Briggs' Double Clinches Victory for McCann
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- For a while there, the McCann Tech softball team couldn't buy a victory. Now, the Hornets are winning in dramatic fashion.Senior Brittany Briggs' two-out double in the bottom of the seventh inning scored sophomore Oliva Esoldi with the winning run, giving McCann its second win in row with an 11-10 walk-off victory over Smith Academy on Thursday. The Hornets trailed 6-3 after two and a half innings before scoring seven unanswered runs over the next three frames to build a 10-6 lead. The Falcons rallied back with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game, however, setting the stage for Briggs' walk-off hit.
Esoldi (2 for 4 with three runs scored) got things started in the seventh inning by reaching base with a one-out walk. She then moved to second on passed ball before advancing to third on a pop-up behind second base. Briggs then came through with a long drive over the left fielder's head to give McCann (3-12) its second win in the past week.
Briggs led the way for the Hornets' offense, going 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles and three RBI. Fellow senior Erika Ziemba also went 3 for 5 with two runs batted in and two runs scored, while sophomore Jessica Sunn finished 3 for 4 with one RBI and two runs scored.
"On a day where Erika was struggling on the mound, our bats came alive and we pulled out a very exciting win over Smith Academy," McCann head coach Robin Finnegan said. "Alex Lincoln played outstanding at second base, making three unbelievable catches, and Brittany just had a huge day at the plate for us."
Ziemba went the distance to earn her third win of the season. The senior starter allowed six earned runs on 12 hits, striking out five with six walks.
The Hornets will try to maintain their winning ways with a road game at Lenox at 4 p.m. on Friday.