Cougars erase 4-run deficit to topToll Gate

By Ryan D. Murray
Posted 5/10/18

The North Providence Cougars softball team stormed back to beat the Toll Gate Lady Titans 6-5 on Tuesday afternoon at Governor Notte Memorial Park. North Providence rallied from four runs down to tie the game at 4 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The

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Cougars erase 4-run deficit to topToll Gate

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The North Providence Cougars softball team stormed back to beat the Toll Gate Lady Titans 6-5 on Tuesday afternoon at Governor Notte Memorial Park.

North Providence rallied from four runs down to tie the game at 4 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Cougars would get an RBI single from Mary-Catherine Fornaro in the sixth to tie the game at 5 before the winning run came home on a throwing error.

“That was a costly error, but the girls have to learn from their mistakes and realize communication is the key,” Toll Gate head coach Shana Willis said. “Somebody’s always got to cover home. We can’t leave home plate unattended.”

Lady Titans’ senior Kendra Silva went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI.

“It was a very good game,” Willis said. “It was a very close game. They had one inning where they were able to string the hits together and score their four runs. We were solid throughout. I think our defense was fantastic today. I think our offense, we were smoking the ball. The hits were finally starting to fall through for us. Even the (outs) were hard-hit outs. We didn’t come away with the win, but it was one of our best played games.”

Hannah Doorley started in the circle for North Providence and went the distance, striking out five while earning the win.

Toll Gate junior Katelyn Hawes took the loss in a complete-game effort. At the plate, Hawes hit a single and double and drove in a run.

“She looked great out there,” Willis said. “She was helping us offensively and defensively. That was one of her better games. Umpires can be tough at times and she was able to battle through and keep the ball low for the most part. So, she did a great job.” 

Toll Gate’s Silvia led off the game with a single before stealing second. Then with one out, Quinn Freeman drove Silvia in with a single and gave the Lady Titans a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the second inning, Toll Gate extended its lead to 3-0 when Silvia launched an RBI single to right to score Mary Greenwell and then Jillian Walsh followed her in after North Providence struggled to get the ball back into the infield.

In the top of the third, Toll Gate increased its edge to 4-0 when Mallorie Link, a junior, used a sacrifice bunt to drive in Alexis LeBelle after she had hit a triple.

But in the bottom of the fifth North Providence scored four runs to tie it the game. It began with a sacrifice fly from Giana Fitzpatrick which pulled it within 3 at 3-1. Then with runners at first and second Kaitlyn Manchester hit a two-run double to left and pulled North Providence to 4-3. Lauren Morrissey drove in Manchester to tie the game at 4 with two outs.

Toll Gate took the lead back in the top of the sixth when with two down, Hawes hit an RBI single to shallow right field to help her own cause and give the Lady Titans a 5-4 lead.

However, in the bottom of the sixth with runners at first and second, Fornaro hit an RBI single to drive in the tying run which then led to an error on the throw home to get the next runner which gave North Providence a 6-5 lead.

Toll Gate falls to 2-8 on the year with the loss while North Providence improves to 6-4.

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