GLOUCESTER — The Gloucester softball team got just about everything they needed to win yesterday's matchup with Winthrop.
The Fishermen received a solid start from pitcher Jill Lukegord, good defense and a number of tough at-bats against one of the Northeastern Conference's top pitchers in Kristen Finn. Gloucester even entered the seventh inning with a one-run lead.
Unfortunately, the Fishermen were not able to come away with the win. Vikings center fielder Lindsey Barker delivered the back-breaking hit in the form of a seventh inning go-ahead two-run homer to help the Vikings to a 5-3 win over the Fishermen at Burnham Field.
A win for Gloucester (9-5) would have given them a berth in the state tournament.
"This was a tough loss," Gloucester head coach Julie Ferguson said. "The girls played well and Jill pitched great, it was just too bad that we weren't able to pull it out in the end."
The Fishermen had their chances to win in the bottom of the seventh inning but ran into repeated trouble on the base paths. Alysha Clayton (3 for 4) looked to make it a one-run game when she tripled to deep right field but shortstop Courtney Finn was able to handle a perfect relay throw from right fielder Amanda Brogna and throw a strike to home plate to stop Clayton from getting an inside-the-park home run. The Fishermen's first two outs in the seventh inning were on the base paths.
"They were smarter than we were on the bases today," Ferguson said. "That was the difference in the game."
Pitching dominated the early portion of the game as Lukegord and Finn were able to shut down the opposing offense for the first four innings. Lukegord ended the game with eight strikeouts while Finn totalled seven.
"These are two of the better pitchers in the league and they showed it today," Winthrop head coach Dave Guffey said. "Even when the mound is moved back three feet, good pitching is still good pitching. Both pitchers were throwing hard and hitting their spots, they brought their best stuff."
Winthrop was able to get on the board in the top of the fifth inning when Abby Belcher came home on a wild pitch after singling. The Vikings lead would not last long though as the Fishermen bounced back with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the fifth. Lukegord would help out her own cause when she doubled in Clayton and Kelly Benson to give the Fishermen a 2-1 lead. The senior right hander would then move to third on a wild pitch and score on a throwing error to make it 3-1.
The Vikings cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth when Belcher tripled in Brogna who reached on a single. Barker would then be the hero in the seventh.
"Everybody made a contribution today," Guffey said. "I was a little nervous for a while there, Gloucester is a good team but fortunately we were able to make the plays when we needed to."
Gloucester hopes to clinch a state tournament berth when the host Revere today (4 p.m.). Ferguson hopes the team's approach at the plate late in yesterday's game will carry over to today's contest.
"We did a good job going with the pitches late in the game," Ferguson said. "We need to continue to do that (today) because that's when we are at our best."
Winthrop 5, Gloucester 3
at Burnham's Field, Gloucester
Winthrop: Abby Belcher c 4-1-2; Kristen Finn p 3-0-2; Courtney Finn ss 4-1-1; Lindsey Barker cf 3-1-2; Ashley Fiandaca 1b 3-1-2; Elaine Lanza lf 3-0-0; Andrea Martucci dh 2-0-0; Kristen Lanza dh 2-0-0; Angela Petee 3-0-0; Amanda Brogna 2-1-1. Toals 29-5-10.
Gloucester: Alysha Clayton 2b 4-1-3; Jill Lukegord p 4-1-1; Olivia Frontiero c 3-0-1; Ali Kippen 1b 3-0-1; Lani Gannon dh 3-0-0; Nicole Whipple cf 3-0-0; Addy Blakely 3b 3-0-1; Kelly Benson rf 3-1-1; Charlie Porter ss 2-0-0; Savannah Jacobs ph 1-0-1. Totals 29-3-9.
Winthrop : 000 011 3 — 5
Gloucester: 000 030 0 — 3
WP: Finn; LP: Lukegord
