Woodbridge Fails to Get the One Victory It Needs

LAKEWOOD —  It would be hard to imagine a tougher night for Woodbridge, the Southern Section’s top-ranked Division II team every week of the season.

The Warriors went into Friday’s section championship game at Mayfair Park needing one more victory to become only the third team in history to win five section softball titles.

One more victory, and they would have two titles in a row.

One more victory, and there might have been smiles instead of tears.

Third-ranked Saugus used the speed of its leadoff hitter to score the game’s only run, and the Centurions scored a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Woodbridge in front of about 1,200.

The teams met in the 1992 championship game, and Woodbridge scored a 2-1 victory in eight innings--the Warriors’ third title. They also won in 1987, ‘88, and 95.

“This feels damn good,” Saugus Coach Ron Hilton said.

And Woodbridge (28-6) had the exact opposite feeling. The Warriors stranded seven runners, five in scoring position.

“We got some hits,” said Lizzy Lemire, who had two of Woodbridge’s four hits, “but we couldn’t get a string of hits.

“[Winning pitcher Jamie Gillies] was good, but nothing great. She was very hittable. We just weren’t connecting.”

They certainly weren’t connecting in a timely fashion.

One of the most critical times came in the bottom of the fifth, after Nicole Giordano had scored from second base on a ground ball to the shortstop in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, Natasha Watley stole second base with two outs, but batter Lolita Harper was called out for interfering with the catcher, and it ended the inning.

“That hurt,” Woodbridge Coach Alan Dugard said. “It’s a hard call to make, and you have to be real sure of that call. . . . I think she was just following through on her swing.”

Lemire was stranded at second base in the bottom of the sixth when Nichole Thompson popped up to the center fielder behind second base, and Jackie Sukiasian grounded to shortstop.

Watley was Woodbridge’s last chance to tie the score with her two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but Lisa Watanabe bounced to Gillies (24-3) to end it.

Saugus (27-4) left 10 runners on base, at least one in every inning--except the one in which it scored.

Despite walking only 42 in 179 1/3 innings this season, Christy Robitaille (21-5) had difficulty coaxing plate umpire Mike Kearns into calling a strike; she walked five in the first four innings, six total. She also hit a batter.

Giordano led off the fifth inning with a bunt in front of home plate; Lindsay Cohan, the catcher, watched it, expecting it to go foul, but it took a funny bounce and stayed fair, and Giordano was safe at first base.

Jill Passafiume pulled the ball to the right side of Robitaille, who fielded it, and Giordano advanced to second base.

Amanda Melton then hit a bouncer to the left of Robitaille that was fielded by shortstop Watley. Watley threw to first base, but Giordano never slowed rounding third and slid into home as first baseman Ashley Boone’s throw went over catcher Cohan’s head. Robitaille struck out cleanup hitter Chris Gill to end the inning.

“Nicole has great wheels,” Hilton said. “We send her whenever we can and [opponents] have to make a perfect play.”

There was little perfection on Woodbridge’s part.

“We’ll be back,” said Dugard, who is losing only three starters to graduation. “We’re used to winning games. We’re not a team that takes losing very easy.

“Our team, with our background, it’s difficult to lose--especially a final. We’re not used to it, and I hope we don’t get used to it.”