Milford softball survives two Souhegan rallies to capture win

AMHERST – Some things have changed about the softball field at Souhegan High School since the last time Jim Rines coached a game there.

But one thing hasn’t – the home team never seems to go away quietly. Coaching against the Sabers for the first time Thursday, the new Milford – and former Souhegan – coach found that out the hard way.

The Spartans led 11-1 going into the bottom of the fourth, but the Sabers put together three big innings before falling 15-13 in a Division II game. Souhegan had the tying run at the plate with one out, and the winning run up with two, but Milford was able to escape with the win.

“It’s great to be on the winning end of one of those,” Rines said. “We got out to a terrific start. I kept telling our kids that the game’s not over because (Souhegan) can hit, that they’re going to hit. Both teams battled and made mistakes here and there.”

Kaitlyn Nelson picked up the win for Milford (3-1), as she started and went 3 1/3 innings, giving way to Delaney Parker, and then returned to the circle to pitch the final two innings. Nelson allowed eight runs on 13 hits and two walks while striking out two on a day that was all about offense.

The teams not only combined for 28 runs, but had 28 hits as well, and walked 13 times. Six of those walks were issued by Souhegan (2-2) starter Hailey Yabroudy, who took the loss while giving up 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings. Hannah Cochrin pitched 4 1/3 in relief, giving up five runs on five hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Each team went down in order once and there were just five half innings in which no runs were scored.

“I felt like we came out flat,” Souhegan coach Andrea Bruneau said. “We should have hit better sooner than the fourth inning because we are talented, especially offensively. I was expecting more out of them earlier. But when we were down 11-1, I said you can either feel bummed and wait to lose, or you can stay in it and fight, and that’s what they did. It’s tough to stay in it down by 10 runs.”

The Sabers found themselves in that position thanks to the bats of Milford’s Jennifer Dupuis, Julie Mazzeo and Katherine Paul. The trio was a combined 6 for 10 with nine RBIs (three each) and four runs scored.

Mazzeo had a sacrifice fly in both the second and third innings, Dupuis had a run-scoring double in the first and a two-run single in the second, and Paul drove in two runs with a hit in the sixth.

“Those kids are tremendous,” Rines said. “They’re on-base percentage will be 80 percent. Junior and seniors and they’ve been around the block.”

But after the Spartans went up 11-1, the Sabers started to come back in the bottom of the fourth. Souhegan got four runs on two hits, a walk and an error with one out against Nelson before Parker came in to strike out the final two batters.

Then, in the fifth, the Sabers added five runs, including an inside-the-park grand slam from Val Mukai, to make it an 11-10 game. Mukai finished the game 3 for 4 with three runs scored and six RBIs.

“That’s what you expect out of your senior captain,” Bruneau said. “Some things have to come from me, but some things have to come from them. I’m not the one with a bat in my hand. Val came to me and said ‘we’ve gotta find some drive’ and she hit that gap. Any kid is capable of doing it, but she’s locked in.”

The momentum didn’t last long for Souhegan, as Milford got four runs back in the top of the sixth to go ahead 15-10. The Spartans looked poised for more in the seventh, but stranded two runners.

Souhegan got the leadoff runner on in the bottom of the seventh, and with one out, hit three straight singles, bringing in two runs to make it 15-12. With two on, Abrie Davis looked like she tied the game when crushed a ball to left, but the shot went just foul and Nelson got Davis to pop up for the second out.

Yabroudy plated another run with a single, but Carley Holtshouser made a nice catch on a line drive by Cochrin to end the game.

“The key to that inning is getting the first out and we did get the first out,” Rines said. “Then a couple of little bleeders, and then a great catch by Holtshouser to end the game, that was a tough ball hooking away from her. Anything can happen and we’re fortunate.”