Bats come alive as Villa Maria sweeps Nazareth in doubleheader
MALVERN — For the past few seasons, Nazareth Academy has been consistently at or near the top of the heap of the AACA, while Villa Maria was going through a period of rebuilding.
If Tuesday’s doubleheader at Villa was any indication, construction is complete, and Nazareth could be passing the torch over to the Hurricanes.
Villa (4-0, 3-0 league) pounded out 19 hits over the two games, including nine for extra bases, while Maddie Abbott scattered just four hits over 12 innings of work to collect a pair of pitching wins. The Hurricanes won the opener by a score of 6-0, and then finished the sweep with a 12-2 five-inning win (via mercy rule) in the nightcap.
“Nazareth is always so competitive in our league,’ said Villa coach Claire Emplit. “To come in and win a doubleheader the way we did is just amazing. I’m so proud of the way this whole team played.’
If there is anywhere in the batting order coaches like to see production, it’s right at the top of the order. The Hurricanes got production and then some from the lead-off spot, with Brian Wright totaling four hits in six at bats, including a pair of triples. Wright scored three and knocked in three runs on the afternoon.
“We just moved her into the lead-off slot today,’ said Emplit. “I don’t know if she’s just more comfortable in the front of the order, but she really took a confident approach and really did the job today.’
With the Hurricanes playing terrific defense behind her, Abbott was relaxed in the circle, and threw 12 great innings. In game one, Abbott went all seven for the complete game shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out eight and walking none. In game two, it was more of the same, with Abbott allowing just two runs, one earned, on two hits in five innings of work. She struck out nine in the late game, while still not issuing a free pass.
“Everything always works well for Maddie,’ said her catcher, MaryCate Butler, who is one of the rare high school catchers to call pitches for her battery mate. “Her rise is definitely dangerous. We just have a really good connection, and we simply take what the batters are giving us and go from there.’
Butler, in addition to calling a pair of great games, chipped in with the bat too, with a pair of triples in a 3-for-8 day at the plate.
“We thought we were in for two close games today,’ said Butler. “We were all really nervous to have to play a doubleheader against a team like Nazareth, with Maddie possibly having to go 14 innings. But we really played well as a team today, and this is going to give us a huge boost of confidence going forward.’
In game one, Villa notched a pair of runs in the second on singles from Hannah Chambers and Abbott, and an RBI walk from Wright. The Hurricanes added three in the fourth on a single from Brigid Curley, a triple from Wright, and a double from Emily Cosgrove. Two more runs came in the sixth, on a triple from Butler, a double from Chambers, and singles from Sarahrose Jonik and Colleen Rohr.
In game two, with the Hurricanes playing the role of visiting team in the make-up game, found Villa scoring early and pouring it on with two runs in the first, and seven in the second, along with three in the third, and one in the top of the fifth. The Hurricanes got a hit or a run or both from every slot in the batting order, and seven of the nine hitters were credited with at least one RBI.
“Our fielding and defense has been just about spotless,’ said Emplit. “What we hadn’t done all that well was hit. We’ve been working hard at making contact and putting the ball in play. That effort showed today. We hit the ball really well.’
