BILLERICA – For the first time in Patty Higgins’ 29 years as coach, the Billerica softball team is 12-0.
Senior star pitcher Naomi Boldebuck dialed up 11 strikeouts as part of a three-hit shutout from the circle, pacing the Indians past another Merrimack Valley Conference power in an 8-0 win over Methuen (6-3) Monday afternoon. An ultra-aggressive baserunning display from the team sparked a three-run lead through the first three innings on only three hits and no RBI.
Once the bats got going through Katherine Medeiros (2-for-3, two runs), Maggie Quin (RBI single) and Sam Gaona (two-run single, two runs), Billerica wore down Rangers pitcher Ilene Rickard to run away late with a dominant win.
“There’s a group that’s been together for years, and they take it one game at a time,” Higgins said. “They respect their opponent, but they feel confident in themselves. They think, ‘If we use what we have, we’re in a good position to do something.’ I don’t think anyone has said, ‘Oh wow, we’re 12-0.’ … It’s nice to get the wins and the whole team is contributing, but we also know, it’s always the next one (in the MVC).”
Boldebuck had eight strikeouts over the first three innings as Billerica opened a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Gaona reached on a fielder’s choice before stealing second base with just one out. Boldebuck forced an error on a ground ball, then immediately took off for second base to draw a throw and a run-down for Gaona to score from third. The throw home to try to get Gaona allowed Boldebuck to stand safe at second; she eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Much of the same aggression from Boldebuck after a leadoff walk in the third inning generated another run on a wild pitch, advancing to second on a ground out before tagging up on a screamer to shallow right field.
“We do a lot, we try to use base-running and maximize what we can,” added Higgins. “We try to be as aggressive as we can, and I’m lucky to have a lot of veteran kids. … They are learning and know the game well.”
Methuen’s biggest threat came in the second inning, drawing three walks to load the bases. But Boldebuck struck out each batter after every walk, before then striking out the side again in the third inning around the Rangers’ first hit (a Bella Monsanto single).
While she continued to stifle the offense with a devastating curveball that helped produce 23 swing strikes and five strikeouts looking, just one error on defense helped her cause.
“I just focused on the calls that I’m given and hitting my spots,” she said. “My teammates work hard every day. If I throw a one or two-hit game, it’s really not as much my one or two hits, it’s their one or two-hit (games) because they’re fielding all these balls and making all these outs for me. It’s always a team effort.”
The offense finally cracking down on Rickard helped as well, who had allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks through the first five innings to keep Methuen in striking distance. But as she approached 100 pitches with two outs in the sixth, five walks and Gaona’s two-run single powered a four-run inning to put the game away.
“I think we work really hard (for this start),” Boldebuck said. “We’re such a tight-knit and close group of girls, and we really want to keep going.”