Mascenic and WLC were able to get their softball season underway on Monday, rain or no rain. Mascenic pulled off the victory, 5-4. The Vikings got the scoring started in the first inning when pitcher Maddie Labrie scored on a close play at the plate, which Wilton-Lyndeborough coach Dennis Claire thought should have been an out call.
“I didn’t think about it much at the time,” Claire said, “but as it turned out, it was the game-winner.”
Labrie pitched a complete game with five strikeouts and finished 2-3 with three stolen bases and two runs scored. The Vikings ran all over the bases on Monday, with three of their five runs coming after they stole their way into scoring position.
WLC pitcher Lexi Balam took the loss, though she pitched well, striking out four and battling out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the sixth against the heart of the Mascenic order.
“Wilton was very solid defensively on the infield,” said Mascenic coach Dutch Stauffeneker. This was evidenced by a beautiful 6-4-3 double play, Tesa Simpson to Abby Leblanc to Zandra Morris.
“We didn’t have one like that all of last year,” Claire said.
Leblanc also made a full-out diving catch of a pop-up.
For Mascenic, catcher Casey Wayrynen went 2-4; 1B Raven Comtois went 2-4 with two doubles and two RBI, and Meagan Brand went 2-3 with one RBI.
“It wasn’t the cleanest of games,” said Stauffeneker, “but it was a good win to start the season.”
For WLC, Balam went 3-4 and catcher Ally Schwab went 2-4.
“We did a lot of good things,” Claire said, “everything but winning the game.”
WLC (0-1) was scheduled to face defending champs Sunapee (0-0) on Wednesday; the two split their season series last year. They’ll host Portsmouth Christian – the team which knocked them out of the playoffs last year – on Friday at 4 p.m.
Mascenic (1-0) was set to travel to Monadnock (0-0) on Wednesday; they’ll travel to Stevens (0-0) on Friday at 4 p.m.