Hornets beat Tewksbury, Reading to finish 20-0

Published in the June 6, 2018 edition

By DAN PAWLOWSKI

NORTH READING — The NRHS softball team won their last two games of the season to complete their goal of a perfect regular season as they finished with a staggering 20-0 record. This is the first undefeated regular season in the history of NRHS softball.

The Hornets beat Tewksbury, 4-1 on May 30. They followed that up with a 12-6 win over Reading the next day.

The accolades continued to pile up for this historic team as several players were recognized by the Cape Ann League.

Tara Driver was named the 2018 CAL Player of the Year. Driver hit .565 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs this season, all while being walked 30 times, many times intentionally. The catcher is on her way to play softball at Niagara University.

THE SENIORS on the 2018 NRHS softball team were honored before their victory over Tewksbury on May 30. The Hornets were the first team in North Reading history to finish the regular season with a perfect record (20-0). (John Friberg Photo)

The Hornets also had two CAL first team All-Stars and two CAL second team All-Stars.

Senior Christina Simblaris and junior Cassandra Pascucci were named first team All-Stars. Simblaris pitched 74.2 innings and finished with a 1.59 ERA and 67 strikeouts. She also hit .319 with 14 RBIs at the plate.

Pascucci pitched 80.2 innings with a 1.82 ERA and 90 strikeouts. She also hit .444 with two homers and 32 RBIs.

Seniors Guiliana Peppe and Courtney Luker were named to the CAL second team.

Peppe collected 26 hits for a .338 average including five homers and 26 RBIs.

Luker had 25 hits also for a .338 average.

NR got all four of their runs against Tewksbury in the first three innings on Senior Day. Julia Howse had an RBI single and Pascucci scattered four hits and one run while striking out four in seven innings, but the highlight of the day came off the bat of Driver who hit a huge home run to send the seniors out right.

Rockets’ red glare dims

The Hornets then hosted Reading during the final game of the season and although on paper the pressure of a perfect season might feel heavy, the NR offense exploded for 12 runs en route to a six-run win.

North Reading jumped all over the Rockets in the 1st inning. Jessica Ferrazzani singled and Driver doubled her home. Pascucci singled and Howse hit a two-run triple to make it 3-0. Peppe reached on an error to score Howse and Simblaris later doubled in Peppe and Bridget McDonough. Howse finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs. McDonough later hit a two-RBI double and Simblaris finished with three RBIs.

The Hornets will hope to keep up the momentum in the D2 North Tournament where they earned the number one seed. North Reading got a bye in the first round and will play in the quarterfinals against the winner of Thursday’s Arlington Catholic-Danvers game. As of press time, the date and time of the quarterfinal game was to be determined, but NR will host it either Saturday or Sunday. An updated softball bracket can be found on MIAA.net.