Schools
Softball: Thunderbolts Lose Pitching Duel Against Panthers
Strong pitching and defense highlighted this close game that ended on the losing side for the Thunderbolts.
The Thunderbolts exhibited strong pitching and defense but it wasn't enough to overcome the Panthers in a pitching duel that ended with a score of 2-1 on Saturday.
With the loss, Cranston East falls to 2-3 on the season.
Johnston shortstop Amanda Colombo started the Lady Panther offense with a single, followed by a steal of second base, in the bottom of the first inning. First baseman Bianca Rossi hit a double to left field, bringing Colombo home for a 1-0 lead.
The second inning consisted of powerful pitching by both Johnston's Alaina DeNoncour and the Thunderbolt’s pitcher, Kaleigh Greene. The only player to reach a base during the inning was Greene, who walked to first in the top half of the inning.
Cranston East got closest to scoring when shortstop Jesse Handler pushed her two teammates into scoring position in the top of the third, but DeNoncour and catcher Victoria St. Angelo teamed up to stop an attempted steal by East's Taylor Burns.
With the Panthers at bat in the bottom of the fourth, third baseman Ariana Caffeso walked to first, stole second while second baseman Danielle Gawlik was batting, and then stole third when leftfielder Lindsey Haskins was batting.
Haskins then hit a single to help Caffeso across the plate, making the score to 2-0.
In the top of the sixth, 'Bolt Alexis McCarten made the score 2-1 by stealing home plate as teammate Sylar Evans tried to take second base. Cranston East shut down the Lady Panthers in the home half of the sixth, with first Burns, and then McCarten, fielding drives to the outfield for outs.
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Johnston had a tense moment in the sixth when Caffeso apparently hurt her back after sliding into third base on a Danielle Gawlik double. Caffeso couldn’t get up and looked to be in a lot of pain. Kelsey Esposito took her place on third base.
Caffeso returned in the top of the seventh to play defense at third. DeNoncour closed out the game with two Ks and a catch of Burns's pop-up.
“We didn’t hit, and that was because they had a very good pitcher," said East coach Mike Rachiele of DeNoncour. "She dominated us.”
