ITEM PHOTO BY KATIE MORRISON
Mallory LeBlanc shut down the Maine offense Sunday.
By KATIE MORRISON
WORCESTER — The Peabody Senior softball all-stars scored early and often in their second game of the Little League Senior East Regional tournament Sunday, getting nine runs in the first en route to a 16-1 victory in five innings over Maine at Vernon Hill Park.
Peabody, which had beaten host team Jack Barry (of Worcester), 4-0, Saturday, will take on Connecticut Monday and Rhode Island Tuesday.
Peabody coach Keith LeBlanc said that after a close game Saturday, it was important for his team to jump out to a sizable lead early.
“The first game, we won 4-0, but we didn’t come out strong, and it was a very close game,” said LeBlanc. “We only had five hits, and I told them I wanted them to double that today. I think they tripled it. They responded, and they really wanted to win.”
Caroline Kukas set the tone early, leading off the game with a single. She came around to score on Mallory LeBlanc’s single. Walks to Alyssa Alperen and Kristina Rossignoll loaded the bases for Sydney Lowry, who smacked a two-run single, putting Peabody up, 3-0.
That knocked Maine starter Alyvia Cormier out of the game, giving way to Grace Tutt. The Peabody lineup had no trouble adjusting to Tutt, who threw harder. Kelsie Blake hit a scorcher to second that was caught in the air for the second out, but Peabody kindled plenty of two-out magic.
A walk to Jayme Callum reloaded the bases, and Lexie Zammer moved everyone up a base with a RBI single. Kukas brought in two more with a single, LeBlanc hit a RBI single, and Amanda Crawford drove in the final two runs of the inning with a single, putting Peabody up 9-0 before the team even took the field.
The Massachusetts senior champions refused to let Maine get back in the game. LeBlanc pitched around an error, starting a 1-3-2 double play to end the inning and get Tutt, who reached on an error, at the plate. Maine scored its only run in the second thanks to a leadoff double from Lacey Bean, but LeBlanc and the defense effectively shut down its lineup through the final three innings.
Peabody added to its lead in the third. Kukas reached on an error but was thrown out at third on LeBlanc’s fielder’s choice. Crawford came through with a long RBI triple, and scored soon after on a wild pitch.
Peabody tacked on five more runs in the fifth against new pitcher Abby Hanson to cap the scoring.
Kukas went 3-for-4 out of the leadoff spot, reaching base five times and driving in three runs. LeBlanc was 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored, Crawford drove in four runs on three hits and Alperen went 2-for-4 with a walk. Every member of the lineup, including three pinch hitters, reached base.
LeBlanc was lights out in the circle, allowing just three hits, and the defense played well, forcing Maine to run into outs.
“As a team defensively, we’re very focused. Every play, they’re on it,” said Keith LeBlanc. “They don’t lose their concentration. You might have a juggled ball here and there, but they’re always on top of it.”
Peabody will take on Connecticut, a team that Maine beat in the first day of the tournament, today at 12:30 at Ty Cobb Field in Worcester. Keith LeBlanc says his team knows not to take any opponent lightly.
“(This win) gives us a lot of confidence, but it’s only one game, so we need to reel back,” he said. “Every game is a different game and any team can win on any given day, so we take it one game at a time. It’s worked for us so far.”