McCann Tech Softball Holds Off Drury for Victory

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- After the McCann Tech softball team jumped out to an 8-1 lead on rival Drury on Friday, it looked like the last thing the Hornets would need were some late-game heroics.

 

But that’s just what they did need and just what right-fielder Sarah Fortini was there to provide.

 

Fortini made a diving catch on a looping line drive off the bat of Caroline Cellana to help preserve a 9-7 McCann Tech win.

 

Fortini’s catch helped limit Drury to one run in the top of the sixth, and Meg Goyette stranded a pair in the seventh as the Hornets (7-1) won their second straight and wrapped up a 2-1 week against three tough independent opponents.

 

“She’s been doing that all year as a freshman, and I can’t say enough about [Fortini],” McCann Tech coach Robin Finnegan said. “She’s upset at herself today because of what happened at the plate, but she can’t be the hero every game.”

 

The day before, Fortini hit a home run in an 8-6 road win at Palmer. On Friday, went 0-for-4.

 

But McCann Tech made the most of the seven hits it did get off Drury pitching.

 

Hornets shortstop Hannah Stack went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk before departing after a collision at second base. Ayrian Quinones had a pair of hits, including a double, and drove in a pair of runs. And Kalley Vanuni was 1-for-1 with three runs scored.

 

McCann Tech scored early and often, taking a 7-1 lead after two innings.

 

In the first, the Hornets cashed in on three walks and two hit batters to score three as Drury starter Abby Lear had trouble finding the plate.

 

“Her warm-up looked good,” Drury coach Morgan Schafer said. “I had no idea what was going to go on. I think she just walked a couple, and it got to her a little bit.”

 

In the second inning, McCann Tech tacked on four runs. Stack, Quinones and Hailey Miller each singled in the rally.

 

Drury’s Tess Zoito moved over from shortstop to the circle to start the third, and she allowed just one earned run over the next four innings.

 

Meanwhile, Drury’s offense rallied.

 

In the fourth inning, a MacKenzie McGuire infield single ignited a three-run rally. Two Hornets errors helped, and Zoito singled and scored a run to help cut the deficit to 8-4.

 

Drury drew within a pair of runs with a two-run fifth as McGuire drove in a pair of runs.

 

In the bottom of the fifth, Vanuni doubled and scored to give the Hornets an insurance run at 9-6.

 

Then in the top of the sixth, Jacqueline Moulton bunted her way on base, stole second and scored on Lear’s single to left field. Drury left two on base, thanks in part to Fortini’s big catch.

 

“They never give up,” Schafer said of her squad. “They always keep going hard. They always want to win, no matter what the score is. I can’t be more proud of my team today for how hard they worked in coming back.”

 

McCann Tech can be proud of the effort it got from Goyette, who was touched for four earned runs but struck out four while walking no one.

 

“I always tell her that we can’t defend walks,” Finnegan said. “We can’t defend hit batters. At least give our defense an opportunity to defend. And she does that.”

 

McCann Tech returns to league play on Monday when it goes to Putnam.

 

Drury (3-6) hosts Wahconah on Tuesday.