Shafer, Kierstead Lead Team to Torchia Title
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Morgan Schafer and Morgan Kierstead each went 4-for-5 to lead MetLife to a 13-8, come-from-behind win over AJ’s Trailside Pub on Thursday to take the Pat Torchia Softball League Championship.
MetLife wrapped up the best-of-three final series, 2-0, behind the pitching of Sarah Sweet and a six-hit, four-run outburst in the top of the sixth inning.
AJ’s jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI single by Lisa Williams and a two-run single to center from Mary Scanlon.
In the third, AJ’s tacked on three more to take a 6-2 lead. Kass Kazimierczak had the big hit, an RBI double off the wall in left-center at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ Zavattaro Athletics Complex.
But Sweet left a pair on base to end the third and allowed just one base-runner over the next two innings while her offense went to work.
In the top of the fourth, MetLife scored four runs to tie the game.
Krystal Poulen got things started with a single to right, and Sweet followed with an RBI triple. Mary Malloy reached on an infield single to score Sweet, and Shafer doubled down the line in left to put two runners in scoring position.
After third baseman Kazimierczak got the second out of the inning by going a long way to make a fine catch in fair territory, Kierstead singled to right to bring home Malloy and Shafer and tie the game, 6-6.
Two innings later, Kristin (Parzych) Hildabrand hit a leadoff single to start a streak of six straight basehits for MetLife.
Kristen Barrett capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to make it 10-6.
AJ’s got two back in the sixth when Amanda Carpenter doubled and scored on Kris Vanuni’s single to left.
But MetLife finished the scoring with three in the top of the seventh. This time, Hildabrand got things going with a one-out triple, and Shafer and Kierstead each drove in a run.
