FILE PHOTO
Rebecca Walker and the Rams improved to 6-0 with the win.
By HAROLD RIVERA
SAUGUS — When the Lynn Classical softball team needed a big hit to stay undefeated at Saugus Thursday, Madison Dana delivered. The Rams held a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh inning when Dana came through with a 2-RBI single to stave off the Sachems and propel Classical to an 8-4 win.
“First pitch, she (Dana) was confident enough to go up there, get a good swing and put the ball on the ground,” Classical coach Erica Richard said. “That was huge because when you give up three runs in the sixth, it’s real easy to say ‘uh oh’ in the seventh.”
Classical opened up a three-run lead in the bottom of the first inning for an early advantage.
“We always say ‘get out early’ and then hold them,” Richard said. “We knew Saugus is the type of team that was going to come back. We did a good job of settling down when we had to.”
Rebecca Walker singled to lead off the inning and came around to score after a pair of Saugus errors. An infield groundout from Meghan Leavitt scored Classical pitcher Tori Adams for the 2-0 edge. Kiara Edmonds’ sacrifice bunt brought Alaina Gridley home and the Sachems were staring at a 3-0 deficit midway through the first.
“I think our youth and inexperience showed today a little bit,” Saugus coach Steve Almquist said. “We made some nice plays but just not enough of them. It’s not a lack of effort, we’re just not making the plays when we need to.”
A 2-RBI single off Walker’s bat in the top of the fourth scored a pair of Classical baserunners to make it a 5-0 lead. The Rams threatened for more, loading the bases with one out, but Saugus pitcher Caitlyn Wood escaped the jam.
“I told the kids that I’m proud of the way we battled,” Almquist said. “Classical’s a very good, undefeated team.”
Saugus got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Catie Sheehan hit an RBI double to deep-center to bring home Emma Howard. Adams sent the next three Saugus batters down in order to keep the score at 5-1.
A RBI single from Howard in the bottom of the fifth made it a three-run deficit at 5-2 and Saugus was starting to claw back into the game.
“The momentum started to swing our way,” Almquist said. “That’s all I ask of the kids, is that they give themselves a chance to win.”
In the bottom of the sixth, Sadie DiCenso drew a walk with the bases loaded to trim Classical’s lead down to 5-3. Ashley Shaw followed with a groundout to Adams that scored Alex Almquist, making it a one-run game at 5-4. Adams fanned the next two Saugus batters and Classical hung on to the 5-4 lead after six innings.
“Once we got out of that inning we knew we had to take the wind out of them,” Richard said. “We had to come back and get something going.”
Dana’s 2-RBI single in the top of the seventh gave Classical the breathing room it needed and extended the Rams’ lead to 7-4. Walker added an insurance run with an RBI single of her own, scoring Kayla Morrill to put Classical ahead by four.
Adams buckled down in the bottom of the seventh, after allowing a walk to Saugus’ Howard, to seal the deal.
“We scored the first three runs with the top of our order and the last three with the bottom of our order,” Richard said. “Everybody contributed so it was a great win.”
Classical (6-0) looks to remain undefeated when the Rams host Revere on Saturday.
Saugus (3-4) hopes to bounce back against Lynn English on Monday.