Newfound softball knocks off Hopkinton in first round of D3 playoffs

HOPKINTON – Newfound Regional softball coach Corey Johnston said his team isn’t content with just making the playoffs for the first time in six years this season. The Bears want to see how far playing their best will take them in the Division III tournament.

After upsetting 14th-seeded Hopkinton, 17-12, Tuesday at Hopkinton High School, Johnston knows the Bears’ best is good enough to reach at least the second round.

The 19th-seeded Bears will travel to face third-seeded Prospect Mountain in the second round Thursday at 4 p.m. Newfound lost, 16-0, at Prospect Mountain on April 15. Hopkinton finished the season with a 9-8 overall record.

The Bears (6-11) scored four runs in the first inning and another five in the second to build a 9-0 lead. Hopkinton cut the Bears’ advantage to 13-11 by the end of the fifth inning but that was as close as it got to tying the game. Newfound led, 14-11, going into the seventh before tacking on three more insurance runs.

“We were the underdogs coming in and we said we didn’t want to be satisfied with just getting here,” Johnston said. “We wanted to see how far we could go.”

The Bears scored their first three runs when freshman Ashlee Dukette hit an inside-the-park home run. Dukette ripped the ball to center field, where it just cleared the top of the Hopkinton player’s glove.

“Once I hit it, I was like, ‘Please don’t catch it,'” Dukette said. “I told my mom I would get a home run.”

Dukette went 3 for 4 with five RBIs. Johnston’s daughter, Amanda, went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two steals. She also pitched the first two innings for the Bears before Mackenzie Ryan relieved her in the third. Ryan allowed two earned runs on two hits and five walks over five frames.

Amanda Johnston and Dukette drove in two of the Bears’ five runs in the second inning.

Hopkinton did not pack it in after falling behind by nine runs. The Hawks grabbed five runs in the second inning and another five in the third.

Kasey Smith drove in Hopkinton’s first two runs when she hit a two-out, two-RBI single to center field in the second. Alexis Blanchette drove in the next two when she hit a double.

Gabby Lajeunesse hit a two-RBI double to left field in the third to cut Newfound’s lead to 12-8. Blanchette and Lajeunesse both scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.

“I was pleased with the way we came back but we didn’t play our best game,” said Hawks coach Dan Meserve. “I give Newfound credit. They hit the ball. I’m not sure they made any errors and they made some nice plays defensively and we just didn’t. But at the same time, I’m really glad that we battled back.”

The Bears’ three insurance runs in the seventh ended Hopkinton’s rally. Newfound substitute batter Katie Drapeau hit a two-RBI single and scored on a wild pitch in the inning.

Blanchette capped Hopkinton’s scoring when she drove in Smith on a two-out single in the seventh.

Blanchette went 2 for 3 for Hopkinton with three RBIs and two walks. She also pitched the first inning for Hopkinton before she was relieved by Lajeunesse in the second. Lajeunesse allowed four earned runs and struck out three over six innings. She drew three walks at the plate.

Corey Johnston said advancing to the second round is important to the Bears, who won just two games last season.

“We wanted to come in here and do the best we could,” he said. “I think we played a pretty good all-around game.”