Senior pitcher Serenitee Martel entered Monday’s season opener against D-I Burr & Burton needing one strikeout to reach 300 for her career with Hartford High.
She got it in the Bulldogs’ first at-bat and finished with 17 on the day as the Hurricanes softball team opened its season with a 4-3 victory in Manchester.
Freshman Maria Chaput drove in the winning run in the eighth inning, grounding a ball to third to score sophomore Annabelle Salvatore.
“We are super proud of them. First game out for the season, especially with such a young group,” head coach Danielle Tenney said after the game. “The girls were aggressive in the box, and they made the plays … just happy to bring it into eight innings and score that one run.”
Hartford took control early. Martel led off the first inning with a double to center, and senior Faith Brown followed with a double of her own to score her, giving the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead.
In the fifth, junior Leah Arsenault reached on a single and eventually scored from third to push the lead to 2-0. Later in the inning, after senior Haley Maxham doubled, sophomore Emerson Whitney drove her home with a single to center, extending the advantage to 3-0.
Burr & Burton tied the game on three runs in the seventh, aided by Hartford defensive miscues, sending the game to extra innings.
After Chaput’s grounder plated Salvatore, Martel closed it out in the eighth, striking out a batter, inducing a ground out and getting a flyout caught by freshman Aniela Kuban to end the game.
“It was really cool to see all of my effort and work outside of the season put into this,” Martel said after the game. “I’ve really only pitched with high school for three years, this being my third year, so being able to get it as soon as possible was nice.”
Martel finished having thrown 94 pitches, allowing one hit and two walks to go with her 17 strikeouts. Hartford’s offense was equally disciplined, collecting nine hits and a walk while striking out only once.
The Hurricanes return home Friday to face Springfield at Maxfield Sports Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.