Local Roundup: Agocs 7th-inning slam lifts Pentucket over Lynnfield

May 25—Nobody wants to be on the "playoff bubble" as the spring regular season draws closer to an end.

Unfortunately for the Pentucket softball team, which came in at No. 30 in the latest MIAA Division 3 power rankings (top 32 automatically qualify), that's where it finds itself. With not too many games left to improve its seeding, every opportunity to pick up a win is paramount.

And man, did Pentucket get a huge one Monday evening.

Trailing by a run in the top of the seventh inning against Lynnfield, junior Ella Agocs walked to the plate with the bases loaded and Pentucket down to its last out. But on the very first pitch, the catcher took a fastball and drove a liner into the gap in center field. The Lynnfield center fielder tried to make a diving play, but the ball went under her glove and rolled all of the way to the fence.

With plenty of speed to burn, Agocs raced around the bases for an inside-the-park grand slam to put her team ahead. Freshman pitcher Molly LeBel then followed with a 1-2-3 bottom half of the inning to secure Pentucket's dramatic — and much needed — 9-6 victory.

"She works so hard," said Pentucket coach Deb Smith of Agocs. "I gave them the day off last Thursday because it was raining, and she went to Rage (Softball) and hit in the cage for two hours. That's the kind of worker she is. But I was just so happy for all of them. Everyone contributed to the win, and we desperately needed it."

For a stretch in that seventh inning, it looked like it may not happen for Pentucket (8-8).

Nikki Mitchel started the inning with a double, and was able to take third even though the next Pentucket batter recorded an out. Mel LaCroix then laid down a bunt single, but it went right down the third base line so Mitchel couldn't score. Up next was senior Bailey Stock, who hit a blooper that eventually fell over the second baseman's head for a single. But since Smith didn't know if it was going to fall for the longest time, she again held up Mitchel at third.

And after a popup gave Lynnfield the second out of the inning, Pentucket was in danger.

But Agocs made sure to send her team home happy. She finished 2-for-4 on the day with two runs scored and a whooping six RBIs after she laced a two-run double in the second inning as well.

Meg Hamel and Emma Lopata made a handful of crucial plays in the field, and LeBel struck out nine over seven inning to pick up the win in the circle.

Port boys tennis breaks 8-year playoff drought

For the first time in eight years, the Newburyport boys tennis team is bound for the playoffs.

The Clippers earned that opportunity after beeating Haverhill, 4-1, Tuesday afternoon. Will Smith (6-3, 6-1) and Andrew Long (6-2, 6-3) picked up wins at second and third singles, respectively, and the team won both doubles matches thanks to the teams of Caden Eiserman and Brindley Fisher (6-3, 6-1), and Finn Sullivan and James Scali (6-1, 6-2).

Newburyport (7-6) was coming off a doubleheader split with rival Amesbury on Monday, but didn't let any tired legs get to them.

Royals love the long ball

The Georgetown softball team had the bats going in Monday's 12-9 win over Hamilton-Wenham.

In particular, both Allison Mansfield (1-for-3) and Madelyn Grant (2-for-4) launched home runs for the winning Royals. Both had two RBI, as did Mackenzie Riley (1-for-3), Zoey Halmen (3-for-3, 3 runs) and Tayla Mariani (2-for-3).

The win was a crucial one for Georgetown (5-11), which came in at No. 36 in the latest MIAA Division 5 power rankings. The top-32 qualify, but the latest rankings do not include the Royals' two most recent wins.

Trojan nets 9!

It's safe to say that Kate Trojan had quite the day for herself on Monday.

The senior scored nine goals and assisted on another to help lift Triton girls lacrosse to a 19-5 non-league win over St. Mary's. Chloe Connors added three goals and three assists for the Vikings (9-9), Ashley Silva had three goals and an assist and Brooke Nangle scored twice.

Triton will host Hamilton-Wenham Friday at 3:45 p.m.

Hat-trick for Pelletier

The Amesbury boys lacrosse team earned a nice 8-5 win over Mystic Valley on Monday.

Ian Pelletier did the most damage offensively for the winners with three goals and an assist. Jack Welch added a goal and an assist, and Chase Ayers scored and assisted on a pair of goals.