By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – Senior day was a successful venture for the Bristol Eastern softball program on Friday afternoon as the Lancers battled an outstanding Plainville squad in a CCC South confrontation from King Street.
Off the power of three excellent seniors, Eastern was able to tally a huge 11-6 victory over the Blue Devils – posting its fourth win in a row (9-7 overall).
The Blue Devils (14-3) lost for only the third time all season, trailing throughout the showdown.
Ashley Serafin, one of the three seniors honored that afternoon, along with Jazmyn Browne and Sarah Lacouture who all played their final regular season home game for Eastern, went the distance and did very well against an outstanding hitting unit from Plainville.
Over her seven innings, she allowed 11 hits, five earned runs, walked five while posting four Ks over a busy day in the circle.
“It felt pretty good,” said Serafin. “It was a good way to end it.”
Starting pitcher Grace Geddes drew the loss for Plainville.
Both teams had chances to tally runs on the scoreboard in the first inning.
Bristol took advantage, Plainville did not, and the Lancers ended up leading wire to wire.
The Blue Devils put two on in the top of the first but with one away, a critical double play ended the half inning.
On a grounder hit to Kayla Webber (2-for-3) at second base, she corralled the ball, tagged Natalie Newton coming her way and then chucked it to first base for the double play.
Then in the bottom of the first, the Kingstreeters put a five-spot on the board.
Jazmyn Browne (2-for-4, two RBI) singled while Gracie Browne (2-for-4, two runs) dropped in a perfect bunt, running it out for a hit.
Emily Valentine then grounded out, but Jazmyn Browne scored from third to make it a 1-0 game.
From there, Serafin (2-for-4, two runs, two RBI) dumped a deep-dish double to left, plating Gracie Browne, as Eastern tallied a 2-0 edge.
Hailey Beebe later walked to put a couple runners on while Makayla Antunes bunted in an attempt to advance the runners.
But the ball was thrown away at first as the bases were eventually cleared due to a couple miscues.
Antunes was off to the races, never relenting, and when the ball was thrown away a second time, she ended up scoring as three runs pushed the Plainville deficit to 5-0 after one competed inning.
“Everyone kept their heads up,” said Serafin. “Everyone brought the energy.”
The Blue Devils eventually cut the deficit to one through some timely hitting over the next few frames.
With one gone in the second, Plainville’s Rileigh Ruot walked and Faith Emory and Kailey Fangiullo drilled back-to-back singles to load things up.
With two outs, Marissa Miller drew a walk, forcing in a run, but the Lancers still led 5-1 through two.
In the third, Plainville got a couple more back as a groundout by Ruot – with the bases loaded – scored a run and off an error at first base, Alexis Graff snuck home from third as Plainville trimmed the deficit to 5-3.
Geddes was throwing well after that first frame, allowing just a double by Beebe between the second and third innings as the Blue Devils were hanging around, down just two runs.
To open the fourth, Miller doubled and scored on a hit by Natalie Newton as the Lancers were clinging to a 5-4 push.
Jazmyn Browne made a great catch on an Amanda Linnhoff offering while a comebacker to Serafin by Graff led to a second out with a runner on third base.
Finally, Nora Couture grounded out to put Eastern back at the dish with the locals still leading by one as the defense was holding.
“Jaz made enough plays at shortstop and Sarah was a brick wall behind home plate,” said Eastern coach Tyler Catlin of his senior defense.
Eastern struck for two runs in the fourth as Gracie LaMar walked – pinch run for by Leah Webber – while Lacouture reached base via error.
And Jazmyn Browne singled to left to clear the bases as the Lancers nabbed a 7-4 push through four.
Plainville got a run back due to an error at first base, making it a 7-5 contest.
In the bottom of the fifth, Serafin absolutely crushed a ball over the fence in right, giving the Lancers an 8-5 lead via the home run.
“It felt good, opposite field,” said Serafin of the homer. “[It’s] always a good feeling.”
With one away, Antunes walked, Kayla Webber reached on an infield bunt and another small ball offering by Leah Webber led to another hit.
But the ball was thrown to third base, way too late to get Antunes, and it bounced towards the fence.
Antunes and Webber both tagged the dish off the miscue as Eastern led it by five again, 10-5, to end the scoring in the fifth.
After allowing an infield hit to open the sixth, Serafin retired three straight to keep it a five-run game.
“She pitched great in the circle,” said Catlin of Serafin. “She didn’t have her best stuff but she fought.”
On the flip side, Gracie Browne drilled a triple to the gap in right as the Lancers were back at it in the bottom of the sixth.
Serafin walked, taking second base on the play, and off a slick suicide squeeze by Beebe, Gracie Browne scored – leading to an 11-5 edge for Bristol.
Plainville added a run in the top of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as Eastern won on senior day, scooping up a six-run win.
Four-year rollercoaster
It’s not easy playing all four years on the same scholastic sports team but the trio of Serafin, Browne and Lacouture impressively made it to the end.
So, what’s Serafin’s secret in getting to the finish line as a senior?
“It’s just discipline,” said Serafin. “You’ve got to stick it out. There’s going to be good days, there’s going to be bad days. You’ve just got to stick them out and the good days will come like today.”
Eastern’s head coach praised his senior class before the game, with the team wearing t-shirts with all three competitors’ pictures on the front.
“They’ve been starting now for three years, and they had a good run especially last year,” said Catlin. “They really brought some good leadership to this young team. And I don’t think a lot of people thought we’d make it to nine, 10 maybe 11 wins possibly [this year]. I’m really proud of the way they carried themselves and the way they performed.”
Bristol Eastern Softball – CCC South Action
BRISTOL EASTERN 11, PLAINVILLE 6
from the softball field on King Street, Bristol
Plainville (14-3) 012 110 1 – 6 11 4
Bristol Eastern (9-7) 500 231 x – 11 10 3
Battery: Plainville – Grace Geddes, Kali Fangiullo (5) & Amanda Linnhoff; Bristol Eastern – Ashley Serafin & Sarah Lacouture.
WP: Ashley Serafin (Bristol Eastern); LP: Grace Geddes (Plainville).
Plainville Batting
2B – Marissa Miller
3B – None
HR – None
Bristol Eastern Batting
2B – Ashley Serafin, Hailey Beebe
3B – Gracie Browne
HR – Ashley Serafin
Records: Bristol Eastern 9-7 overall; Plainville 14-3.
Attendance – 114 (maybe more, maybe less…)
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