect spot on my bat, and as soon as I hit it I knew it was going pretty far,” Brown said. “With a 3-1 count, our coach always tells us ‘You’ve got to wait for it, it’s got to be yours.’ I saw that one come out of her hand and I knew it was the one I was looking for.”
The rally continued when Lillian Larochelle’s fly to right was misplayed due to the sun, scoring Brown for the lead, and Larochelle stole third and scored on a wild throw into left for a 7-5 advantage.
It was enough of a lead for George, who relieved freshman Piper Larochelle (seven strikeouts) in the fifth with one out and a runner on first. She escaped the inning on a fielder’s choice and strikeout, and then set down the Wells side in order in the sixth and seventh.
“I like to close,” George said. “I like to just have fun when I’m pitching. Keep it light, fun, and just trust my team.”
Wells went up 2-0 on Delani Brown’s two-run double, then stretched the lead to 5-1 in the third on an RBI single from Savannah Tardiff (2 for 4, two runs) and a base hit by Cailin Henry. Freeport inched closer in the fourth when St. Pierre and Brown scored on a groundout and wild pitch, respectively.
“I thought we did a lot of things well. Even that big inning, we almost had plays, it was just a close play at third, a close play at second. Timely hits on their part, give them credit,” said Wells coach Kevin Fox, who got three hits and two runs from Payton Fazzina and five strikeouts from Delani Brown. “We just gave up too many extra outs, it kind of got us in the end.”
