Bishop Guertin softball rallies in seventh inning to beat Bedford in D1 title game

MANCHESTER – The Bishop Guertin High School softball team couldn’t push a run across until the seventh inning, but it was all the Cardinals needed to win their first ever Division I championship.

Trailing 1-0, pitcher Bridget Soraghan and catcher Neysa Ouellette got on base to lead off the inning, and an error from Bedford third baseman Erin Murphy plated Soraghan to tie it up.

But it wasn’t until freshman Elizabeth Ross doubled with two outs, and a throwing error from second baseman Audrey Pederson, that the No. 3 Cardinals (17-4) would be the champions, as Bishop Guertin won 2-1 Saturday at Southern New Hampshire University.

“I was just trying to move my arm fast enough to send her home,” said Bishop Guertin coach Nicole Adamson. “Everyone got the job done today. I’m really happy for them.”

After playing solid infield defense all contest, those two errors from the Bulldogs (13-9) did them in. Bishop Guertin made just one error in the game.

Soraghan struck out five batters at one point in a dazzling performance. Bedford pitcher Katie Martin allowed only two hits before the seventh.

The Bulldogs finally pulled through to break the scoreless tie in the sixth, when Caitlin Flethcer hit it to third base for a fielder’s choice to score a run, and Bedford held onto that lead until the seventh.

It wasn’t the Cardinals first go-around in the comeback department.

“We did this in the quarterfinal against Alvrine,” said Soraghan. “I knew we had it in us, and it shows.”

Soraghan was able to shut down the Bulldogs all day, getting out of a key jam in the fourth inning and allowing just the single run off the fielder’s choice.

“Before they even get up, I just think on the next batter,” said Soraghan. “Even if they hit me, I know I have a stellar defense behind me.”

Whatever it took for the Cardinals, they took home their first title any way possible; it just happened to be another come from behind affair.

“It’s kind of been our thing all year,” said Adamson. “Big games, coming back. It’s definitely stressful, but they’re a great group.”