14U Softball Team Brattelboro Tourney Champs

14U Tewksbury Softball Team – Brattleboro Vermont Tourney Champions                The Redmen 14U Softball team traveled to Vermont for their third tournament of the season.   The girls started the Saturday pool play against the Dracut Dominators, where Adrianna Favreau had an impressive outing giving up just one hit, allowing no runs, and striking out 6 during her five innings of work. Nicole Petherbridge led the offense with two hits, and had a solid performance behind the plate.  Molly Robertson  and Marissa Doherty and contributed with 2 RBI’s each, Doherty’s in a big third inning which saw the Redmen score 6 runs as they defeated Dracut 8-0. In game two, Erika Whynot took the mound against the NH Northern Lights and again it was a one-hit shutout, this time with 4 strike-outs.  The offense was there for Whynot with Nora Butler leading the team with two doubles, a single, and 3 RBI for the game.  Colleen MacNeil had a double and 2 runs scored for the game.  Emily Velozo had two singles, and 2 runs scored.  Defensively, third baseman Kirsten Dick and second baseman Christina Noyes combined with Colleen MacNeil for 7 infield outs and a final score of 12-0.   The bats stayed hot for game 3 of Saturday pool play against the Vermont Storm.  Nora Butler and Erika Whynot each had a home run.  Favreau, on the mound again for another one hitter, had two singles and a double, and 3 RBI.  Emily Velozo had 2 hits and 2 runs scored in a 17-2 defeat of the VT team.               With the dominant Saturday play, the Redmen were awarded the #1 seed for Sunday.  They played the Westford Waves in their morning game.  Erika Whynot was on the mound, and the game started with a single, an out at first and the Waves runner on second.  The next hitter singled to right, scoring a run, on the throw home, the runner tried to steal second, but Petherbridge made a nice throw and Butler a nice tag to erase the runner.  A line out to Nora Butler ended the Waves threat in the first with only 1 run scored.  The Redmen answered in the bottom with a lead-off single by Doherty.  Kirsten Dick laid down a perfect bunt, reaching safely, and moving Doherty to second.  Petherbridge bunted on the next at bat, and again reached safely while moving the runners.  With the bases loaded and one out, Favreau put the ball in play to short, Westford tried the play at the plate, but Doherty scored safely with her speed, and all other players were safe with the game now tied 1-1.  Whynot hit a big double to center field, scoring Dick and Petherbridge, and moving Favreau to third, but the Waves were able to make the next 2 outs stranding the runner, but giving the Redmen an important 2 run lead.  In the second inning, Noyes made a great catch in right, and Robertson made numerous putouts in the next few innings, including combining with Butler and MacNeil for a sweet 6-4-3 double play as the Redmen were able to hold the Waves scoreless for 5 innings.  The Redmen were able to add 3 more runs, two in the third on doubles from Favreau, Whynot (RBI), and MacNeil, a bunt from Noyes, and a single from Robertson (RBI), and one in the 5th on doubles from Favreau and MacNeil (RBI).  With a 6-1 lead in the final inning, the Waves made it interesting but came up short, and the Redmen and Whynot took home the win 6-4.               The Redmen faced the Brattleboro Heat in the semi-finals and easily moved on with a 12-0  win in 4 innings.  Favreau pitched a one hitter for the Redmen.  The Redmen were too much for the Heat who gave up 4 runs in the first and 7 runs in the third.  Karina Crowley scored the winning run for the Redmen.                              The Redmen played the NH Lightening in the finals, and jumped out to an early lead.  After some great catches by Favreau in left, and Dick at third in the defensive half of the inning, Doherty got on base with one of her three hits of the game.  Doherty stole second and third. Dick walked and stole second, setting up for a Petherbridge sacrifice which scored Doherty and moved Dick to third.  Butler hit a sacrifice fly to score Dick, and the Redmen had a 2-0 lead.  Doherty made a nice catch in the second to keep the Lightening off the board.  The Redmen added a couple to their lead in the third inning, with another hit by Doherty, walk by Dick, single by Petherbridge, and an RBI single by Butler to score Doherty, and a pop-up by Favreau, on which Dick was able to tag up and score.  The Redmen had a 4-1 lead after 3.5 innings, but the Redmen were able to add 5 more runs in their half of the  4th on a walk by MacNeil, singles by Robertson, Doherty, Petherbridge ( 2 RBI), Butler, and a Favreau 2 RBI triple (scoring Crowley running for Petherbridge and Butler).  The Lightening were retired in order by Whynot in the bottom of the 5th for the championship.  The Redmen 14U are having a great season – with a season record of 17-1.