Back from an injury, sophomore shortstop the 'missing piece' of Bishop Stang's infield

MATTAPOISETT — It's been over a year, but Katie Manzone is still recovering from a broken ankle she suffered sliding into third base during a practice with her travel team, the Taunton Dynamites.

"It's been tough. I'm still going to physical therapy and I have to wear a brace," said Manzone, a sophomore shortstop at Bishop Stang High School in Dartmouth. "I had to miss my freshman season and that was rough, because I wanted to be on the field with my teammates."

Manzone, who lives in Wareham, has been playing softball since she was about five years old. She grew up playing youth softball in Fairhaven and picked up a lot of valuable experience with the Bay State Rox in New Bedford.

"I've always loved playing softball," said Manzone, who also plays field hockey for the Spartans. "This is a great area for softball talent. There are a lot of really good players and you have to push yourself and work hard for playing time."

Blessed with a strong throwing arm, a dependable glove, and a dangerous bat, Manzone has been a welcome addition this season for the Spartans, who banged out 17 hits in a 12-4 non-conference win over Old Rochester Regional on Sunday.

"We missed not having her last season," said Bishop Stang coach Alex Tripp, who's in her second season coaching at her alma mater. "We're glad she's back, because she was our missing infield piece. She makes all the plays and she's one of those players who always gives 110 percent. She leads by example and she's given our offense a lift batting third in the order."

Manzone, who had two hits against the Bulldogs on Sunday, entered the game with a .348 batting average, a .375 on-base percentage, and 14 runs batted in.

"Kate has a will to win and she works hard. She wants to make herself a better player," Tripp said. "She's one of the most coachable players I've ever had and she sets a great example for her teammates."

Junior right-hander Hannah Fortin, who's pitched every game this season for the Spartans, allowed 11 hits in seven innings of work and notched two strikeouts on the way to running her record to 4-13.

Freshman right-hander Madison Mello, who's been the starter in all but one of the Bulldogs games this season, gave up 17 hits and recorded seven strikeouts while going the distance and dropping to 2-15.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a bunt single by second baseman Grace Motto, an infield groundout, an infield error, and a run-scoring single by first baseman Emma Gomes.

The Bulldogs tied the score in the bottom of the first on a two-out single by second baseman Katelyn Bellemare. Motto singled up the middle to fuel a two-run third that gave the Spartans a 3-1 advantage, and the Bulldogs pulled to within a run on an infield hit by catcher Rylee Kouta in the bottom half of the inning.

Bishop Stang catcher Mikayla Brightman knocked in a run with a two-out double to make it a 4-2 game in the fourth, but the Bulldogs rallied to tie the score on a run-scoring single by center fielder Emily Kilpatrick and a sacrifice fly by left fielder Tavish Nunes.

Back-to-back RBI singles by third baseman Cianna Sylvia and center fielder Olivia Brousseau then gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 6-4 in the fifth.

Brightman slugged a leadoff homer to left in the sixth and the Spartans also got run-scoring hits from Gomes, Sylvia, and Brousseau to extend their advantage to 10-4.

They capped the scoring with a pair of runs in the seventh on a pinch-hit double by Michaela Cousineau and a two-out single by Gomes.

WHAT IT MEANS: Bishop Stang improved to 4-13 overall. The Spartans are 2-7 in the Catholic Central League South Division and they will wrap up regular-season play on Saturday with a 2 p.m. conference game at Archbishop Williams. ... Old Rochester dropped to 2-16 overall. The Bulldogs are 1-13 in the South Coast Conference.

BISHOP STANG STATS: Eight different players combined for 17 hits to power the Spartans on offense. ... Brightman, The Standard-Times Girls Hockey Player of the Year last season, led the way with four hits and a pair of runs batted in. ... Gomes added three hits and three RBIs. ... Sylvia and Brousseau both had two-hit, two-RBI games. ... Malto chipped in with two hits and a RBI. ... Manzone reached on a pair of ground-ball singles, and the Spartans also got hits from left fielder Sydnee Alboum and Cousineau. ... The Spartans, who made both of their errors in the bottom of the first inning, stole two bases.

OLD ROCHESTER STATS: Right fielder Amanda Amanetti, first baseman Makayla Matson, Emily Kilpatrick, and Kouta had two-hit games to account for eight of the Bulldogs' 11 hits. ... Third baseman Emerson Gonet, shortstop Liz Kilpatrick, and Bellemare also had hits. ... The Bulldogs committed two errors and did not have a stolen base.

NOTES: It was Senior Day for the Bulldogs, who honored four players after the game — Amanetti, Bellemare, Matson, and Nunes. "They've provided leadership to a young team this season," Old Rochester coach Don DiBiasio said. "All four are hard workers and team players. We're going to miss them next season." ... Kouta blocked a ball in the dirt with the bases loaded in the top of the second to save a run with the score 1-1. ... Malto made a nice recovery on a bobbled grounder in the bottom of the third with a strong throw to first for the final out of the inning to strand Old Rochester runners at second and third with the Spartans clinging to a 3-2 lead. ... Gomes made back-to-back scoops on low throws for the first two outs of the fifth in the only 1-2-3 inning of the game by Fortin. ... Amanetti made a nice catch moving to her right to take a hit away from Malto in the sixth. ... Bishop Stang right fielder Avery Clough made a nice play ranging to her right to stab a line drive by Nunes for the final out in the sixth. ... Malto ranged to her left to take a hit away from Gonet for the second out on a hard-hit liner in the bottom of the seventh. ... Cousineau's RBI double came in only her second at-bat of the season. She was picked as the player of the game by her teammates and received the Hawaiian lei the Spartans have given out after every game this season.

BISHOP STANG 12, OLD ROCHESTER 4

Bishop Stang 102 124 2 — 12

Old Rochester 101 120 0  4

WP: Fortin (4-13); LP: Mello (2-15)

HR - Brightman (BS)

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Bishop Stang softball beats Old Rochester