West clinches

Falcons top Spartans 4-1 to secure playoff berth

Posted 5/10/22

By ALEX SPONSELLER

The Cranston West softball team topped Scituate 4-1 on Monday afternoon to earn a playoff spot in Division I.

The two teams would combine for just eight hits, but the Falcons …

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West clinches

Falcons top Spartans 4-1 to secure playoff berth

Posted

By ALEX SPONSELLER

The Cranston West softball team topped Scituate 4-1 on Monday afternoon to earn a playoff spot in Division I.

The two teams would combine for just eight hits, but the Falcons would make theirs count as Cadence Koenig and Sophia Crudale would hit home runs to set the pace. Samantha Healy and Siena Nardelli would also add runs in the win.

West pitcher Gab Cunha was sharp in the circle and would allow no earned runs while picking up seven strikeouts.

West would get into a jam in the sixth inning when Scituate would get two runners on base with no outs. However, after calling a timeout, the Falcon defense would go on to shut down the next three batters to escape to situation and roll to the win the rest of the way.

“Last week, when we played Cumberland we were ahead 8-4 but made three errors in the seventh inning and allowed them to tie it. They went on to win in the eighth. So I told them that we can’t let this be another Cumberland. They buckled down because they had to,” said West coach PJ Bessette, who was also pleased with Cunha’s outing. “Gab pitched a hell of a game, she has been pitching well all year.”

Although the Falcons were excited to get the win, they have been battling some struggles at the plate and are hoping to turn things around down the stretch.

“The thing that has been hurting us is our offense, we just haven’t been stringing together the hits that we need to get. We just need to stay back in the box and drive it,” Bessette said. “It’s a confidence thing, they’re young. We also haven’t played a game where it hasn’t been cold or windy, they are not always comfortable out there. We’re hoping as the weather gets better that we will improve.”

West improved to 6-6 with the win and has six games left in the regular season. With the Division I Central division still up for grabs, Bessette and company are looking to make one last push.

“The division winners get a first round bye in the playoffs and avoid having to play that play-in game. That is what we’re striving for, because anything can happen when you play these teams at this level. Games like this will help their confidence,” said Bessette.

The Falcons will also continue to look to the young players to make an impact as the postseason approaches.

“We need all the girls to pitch in and they’ve been doing a good job,” Bessette said. “We only had three returners this year and one of them is out, so it is a learning process. I see good things for us heading into the playoffs.”

West softball, softball

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