MONMOUTH – There were times in this year-or-two-ahead-of-schedule Mountain Valley Conference softball season when Monmouth Academy showed its age and still got away with it.
That was the regular season, though. Thursday afternoon was the Western Class C playoffs, a more suffocating environment in which No. 7 Mt. Abram took advantage of eight Monmouth errors, guarded an early lead with its life and gutted out a 7-4 quarterfinal triumph over the No. 2 Mustangs.
Katie Walker, one of three senior starters for Mt. Abram (13-5), scattered five hits to earn the complete-game triumph. She struck out four and walked only three, and despite all that, found room to lament her own throwing error that allowed three runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the fourth.
“She pitched great,” said senior catcher Ashley Dalessandro. “She makes us look good all the time. It felt good to be able to pick her up for a change.”
The Roadrunners’ mildly surprising playoff push continues in Saturday’s semifinals at St. Dom’s.
Mt. Abram already led 4-0 when Walker’s two-out throw on a one-hopper to the mound allowed Kayla Chick, Nikki Kelley and Alex Gauthier to score.
Walker calmly coaxed Chelsea Grant into a grounder to shortstop to strand the tying run on base. After one more Monmouth run in the fifth, Walker retired eight of the final nine hitters, including a one-two-three seventh to ice it.
Leadoff hitter Logahn Walker (2-for-4, two stolen bases) scored a run in the fifth and another in the seventh to give the Roadrunners a cushion. Morgan Cummings (two runs, two steals) also chalked up an insurance tally in the seventh.
Freshman and sophomore-dominated Monmouth (12-3) began and ended its season with losses to Mt. Abram.
“We threw the ball around needlessly, and you’re not going to win a playoff game making eight errors,” said Monmouth coach Rachel Bernier. “They have a few more seniors than we do, and in a playoff softball game, that’s got to have an effect.”
Dalessandro’s two-run single in the third plated Logahn Walker and Cummings to make it 3-0. Sadie White, Mt. Abram’s third senior, later scampered home on a passed ball.
The early runs further loosened up the well-traveled Roadrunners, who entered the game with healthy respect for the Mustangs but were bent on proving that their April triumph on a neutral field in Winthrop was no accident.
“We knew the first time they were missing some players,” said White, “but we also knew we were better than a No. 7 (seed).”
Mt. Abram dropped a pair of games to perennial power Madison and lost to Jay and senior pitching ace Bree Loon by one run.
“You take those away,” said Mt. Abram coach Jeff Pillsbury, “and it’s a different story. These seniors have done a nice job all year keeping us positive, even if I sometimes get a little high-strung.”
Brittany Hilton and Trista Morin each ripped a double for Monmouth. Freshman pitchers Hilton and Jill Armstrong combined for 11 strikeouts.
Comments are no longer available on this story