PHOTO BY BOB ROCHE
Swampscott’s Katie Watts, right, gets a handshake from Kasey Kennedy after making a catch against Gloucester in a Division 2 North semifinal game on Friday.
BY SCOT COOPER
LOWELL — There are a few new faces on the field and a new coach in the dugout, but the Swampscott softball team is still back in the Division 2 North Final with Friday’s 8-0 romp over Gloucester.
Swampscott was in control from the first inning on, taking a quick 2-0 lead before Gloucester could get to the plate. This outcome of this game was far different from the two games the teams played during the regular season.
Swampscott won 1-0 at home and Gloucester took their home game 3-2. There would be no tight game Friday, and Gloucester coach John Nicastro said Hannah Leahy was the main reason for that.
“What can you say, she was great. We saw her twice already this season and she seems to be getting stronger each time,” Nicastro said. “We couldn’t get anything going, and it seemed like Swampscott had the bases loaded every other inning.”
Blue coach Gary Moran said the only thing that didn’t go Swampscott’s way Friday was that they left some runners on base. The flip side of that is the Blue put runners on in every inning but the second.
“We left 11 on in this game, we’ll work on that, we’re putting the ball in play, so that’s a positive,” Moran said. “All the coaches have been preaching all season to put the ball in play, and we did that pretty well in this game.”
Katie Watts walked in the top of the first and scored on a groundout by Olivia Cooke. Christina King then knocked Leahy home and the Blue were in gear.
Swampscott didn’t strikeout against Gloucester starter Karina Keenan or her replacement, Sydney McKay. The winners sent 39 batters to the plate and put the ball in play 36 times, with three players reaching on walks.
Swampscott kept it up in the third inning, loading the bases and getting Riley Lord home on a fielder’s choice for a 3-0 lead.
Lord was in the offensive mix in the fourth inning as well. She doubled, plating Michaela Freddo, who ran for Maisie Vasquez. Watts singled to score Sydney Cresta, and Leahy helped herself again, hitting a single that brought Lord home.
Any thoughts of a miraculous Gloucester comeback were dimmed in the top of the seventh when Lord delivered again, this time with a triple that brought in Sarah Ryan and Kasey Kennedy.
Leahy was the story when Swampscott was in the field. She retired 15 of the last 16 batters, punching out Tracy Wood to end the game, her fifth strikeout.
Cooke said it’s fun to be behind the plate when Leahy is on target.
“It’s kind of easy for me, she was pitching great and our defense made the plays,” Cooke said. “We’re excited to win this game, and we’re excited about being in the finals again this year, looking for a better result.”
Swampscott will get this season’s top seed, Tewksbury, in the North Final on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Scot Cooper can be reached at [email protected], follow him on Twitter @bscooper60.