What a season it’s been for Marblehead’s softball team, but unfortunately, its season ended right before the title game.
The No. 9 Magicians had to travel to Worcester on Tuesday for a game against No. 4 Westfield. To say it was an instant classic would be an understatement.
The game went eight innings and ended with a walk-off double for Westfield, which won, 3-2.
Marblehead struck first in the top of the third when Luka Bornhorst drove home Nora Mahan with a single to give the Magicians an early 1-0 lead.
Westfield answered immediately in the bottom third with a groundout, scoring a runner to tie the game (1-1).
After the third inning, it was a pitchers’ duel to the end. In the bottom of the seventh – crunch time – Westfield had its bases loaded with one out, but the Magicians turned a double play to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth inning, Marblehead plated a runner across to jump ahead. Hailey Schmitt got on base with a single. Schmitt then stole two bases to get to third – something the Magicians have been great at all season.
With Schmitt on third, Tessa Andraino hit a single to bring her home to make it 2-1.
Unfortunately for the Magicians, Westfield had one more run inside. With two outs, the Westfield batter hit a ball to right-center field to bring home both the tying and game-winning runs.
Coach Johnny Gold and his Magicians ended the season with a 21-5 record – all for assistant coach Todd Norman, who passed away suddenly toward the beginning of the spring.
