ADDISON COUNTY — The Vermont Principals’ Association on Monday named the Mount Abraham Union High School softball team the No. 1 seed in Division II, and the Eagles earned a first-round bye and will host a quarterfinal on Saturday. They will host either No. 8 Springfield (8-8) or No. 9 Mill River (9-7). Mount Abe did not face either team this spring.
Middlebury (12-4) earned the No. 5 seed in D-I. The Tigers were set to host No. 12 U-32 (9-7) on Tuesday, but that game was moved to Thursday after two postponements. A victory on Thursday would probably mean a Friday road quarterfinal vs. No. 4 Essex for MUHS. The Hornets edged MUHS, 1-0, early this season.
Otter Valley (8-7) received the No. 6 seed in D-II. The Otters had been scheduled to host No. 11 Hartford on Tuesday, but the game was postponed until Wednesday. The Otters thumped the Hurricanes twice this spring, 15-1 and 17-2. If the Otters did so again, they will almost certainly have to turn right around and travel to meet No. 3 Lyndon (12-4) on Thursday.
In the only softball game played on Tuesday, No. 13 Vergennes fell to host No. 4 Fair Haven in a D-II playdown game, 10-1. Slater ace Olivia Bowen struck out 16 and pushed her career strikeout total to 528. VUHS scored in the third, when Taylor Bresnick singled inSarah Rathbun.
The Slaters took charge with a six-run second inning off losing pitcher Aly Gebo. Errors set the table, and Bowen had an RBI single, Rhianna Carr had an RBI double and Jo Hanna Morse drew a bases-loaded walk. Maranda Aunchman finished up on the mound for VUHS and allowed four more runs, two earned. Carr contributed an RBI squeeze bunt, and Sarina Plank andLiz Muratorri each had a hit and an RBI.
The Slaters, who could meet Mount Abe in a semifinal, moved to 11-5. The Commodores finished at 3-13.
REGULAR SEASON WRAP
OV was involved in both local games played over the weekend, thumping visiting Hartford, 17-2, in a game begun on Saturday, morning, but falling to visiting Mount Abe in a late afternoon contest, 8-1, as the Eagles sealed their top seed. That second game had twice been rained out before the unusual Saturday doubleheader was scheduled.
In the opener Courtney Bushey tossed a complete game two-hitter, striking out nine, and also doubled twice and singled twice to spark the OV attack. Meghan Hallett drove in three runs with a double and single, Katie Coolidge drove in three runs with two hits, Charlotte Winslow’s two hits drove in two runs, Alyssa Falco had two hits and an RBI, and Molly McGee scored one run and drove in a run.
In the second game, Eagle starter Rachael McCormick went four innings, struck out four and allowed four hits to earn the pitching win. Audrey Shahan tossed the final three innings for a save. Jenna McCardle and McCormick both doubled in runs for Mount Abe, and Ruby Ball poked three hits. Gabby Poalino tripled and singled for OV, and Shayla Phillips added two hits.