NEWPORT — The Newport High softball team used a seven-run second inning and an eight-run fourth to pull away for an 18-5 win over Hanover on Wednesday, bumping the Tigers’ record to 7-1 on the season.
Newport overturned an early Hanover score with a two-run first, then took over with 12 hits. Winning pitcher Tanya Sanchez (five strikeouts, one walk, two HBP) helped herself with a walk, single, double, triple, three RBIs and four runs scored.
“I actually feel pretty good,” Newport coach Sam McNeel said. “Tanya’s doing extremely well on the mound for us. We’ve got a good catcher (Emmah O’Connor) behind the plate. … I think we can play with just about anybody.”
Hanover (2-8) showed little fear at the plate, frequently swinging at Sanchez’s offerings and scoring in three of the five innings. Skouly Kachikis had two hits and drove in two runs for the visitors.
“Seems like with the second time we see a team, they gain a lot more confidence and are more than willing to start swinging,” Hanover coach Mariruth Graham said.
Kelsey Wheeler had three RBIs and four other Tigers — Shelby Adams, Katie Sharron, Maddy Morris and Eden Ritondo — had two apiece.
Newport hosts Lebanon on Thursday. Hanover starts a home-and-home with the Raiders on Monday.
NORTH SUTTON, N.H. — Lebanon (2-8) lost its second straight game.
The Raiders led for most of the game, but Kearsarge turned things around in the sixth inning. Lebanon junior Libuella Tafe went 4-for-4 with two doubles. Junior Makayla Finnell finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Raiders remain on the road Thursday to take on Newport.
LANGDON, N.H. — The Royals (6-5) defeated the Wildcats for the second time this week.
Junior McKenzie DeAmicis pitched a complete game for the Royals with eight strikeouts. Brianna Withington led the way offensively for Mascoma with a 4-for-4 game with two doubles. Senior Audrey May smashed a three-run home run over Fall Mountain’s 10-foot-high wall in left field.
“The underclassmen really stepped up to fill the shoes of the sorely missed seniors,” Mascoma assistant coach Christine Labore said. “It is a very difficult choice to give them time to rest for the postseason, but they kept their heads high and cheered on the team loud and proud. But Audrey’s dinger was the highlight of the day, and we couldn’t be happier for her.”
The Royals are off until next week, when they close the regular season on the road against Stevens.
SUNAPEE, N.H. — Stevens (9-1) won its third straight game Wednesday on the road.
“The Cardinals started slow, but were patient,” Stevens head coach Melissa Nichols said, “and their patience paid off.”
Sunapee went up 2-0 in the first inning, but Stevens immediately fought back with a four-run second to take the lead for good.
Senior Zoey Foote recorded three hits, including a triple. Senior Makayla Maccioli also had three hits, including a home run. Sophomore Josie Aiken finished with a single, a double and a triple. Freshman Kylie Bundy added three hits as well, including a double.
Junior Brianna Frisbee pitched a complete game for Stevens, giving up just three hits while striking out eight.
Next up for the Cardinals is a home game against John Stark on Monday.
NEWPORT — Hanover (10-0) continued its dominant run in a win over Newport (2-6).
Hanover set the tone immediately with a six-run first inning. HHS tacked on two more in the second, and then put the game out of reach with six runs in the fifth.
Junior Mason Gantrish led the way for Hanover at the plate with a 2-for-3 game, with a double, a walk and four RBIs. Sophomore Sam Sacerdote and junior Colin Pierce also had multi-hit games.
Junior Wes Stocken started on the mound for HHS and threw three innings, giving up an unearned run on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Newport finished with just three total hits.
Both teams are back in action on Friday. Newport will host Lebanon, while Hanover will play Plymouth on the road.
NORTH SUTTON, N.H. — The Raiders (7-3) earned their third straight win.
“Bats stayed hot. Our guys are seeing the ball well,” Raiders head coach Chauncey Wood said. “(Senior Jon) Carrier had a great game in relief and put one over the left-field fence.”
Lebanon racked up 16 hits in the victory. The Raiders opened the scoring right away with four runs in the first inning. They were held down after that until the sixth inning, when they scored five.
Carrier led the way offensively, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, three runs scored and three RBIs. He also pitched 2⅔ scoreless innings in relief with five strikeouts.
Junior Sid Wallace started for the Raiders, giving up two earned runs in 4⅓ innings with one strikeout. Sophomore Francis Calandrella and junior Cole Fabry both went 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Freshman Zach Aldrich finished 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.
