PEABODY — All it took was a quick start in this one.
The Peabody softball team pushed across seven runs in the first inning and never looked back Monday, rolling to a 12-0 win over Northeastern Conference foe Salem in six innings at Kiley Brothers Field. It was a complete team effort from the Tanners, who’ve hit their stride as of late.
“We’ve really been putting in good work at practice, and it’s starting to show when you can put together games like this,” said Peabody coach Tawny Palmieri. “We have a lot of talented players, and to be able to string hits together and put up lots of runs and at the same time shut things down defensively, it feels really good.”
Peabody pitcher Tianna Dawe was dominant in the circle. The reigning co-NEC Player of the Year tossed all six innings, allowing just two hits with 13 strikeouts. The Witches were never able to get more than one runner on base at any point.
“Tianna dominated the whole game,” Palmieri said. “She gave up that one hit to the first batter and then pretty much went the rest of the way. She hit her spots all game long, and when she’s on no team can really hit her.”
On offense, the Tanners were led by Mackenzie Marmion and Kristina Rossignoll, who each went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Makayla Rooney went 1-for-4 with a triple and one RBI, Janelle Richard went 1-for-4 with one RBI and Dawe went 2-for-3 with two doubles.
“Offensively, we had everyone contribute,” Palmieri said. “We had a lot of different players with hits, players from up and down the lineup were coming up big with runners on and got off to a big lead early with that first inning. It was really good to see.”
Peabody struck early and often, notching seven runs in the bottom of the first. Emma Bloom walked and stole second base to set up Richard, who blooped a RBI single into right field to make it 1-0. Richard stole second, then Rooney’s RBI triple brought her home to make it 2-0. Rooney raced home on a passed ball to go up three runs, then three batters later, Marmion lined a RBI single to make it 4-0. The Tanners pushed across three more runs in the inning — one on a passed ball, one via error and one on a fielder’s choice — to carry a 7-0 lead into the second inning.
That was all the support Dawe needed, as the senior pitcher was locked in the whole way. After hitting a batter to lead off the top of the third, Dawe retired nine straight batters before allowing a single to lead the sixth inning.
Peabody continued to pile on runs. A run came in via a passed ball in the second inning and then the Tanners grabbed another on an error in the third to go up 9-0. Rossignoll added back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings to make it 11-0, then Marmion finished the game with a RBI single to hit the 12-run rule.
The Tanners (6-3) are back in action Wednesday (5:30) when they host Beverly. Peabody fell to the Panthers 6-5 on April 16, but the Tanners have now won six of their last seven games since.
“Last game we played Beverly, we were ahead and pretty much dominated most of that game, but then we gave it up at the end,” Palmieri said. “Hopefully this time around we can stay strong and play a full seven innings and come away with the win.”