Small Ball Comes Up Huge for Tewksbury as Redmen Advance to Softball Title Game

It may have been small ball. But for the Tewksbury softball team, it was huge.

The sixth-seeded Lady Redmen scored four runs without a hit leaving the infield during a four-run sixth inning that helped them pull away from No. 2 Danvers to earn a 6-1 win in the North Division 2 semifinal game Wednesday in Lowell.

Holding onto a 2-1 lead thanks to a fifth inning RBI single by Marissa Doherty, Tewksbury snagged a lead off walk to start the visitor's sixth.

The Redmen attempted to sacrifice with the next two batters, but both reached - the first on an errant throw to first base and the second without a throw to load the bases.

Anna Sessa then laced a ground ball that was fielded cleanly, but the throw home was dropped by the Falcon catcher, bringing home two runs. 

Kayla VonKahle and Kirsten Dick each dropped down perfect sacrifice bunts as the next two batters, and Tewksbury pushed its lead to 6-1.

Ironically, the hardest hit ball of the inning came from Brooke Hardy, who lined one to left field to end the inning, but the damage was already done. Hardy managed just fine on the day, however, as she racked up two triples and a double.

Shannon McLaughlin finished off an easy sixth and seventh to police off the semifinal win with a complete game performance.

Following the victory, Tewksbury advanced to the North Division 2 championship game. They will take on Dracut in a game scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m.