Fishermen softball reel in victory over St.Mary’s

The Fishermen softball team entered Tuesday with something it hadn’t carried much this spring — the persistent sting of a loss. Just days removed from a tight, hard-fought defeat against Georgetown, the Fishermen looked determined to prove it was nothing more than a brief setback, not a shift. So when St. Mary’s came calling, Gloucester had just one answer: go fish. The Fishermen stayed red-hot Tuesday, hooking a 10-2 win and continuing their early-season surge.

Standout hurler Abby Noble dominated in the circle, recording twelve strikeouts while giving up only seven hits. Fresh off reaching the 300-strikeout milestone in a 9-0 shutout of NEC rival Peabody, the sophomore has been Gloucester’s main reason for success this season — something that definitely proved substantial in this matchup.

Gloucester’s offense was definitely a highlight in their own right, as the girls collected eight hits and crossed the plate for a total of ten runs. The Fishermen got on the board first in the third inning, thanks to an inning-starting double by right fielder Addy Amero. From there, hits by Noble, Mackayla Allen, and Angela Russo led to the Fishermen being up three runs going into the fourth inning.

After a rough skid in the top of the fourth that led to two Spartan runs and a one-run ballgame, the Fishermen got those runs back thanks to a couple of walks and singles from the bottom of the lineup. In the bottom of the fifth, the squad exploded for five runs on a plethora of Spartan errors. By the end of the inning, the Fishermen had a considerable lead of eight runs for a score-line of 10-2. From there, Noble allowed just two hits before shutting the door for the win.

Coming into this matchup, the Fishermen were eager to rewrite the narrative against a familiar foe in St. Mary’s. The history between these two squads is as competitive as it is storied; last season featured a gritty 3-2 home victory to open the campaign, fueled by clutch late-game hitting from Olivia Madruga and Julia Carrancho. However, the rematch told a different story, with a 7-11 road loss marred by defensive lapses and a quiet bats, though Aleena Brown’s spectacular 4-for-4 performance and Mackayla Allen’s steady offensive presence provided a silver lining in an otherwise difficult afternoon.

If Tuesday was about redemption, the momentum from that win continued onto the next afternoon against NEC Lynch counterpart Winthrop. In that 6-0 shutout, Abby Noble was virtually untouchable, mowing down 18 of the 24 batters she faced and allowing only a single hit. That performance served as a loud statement to the rest of the league, proving that when Noble is in rhythm, the Fishermen are a threat to shut down any lineup in the conference.

Now, Gloucester turns its attention to an even steeper challenge: a Friday showdown against North Reading. The Hornets arrive at the diamond with an impressive 6-1 record, their lone setback occurring in a season-opening loss to Pentucket. North Reading is spearheaded by the explosive bat of middle infielder Emily Cassarino, who has already blasted six home runs and recently earned Boston Globe Player of the Week honors. The stage is set for a pivotal clash at Gloucester High School this Friday, April 24th, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

FINAL

Gloucester Fishermen 10 || 2 St.Mary’s Spartans

A.Noble: 12 K, 2 R (Season ERA: .860)

A.Amero: 2B, 2 H, 1 RBI, 3 R

M.Allen: 1 H, 2 RBI, 2 R

A.Russo: 3 H, 2 RBI

A.Brown: 2B