BY GENE NARDI
The Wellington High School varsity softball squad hosted Boca Raton High School in a regional quarterfinal game on Wednesday, April 23. Wellington rallied to defeat the Lady Bobcats 3-1.
The win not only advances the District 9-8A champions, but it also avenges an earlier season loss. Wellington bested Jupiter 4-1 for the title earlier in district play.
The Wolverines (23-4) started slow, puzzled about how to overcome the Bobcat’s pitcher, Abby Pac, who throws a riser-style pitch. The Lady Wolverines found themselves down 1-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning before solving the pitching riddle and connecting at the plate.
Wellington tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs on the board, Cathy Vega drove a ball into left field for an RBI double.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, it was Wellington’s senior pitcher Stephanie Schmidt who blasted a line-drive into center field for an RBI single to give the Wolverines a 2-1 lead.
Wellington extended its lead to 3-1 when Brianna Gonzalez sent in another RBI for the Wolverines with a squeeze bunt. The Lady Wolverines were able to hold off the Lady Bobcats the rest of the way and close out the 3-1 victory.
Amanda Peck stole second and third twice, giving her a total of 19 steals in 19 attempts on the season. Schmidt came up big in the final inning with a play at first and a strike-out.
“If we don’t tie it up in that inning, we’re in trouble,” Wellington coach Mark Boretti said. “We came out of the gate slow, and you can’t do that, but we were able to put the ball in play.”
Wellington hosted Park Vista High School on Tuesday night for the regional semifinal game, but results were not available by press time.
ABOVE: Genovieve Mangini is safe at home.
