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Lynn Classical’s Alaina Gridley will try to keep her bat hot going into the Division 1 North softball tournament.
By KATIE MORRISON
The MIAA softball tournament pairings were announced on Tuesday, and there are plenty of exciting matchups ahead for local teams.
Lynn Classical earned the No. 16 seed in the Division 1 bracket, the lowest seed to earn a home game. They’ll take on a familiar opponent, Beverly, in the preliminary round on Friday at 4 p.m.
Classical won on a walk-off the first time they faced off against Beverly, a 4-3 win in eight innings. Later in the season, the Panthers topped the Rams, 10-7.
Classical coach Erica Richard knows that the game could go either way between two evenly-matched teams.
“It all depends on how we show up, and we hope for the best,” said Richard. “When we play the way we can, we could make a run. We’ve prepared all year, and I think we’re in good shape.”
Classical (11-9) gets to play one last home game at Grace Rogato Field. If they win, they’ll have to go on the road to take on top-seeded Central Catholic.
“I think it’s great for the seniors to get one last game at home,” said Richard. “It makes a big difference to be familiar with the field and to not have to get on a bus.”
The other Lynn softball team in the tournament, St. Mary’s, earned the fourth seed in Division 3, giving them a bye in the prelims. They’ll play the winner of Thursday’s matchup between No. 13 Boston Latin and No. 20 Ipswich. St. Mary’s (16-4) will host the first-round game on Saturday at 4 p.m.
One of the more exciting games on the schedule is between two Northeastern Conference foes, No. 7 Swampscott and No. 10 Saugus. The Sachems, in the tournament for the first time in five years under first-year coach Steve Almquist, finished the regular season at 13-7. But the Big Blue swept their season series with Saugus, winning early in the season, 5-4, and blowing out the Sachems, 15-3, in the regular season finale last week.
Almquist says that the chance for his team to redeem themselves, especially so quickly, is exciting for the Sachems.
“We’re not going to change much, we’re going to try to play our game,” said Almquist. “We’ve bounced back pretty well from losses, especially bad losses. But (Swampscott is) tough. There’s not an easy out in their lineup. They’re well-coached, and they’re not going to beat themselves. We’re going to have to play pretty close to a perfect game if we want to beat them.”
Almquist says that Swampscott starter Hannah Leahy is one of, if not the best, pitcher the Sachems have faced all year.
“She’s got good control, good offspeed stuff, and doesn’t walk anyone,” he said.
The timing is not ideal for the Sachems, who play the Big Blue on Thursday…the day after the Saugus High senior prom. But Almquist isn’t worried about how his team will prepare.
Also in the Division 2 bracket are the NEC champions, Marblehead. The Magicians earned a bye in the preliminary round with the third seed, and will play No. 14 Arlington Catholic on Thursday at 4 p.m. at home.
Danvers earned the No. 8 seed in D2 and will play No. 9 Pentucket in Danvers at home on Friday at 4 p.m.. No. 6 Gloucester will play No. 11 Wilmington on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in Gloucester.
Another interesting matchup comes out of Division 1. No. 10 Revere will go on the road to take on No. 7 Westford Academy on Saturday at 4 p.m. Westford, seeded 19th last season, upset the Patriots in the 2015 tournament in an eight-inning heartbreaker in the D1 quarterfinals.
The other local team in the Division 1 bracket is Peabody, who earned the 19th and last seed with an 11-9 record. They’ll take on No. 15 Lowell in the preliminary round on Thursday at 4 p.m.
Lynnfield made the Division 3 tournament with a 9-9 record, earning the 22nd seed. They’ll play No. 11 Snowden on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Boston. Winthrop also snuck into the tournament at 6-14, and will have their work cut out for them against No. 9 Mystic Valley in the preliminary round on Thursday at 3 p.m.