ITEM PHOTO: KATIE MORRISON
Shyla Jackson singled and scored a run for Lynn Tech in a loss to PMA on Thursday.
By KATIE MORRISON
LYNN – The Lynn Tech softball team’s bats were hot Thursday, but they couldn’t out-slug Presentation of Mary Academy as they fell, 22-10, at home.
It was a tough day for both pitchers – Briana Reynoso for Tech and Shakira Henriquez for PMA – but both went the distance for their teams. Though Reynoso’s command got away from her at times in the circle, at the plate she helped herself, driving in six runs on a triple and two singles.
The Panthers struck quickly, scoring three times in the first. After the first four batters of the game reached base (an error, walk, hit batter and single), Reynoso settled down and her defense made the plays behind her. Meagan LeBlanc snagged two liners at shortstop, and Reynoso caught a pop-up herself, and the Tigers (1-10) escaped any further damage.
Tech’s Coral Gonzalez singled in the bottom of the inning, but was doubled off first as Carmen Pascal hit a sharp liner to second, and Gonzalez couldn’t get back to the bag in time.
A couple of nice plays, including a double play in which second baseman Lunna Davila caught a liner and combined with LeBlanc to double a runner off second, got the Tigers out of the inning without allowing a run.
Yenifer Rodriguez led off the second with a triple, and came home on Reynoso’s single to get the Tigers on the board. In the third, Reynoso slammed a triple of her own, driving in two runs. At the end of three, PMA led, 8-3, after scoring five times in the top of the third.
Tech kept chipping away, however, and pushed one more across in the fourth. Shyla Jackson singled to lead off the inning, and after an error and a groundout, came home on Gonzalez’s groundout to the pitcher.
Tech’s bats really got going late in the game, but unfortunately for the Tigers, PMA kept hitting as well.
The Panthers scored five in the fifth, and Tech responded with three, two of which came on Jackson’s home run, a ball that rolled deep into right field.
PMA had a big sixth, adding six runs to take a 21-7 lead. Tech refused to go quietly, however, and took advantage of Henriquez’s wildness in the sixth. LeBlanc singled and Gonzalez and Pascal drew walks to load the bases. Rodriguez stayed patient at the plate and drew a bases-loaded walk. Reynoso knocked home two more with a bases-loaded single.
Tech coach Beth Mercaldi said that while the lineup’s hitting can be inconsistent, when they get going, they can do some damage.
“We played decent today, and we can definitely hit the ball,” said Mercaldi, who praised her lineup, especially Reynoso and Jackson.
Though the power from the top of the lineup was noticeably absent Thursday, LeBlanc and Gonzalez showed off their speed, each stealing two bases.
Defensively, senior Adriana Reyes made some outstanding plays in centerfield. She held on for a couple of nice catches, and kept everything in front of her to hold runners to just one base.
The Tigers close out their season on the road, taking on Northeast Regional Tuesday.