TVL Softball Update 5-7-2016

By: Travis Taliaferro – Medfield Head Coach

Courtesy - Twitter: @Chezsports
Courtesy – Twitter: @Chezsports

At the halfway point of what has been a very rainy season so far, the Tri-Valley League has had a very exciting start to the 2016 season. We have had several excellent performances, walkoff victories, and several teams in the hunt for a playoff spot. 

Norton has been mostly untouchable, combining timely hitting with the impressive pitching of sophomore Kelly Nelson, who has allowed just three runs on the season and is boasting a 0.22 ERA to go along with her 10 wins. Nelson struck out 18 batters yesterday in a 6-inning game vs. Medway, and has dominated hitters so far this season. 3B Steph Nosky leads the league in hitting at .595, and at 10-0 Norton has already qualified for the tournament.

Close behind Norton is Westwood (7-1), who currently has one of the hottest offenses in the league. The Wolverines have been led by the pitching of Dana Bamford (7 wins) and the hitting of Simone Nevills, who is hitting .565 and leads the league in OBP and Slugging.

Millis (9-3) and Hopkinton (8-3) have rebounded after slow starts, and have each won 6 out of their last 7. Millis has also qualified for the tournament, and is on track to again make some noise in the D3 tournament with a potent offense behind the pitching of Carly Wenzel and Abby Wine, who threw a perfect game against D-S last week. Hopkinton is led by pitcher Bri Mirabile, who is close behind Nelson with a 0.71 ERA, and the defense of Kate Welzel at SS.

The rest of the league remains in a tight group just below the top four, including perennial power Bellingham at 5-4, Medfield at 6-6, and resurgent teams Holliston and Ashland who have come on recently after tough starts to the season.

Highlights from last week include an 8-inning win for Millis over Medfield, due to a Hannah Finley 3-run HR; Norton blanking Bellingham 5-0; Abby Wine’s 5-inning perfect game over D-S; Nelson striking out 18 vs. Medway; and a dramatic finish in the Medfield-Ashland game, with Ashland scoring 5 in the top of the 7th to take a 5 run lead only to see Medfield come back to score 6 and win in a walkoff, 10-9.

Big games this week include Westwood vs. Norton, and a Millis-Bellingham rematch of their 11 inning game earlier this season, won by a Wenzel walkoff HR.

League standings and leaders are below

Norton 10 – 0
Westwood 7 – 1
Millis 9 – 3
Hopkinton 8 – 3
Bellingham 5 – 5
Medfield 6 – 6
Holliston 4 – 5
Ashland 3 – 7
Dover-Sherborn 1 – 9
Medway 1 – 10

AVG
1 Stephanie Nosky – So Norton 0.595
2 Simone Nevills – Jr Westwood 0.565
3 Kerry Sendrick – Sr Medway 0.552
4 Carley Wenzel – Jr Millis 0.548
5 Jordan Jud – Jr Westwood 0.519
6 Kiley Sheehan – So Medway 0.516
7 Jenna Burke – Sr Westwood 0.500
8 Abby Pyenson – Jr Millis 0.484
9 Shannen Murphy – Jr Holliston 0.481
10 Jamie Burke – Sr Westwood 0.467

RBI
1 Carley Wenzel – Jr Millis 26
2 Stephanie Nosky – So Norton 15
3 Ivy Bonoldi – Sr Medfield 14
4 Kiley Sheehan – So Medway 14
5 Cheyenne Whelan – Fr Millis 13
6 Jenna Burke – Sr Westwood 13
7 Kelly Nelson – So Norton 12
8 Amelia McQuade – Sr Westwood 12
9 Abby Wine – Sr Millis 11
10 Ceilidh Higgins – So Medway 11

ERA
1 Kelly Nelson – So Norton 0.22
2 Bri Mirabile – Sr Hopkinton 0.71
3 Nicole Arcese – Sr Holliston 1.89
4 Katie Eamer – Sr Medfield 2.15
5 Kasey Thoresen – Sr Ashland 3.14
6 Dana Bamford – Jr Westwood 3.16
7 Carley Wenzel – Jr Millis 3.27
8 Ceilidh Higgins – So Medway 3.72
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