FITCHBURG — Just three games into the season, the Monty Tech softball team has been scoring runs in bunches.
The Bulldogs entered Monday’s Patriots’ Day matchup with visiting Leominster having plated 53 runs in a trio of wins to kick off the 2022 campaign.
The traveling Blue Devils invaded Bulldog Field and proceeded to cool off the Monty Tech bats. Leominster sophomore pitcher Victoria Belcastro outdueled Monty Tech’s Bailey Tammaro as Leominster pulled out a 4-3 victory in eight innings at Bulldog Field.
Leominster improves to 2-1 and gets back on the winning track after suffering an extra innings loss to Wachusett Regional on April 13.
“We were coming off a great game against one of the top teams in the state in Wachusett,” saidLeominster head coach Tara Witzgall. “Today, I was really pleased with what I saw out of our girls. Belcastro pitched a great game for us. She was frustrated in the first inning, but she dug in deep and as a sophomore, that says a lot.”
The Bulldogs suffer their first loss of the season and drop to 3-1 with the defeat.
“We left too many runners on base and we took too many called third strikes,” said longtime Monty Tech head coach Dave Reid. “The Leominster pitcher threw a good game, she’s the best pitcher we’ve faced so far. Bailey pitched great also. She doesn’t pitch that often. We have her in the outfield but as for today, we had our opportunities. We just couldn’t take advantage.”
Both starting pitchers pitched well enough to win this one. Belcastro allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out 14 Bulldogs in the win.
Tammaro, who also went the distance, allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out two Blue Devils.
“I was frustrated early on, I felt I wasn’t throwing that well but my teammates were there to pick me up and support me and that really made a difference,” said Belcastro. “I have a great defense behind me and that really helps. I know that they will be there if I don’t make a perfect pitch.”
After Tammaro and the Bulldogs defense sent the Blue Devils down in order in the top of the first, Monty Tech drew first blood in the home half, plating a single run.
Danielle Belliveau (4-for-5, two runs) kicked things off with single to left field before coming around to score on an RBI single to center field by Tammaro.
Leominster answered in the third inning with a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. Georgina Wilson delivered a two-out, two-run single that plated Ella Beland and Bella Gasbarro.
It remained a 2-1 contest until the Blue Devils tacked on a single run in the fifth inning. Beland kicked the frame off with a triple down the left field line.
Two batters later she raced home on an RBI single to right field by Abby Barnaby to make it a 3-1 score.
Monty Tech answered in the sixth when Hannah Seymour plated two runs with a double, scoring Bridget Divoll and Belliveau.
The game remained deadlocked into extra innings. During the top of the eighth, the Blue Devils reclaimed the lead.
Barnaby opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch before being forced out on a fielders choice off the bat of Gasbarro. Wilson followed with a single. Anna Warry reached on a fielder’s choice. Mia Keenan then lined a base hit to the outfield.
The throw to the catcher appeared to be in time to cut down Wilson at the plate however the umpire called obstruction on the Monty Tech catcher allowing the runner to score the eventual winning run.
The Bulldogs threatened in the last of the eighth by putting the tying and winning runs on base with two out, but Belcastro was able to get Tammaro to ground out to shortstop to end the threat and the ballgame.
Monty Tech doesn’t have long to dwell on the loss as it is back in action on Tuesday afternoon when it hosts Assabet Valley Tech. As for Leominster, it returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Westboro to battle the Rangers.
