By CHRISTOPHER LACLAIR
Eagle Times Staff
SWANZEY, N.H. — Shaylee Branon led the charge for the Huskies softball team with three hits in four at bats as the No. 6 seed Monadnock Huskies (11-6) defeated No. 11 seed Fall Mountain (8-9) 12-0 on Wednesday, May 29. Branon singled in the first and second innings and tripled in the fifth inning.
The Wildcats had hoped for better luck this time around as their only regular season game was an 18-2 blowout to the Huskies on May 17. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get much going as the Huskies held them to only two hits in the contest.
The Huskies created damage in the bottom of the first inning after Jezz Fusco singled, Ari Drouin singled and Liv Knightly grounded out. All three crossed home plate for an early 3-0 lead.
The Huskies increased their lead in the bottom of the second inning after Branon RBI singled and Monadnock scored on a wild pitch. Drouin double in the third put the game out of reach for a 6-0 commanding lead.
Starting pitcher Drouin earned the win for the Huskies. The right-handed pitcher only allowed two hits and zero runs over five innings. Her command was there as she struck out seven batters without allowing a free pass.
Kendal Cote took the loss for the Wildcats. The junior, who recorded her 500th varsity strikeout this season, was only able to ring out one Huskie on the day. She surrendered 10 hits and 12 runs (only 7 were earned) and walked four batters.
Fusco and Branon each drove in three runs for the Huskies. Drouin and Makayla Harwood each collected two hits.
Kelsey Fillion and Jenna Fillion each collected a hit for the Wildcats.
“I am just really proud of how the girls played,” said Huskie Head Coach Chad Beede. “They came with good energy today. They had a great practice, a great couple of practices leading up to this. They just came ready to play.”
The Huskies will face the No. 3 seed Saint Thomas Aquinas (15-1) in the NHIAA DIII quarterfinals on Saturday, June 1. The two teams didn’t play each other in the regular season.
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