Connie Mack U-11 Braves beat Athletics, 7-4

The Connie Mack U-11 softball Athletics met the Braves on Dellwood North for the third time this season, winning 7-4.

The Braves took the early lead and never looked back. Athletics leadoff batter Melissa Mallon drove a ball to deep left field for a triple and scored on a bunt put in play by Kelsey Dwello. Dwello scored on successive walks to Megan Mallon, Sophia Militello, and Taylor Gibbon.

Braves pitcher Julie Sullivan struck out two batters and fielded a grounder and tossed it to Kyra Sweeney at first for the third out. Holly Sullivan led off for the Braves and hit a long fly ball to left center field but sure-handed Megan Mallon grabbed it for the out. Julie Sullivan, Hannah Floss, Kyra Sweeney, Cheyanne Kurzweg, Jenna Battaglia, and Laura Lawron all walked to give the Braves their three runs for the inning.

The Athletics were unable to score in the second as Floss, on the mound for the Braves, allowed one hit to Melissa Mallon, a walk to Sammy Dispenza and struck out three batters, stranding the A's runners on second and third base.

The Braves' Sarah Boyle got an infield hit when she beat the throw to first and advanced when A's pitcher Brigid Ryan fielded a grounder hit by Margaret Boyle and threw to first, again not in time. The next four batters walked to increase the Braves score to six runs.

The Athletics were able to score one run in the third when Megan Mallon walked, stole two bases and scored on a single from Allison Staebell.

Staebell advanced on a walk to Ryan but they were held from scoring when Floss struck out two batters and Holly Sullivan fielded a sharply hit grounder at second and got the throw to Sweeney at first beating the batter, Taylor Gibbon.

Kurzweg scored the only run for the Braves in the bottom of the third after hitting up the middle for a single, advancing on stolen bases and scoring on a sacrifice from Lawron hit up the first base line and fielded by Kaitlyn Schinaman. A's pitcher Rachel Callea tallied two strikeouts to complete the inning.

Schinaman hit a towering fly ball to start off the fourth inning but infielder Julie Sullivan judged it correctly for the first out. Dispenza drew a walk and scored on a single from Rebecca Regan. Callea drove a liner to center field but was put out by Battaglia's great catch.

The A's hopes stayed alive as the bases were loaded on walks to Dwello and Megan Mallon but were dashed when Margaret Boyle caught a fly ball hit by Staebell to retire the side.

Megan Mallon took the mound for the Athletics for the fourth and fifth innings and held the Braves to no further runs on a combination of five strikeouts and fielding a pop fly. Margaret Boyle was the only Brave to put the ball in play and was safe on an error at first.

The A's were unable to score in the last two innings as the Braves starting pitcher, Julie Sullivan returned to the mound. She struck out two batters, fielded grounders from Ryan and Callea and was helped out by her sister Holly Sullivan and Sarah Boyle, who caught fly balls in the field.

Red Sox 15, Athletics 9

The Red Sox were hot early and prevailed over the Athletics at Dellwood North on a warm and humid Saturday morning.

The Red Sox scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Gina Maisano singled and Amy Trabert walked. Jamie Schuh's hit to left center field scored Maisano.

Dominique Jones hit sharply to first where Brigid Ryan took the force out as Trabert scored. Sarah Parish singled, bringing home Schuh before the A's came to the plate. The A's managed to load the bases on walks to Rachel Callea, Sophia Militello, and Kelsey Dwello but were held scoreless when Trabert caught Megan Mallon's fly ball and Madeline Grisko fielded Melissa Mallon's sharp grounder and threw to Jen Krajnik at first for the third out.

Grisko led off the second with a shot to center field but was held to a single when Melissa Mallon fielded it on two hops and threw to Militello who had second base covered. Red Sox Trisha Andrews, Jen and Amanda Krajnik, and Grace Garlick walked, setting the stage for Maisano's single, which brought the score to 6-0.

The A's started back in the bottom of the second. Katelyn Schinaman led off with a double to deep left center and moved to third on Taylor Gibbon's single. Sammy Dispenza drew a walk to load the bases for Callea's two-RBI single.

The Red Sox remained hot through the third as Amy Trabert walked, stole second, and scored on Jamie Schuh's single. The A's Callea caught Jones' hit before Madeline Grisko's double to center scored Trabert and Schuh. The Mallon sisters then robbed Tricia Andrews of an RBI as Melissa fielded a hard hit and threw to Megan at first for the third out.

The A's scored three in the third. Megan Mallon singled, Ryan walked, and Dwello was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Melissa Mallon fouled off a few before drawing a walk that scored Megan Mallon. Ryan scored on Schinaman's single. After Lizzie Pittari singled, Melissa Mallon scored on Gibbon's sacrifice.

The top of the fourth saw Megan Mallon come on to strike out three and hold the Red Sox without a run. The A's Rebecca Regan walked and ran home with the A's sixth run narrowing the game to 8-6.

Each team added a run in the fifth as the mercury expanded and the fans described mirages of water on the adjoining field.

The Red Sox finished strong in the sixth, scoring six runs on a handful of walks and hits by Jones, Jen Krajnik and Grisko. The A's tacked on three in the bottom of the sixth as Callea, Mallon, and Ryan scored.