ATHOL — After multiple postponements in the first week of play, the Athol softball team finally got on the field on Thursday.
The Red Raiders scored eight runs in the first inning and beat Ludlow 11-4 at Athol-Royalston Middle School.
“Overall, I am pleased,” Athol coach Sharon Chauvette said. “We came out and started hitting the ball.”
Offensive contributions came from several sources, and pitcher Lindsey LeBlanc overcame a shaky first inning to get the win in the circle.
“We were getting the bats around,” Chauvette said. “Hitting is contagious for us.”
LeBlanc, coming off ankle surgery in the offseason, gave up two walks and a double in the first but settled in nicely.
“After that first inning I didn’t know if it was gonna go well,” LeBlanc said. “But everyone kept telling me I was fine, and then I knew I was going to be fine. It usually ends up good.”
LeBlanc gave up six hits, four runs, walked two and struck out five.
“My change up was working a lot and so was my curve ball,” LeBlanc said. “Which was very fun. It doesn’t work usually.”
The eight-run first inning helped LeBlanc settle in.
“It really pumped me up when we scored eight runs right away,” LeBlanc said. “It takes a lot of pressure off of me.”
In Haley Wrigley’s first at-bat of the season, she smashed a double that scored two runs.
“I don’t have self-confidence at all,” Wrigley said. “But once you get one, I feel like that kind of pushes you.”
Wrigley added another RBI double in the second inning.
Sadey Lehtomaki started her season with a triple with runners at second and third in the first inning to give the Red Raiders a 2-0 led.
Lehtomaki helped her pitcher in the top of the first, gunning down Ludlow’s Aislinn Rys attempting to steal after drawing a walk.
Haley Bigwood had two hits with three stolen bases while playing flawlessly at shortstop for the Red Raiders.
Lexi Forte had two RBIs for Athol on a hard grounder back to the pitcher after Lehtomaki’s triple to make it 4-0
Wrigley’s double upped the Athol lead to 6-0.
Another run scored on an error before Bigwood’s RBI single.
Bigwood opened the sixth inning with a laser to right field and followed with a stolen base before scoring on an error to give the Red Raiders their 10th run.
Celeste Toracco came in the game and knocked in a run in the sixth inning to make the score 11-4.
Ludlow got three runs in the fourth innings: Jessica Parker, Alyssa Moore and Emily Godek all had RBIs for the Lions.
Parker added another RBI groundout for the Lions in the top of the sixth inning.
LeBlanc closed out the game in the seventh with two ground outs and a strikeout.
Athol 11, Ludlow 4
Ludlow …………….. 000 301 0 — 4 6 5
Athol ………………. 810 002 x — 11 11 2
Hits: (L) Bazinet . (A) LeBlanc 2, Bigwood 2, St. Cyr 2,Toracco, Forte .
2B: (L) Smith, Bazinet, Moore, Sunderland (A) Wrigley 2
3B: (L) Moore. (A) Lehtomaki.
HR: (L) None . (A) None.
RBI: (L) Parker 2, Moore, Godek, . (A) Wrigley 3, Lehtomaki 2, Forte 2, Bigwood, Toracco
WP: ( LeBlanc 7 ip, 5k, 2 bb).
LP: (Sunderland 6 ip, 3 k, 2 bb).