The Raiders will look to keep it going at Newport on Thursday.
SUNAPEE — The Cardinals (6-4) snapped their four-game winning streak.
Senior Owen Taylor pitched 5⅔ innings for Stevens, and just two of the eight runs he surrendered were earned thanks to four Cardinal errors. Taylor added a single and an RBI at the plate.
Junior Eric Peaslee enjoyed a two-hit game. Junior Dylan Chambers hit a single and scored two runs. Sophomore Ty Theriault chipped in a double and an RBI.
Stevens returns home Monday to face John Stark.
BRANDON, Vt. — Hartford (8-3) picked up its fourth straight win.
“Our guys played hard and disciplined,” Hurricanes coach Grant Whiteway said. “We shared the ball well on offense and played great team defense. (Freshman) Brayden Trombly scored his first varsity goal and later scored his second. (Sophomore) James McReynolds notched his first varsity point on a great assist to (sophomore) Joseph Barwood.”
Barwood finished with a team-high seven points, with five goals and two assists. Senior Carter Nalette scored four goals and assisted two. Sophomore Blaine Gour and junior Matt Derosier, along with Trombly, finished with multi-goal games.
The Canes will host Rice Memorial Friday for senior night.
MONTPELIER — Hartford (10-0) maintained its perfect record on the season.
Senior Zoe Pfeiffer led the way for Hartford with five goals and one assist. Junior Caroline Hamilton scored four goals. Junior Elliot Rupp scored two and assisted one. Senior Jasmine Jenkins chipped in two goals, and senior Reilly Slusser, junior Abby Vanderpot and junior Chloe Jensen added one each. Junior Sophie Howe contributed one assist.
The Canes are back in action Thursday on the road against Lamoille.
WILTON, N.H. — Stevens (1-8) fell in its final road match.
One of the Cardinals’ two wins came by default, as Wilton had to forfeit one singles match. The lone Cardinal to compete and prevail was junior Amaya Eitapence, who won 8-2.
Stevens wraps up its regular season Thursday with a home match against Kearsarge.
HANOVER — Hanover (8-4) earned its second straight victory over the Astros to end the regular season.
HHS won four of the six singles matches in shutout fashion, as junior Eleanor van Aalst, sophomore Noura St. Hilaire, sophomore Emilia Torresani and senior Lyric Wilson all won, 8-0. Sophomore Mackenzie Liu won, 8-1, and senior Carly Miles held on for an 8-5 triumph.
In doubles, van Aalst and Miles picked up an 8-1 win. Liu and St. Hilare also won, 8-1. Wilson teamed with junior Natalie Feyrer for an 8-6 victory.
Hanover now waits to learn its tournament seed next week.
MANCHESTER, Vt. — The Hurricanes (0-8) came up short in a loss to the Bulldogs.
Nyah Jenks had the closest call for Hartford, dropping her singles match to Kali Brandt, 6-3, 6-2. BBA recorded straight-sets wins in all contests.
Hartford travels to MSJ on Tuesday.
DERRY, N.H. — Hanover (10-2) finished its regular season by extending its winning streak to eight. This was Hanover’s third shutout win in its last four matches.
Two of the individual matches were 8-0 shutouts, both doubles contests; juniors Alex Rockmore and Evan Yang teamed up for one, and sophomore Zhiwen Liu and freshman Zach Pearson for the other.
In singles, junior Kevin Pillsbury won, 8-2, on the top court, as did Liu on the No. 2 court. Senior Alex Stevens and junior Charlie Birkmeyer both won, 8-3. Pearson earned an 8-1 win, and junior Kirk Garner picked up an 8-4 victory.
Pillsbury and Stevens won the other doubles match, 8-2.
“It was another top-notch performance on all courts today, but Zach’s play from both yesterday and today in all his matches is the best he has shown all season. It has been wonderful to see his upward trajectory,” Hanover head coach Jarrod Shaheen said. “Kevin stepped up in a big way today to play No. 1 singles, and his performance did not disappoint.”
Hanover will now await its tournament seed next week.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Hurricanes (0-11) lost to the Bulldogs on the Maxfield Sports Complex courts.
Hartford contested five singles matches against BBA. Zach Carter had to the closest match in a 6-2, 6-1 defeat to Blake Allen.
The Canes close their season on Wednesday against Brattleboro at the high school courts.