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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Trailing 3-1 through three innings, the Needham High School softball team was determined not to drop a fourth straight game to begin their season on Monday afternoon against Weymouth at Claxton Field.
Behind a three-run rally with two outs in the fourth inning, along with a complete game pitching performance by Kayla Spitz, the Rockets (1-3) climbed into the win column for the first time this season with a 5-3 victory over the Wildcats.
Weymouth plated a pair of runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. After Needham was unable to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the first, Weymouth put runners at the corners with one out in the top of the second. Spitz was able to force a fly out to left field before Kelsey Rondini gunned down the runner attempting to tag up to end the inning and get Needham out of the jam.
Olivia Skala led off the second inning with an infield hit for Needham before a walk by Julia Cote put runners at first and second with one out. A passed ball moved Skala and Cote up to second and third, but Weymouth snuck out of the inning unscathed thanks to a pair of strikeouts.
Rondini made a spectacular sprinting catch on a fly ball to left to record the first out of the third inning before Spitz recorded a pair of strikeouts to get Needham to the bottom half, still down just two runs.
Veronica James-Hulbert led off the bottom of the third inning for the Rockets with a single up the middle. Maya Vogt lined out to short followed by a pop-out to third by Mackenzie Kraft. The inning was kept alive after Bergan Licht was able to reach first on an error to set up runners at the corners before a double down the left field line by Skala plated James-Hulbert from third and got Needham on the board. Weymouth escaped further damage with a strikeout to end the inning.
The Wildcats got the run they surrendered in the third inning back during the top of the fourth after a passed ball to the backstop plated a runner from third base, as Weymouth took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
Cote drew a walk to begin the fourth inning for Needham, but was doubled off at first base on a sacrifice bunt attempt turned pop-out to the catcher. However, despite there being two outs, Needham put together their best offensive inning of the season in the fourth as Rondini ripped a single to center to put a runner on. James-Hulbert reached base on a fielding error to put the tying run at first base before a passed ball moved the runners into scoring position. On the ensuing at-bat, Vogt beat out a throw to first for an infield hit and advanced to second on a wild throw over to third base, making it a one-run game at 3-2 and putting runners at second and third for Kraft. On a 1-1 count, Kraft lined a double down the left field line to score both Rondini and Vogt, giving Needham its first lead of the contest at 4-3.
Spitz was able to record a pop out to third and a strikeout to begin the top of the fifth, but issued a pair of walks to put runners at first and second with two away. However, Cristina Perez fired a dart down to third base to nab a runner attempting to steal to end the inning and preserve the 4-3 lead for Needham.
An inning-ending double play with runners at the corners kept the Rockets off the scoreboard in the fifth inning, but Spitz preserved the one-run edge for Needham by recording a trio of fly outs in the top of the sixth. Bergan Licht extended Needham’s lead to 5-3, thanks to a sacrifice fly to right with one out in the bottom of the sixth, giving Needham a much-needed insurance run. Spitz came back out for the top of the seventh and closed the door by inducing a pair of groundouts and a fly out to center, and Needham hung on for their first win of the season.
At the time of print, Needham will look to make it two wins in a row when the Rockets travel to face Milton on April 25 before hosting Braintree on April 30.
For funny and incisive sports analysis, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter at @fLAno0, or read his blog at www.flannylive.wordpress.com.
Bergan Licht (20) turns on a first-pitch fastball during the bottom of the fourth inning. Photos by Mike Flanagan
Olivia Skala (11) gets ready to make a break for home plate from third base. Photos by Mike Flanagan
