Durfee High third baseman, Sabastien Reis, paced the Durfee High offense, belting a pair of homers in the the Hilltoppers’ 10-4 road victory over Weymouth. With the win, Durfee halts a two-game losing streak and improves to 4-2 on the year.
Pitcher Josh Boria picked up the win for the Toppers. He threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing only two runs on three hits, while striking out six batters. Ryan Lopes and Jacob Cavaco both contributed with a pair of hits and two RBI for Durfee.
The undefeated Taunton High baseball team made quick work of Durfee High, defeating the visiting Hilltoppers, 19-7 in a mercy-ruled shortened game. The Tigers improve to 6-0 on the year, while Durfee, after winning its first three contests of the season, falls to 3-2 overall.
Taunton dominated from the outset, scoring three runs in the first inning and then exploding for seven more in the second inning. The Tigers added sixth in the third and three more in the fourth to force the game’s shortening. Taunton unloaded for 18 hits overall, stole nine bases and batted around three times.
The Durfee offense had six hits on the day, led by Ryan Lopes with two. Sebastien Reis, Jeyden Espinal, Josh Martel and Ben Sherry collected the other Hilltopper knocks. The Toppers showed signs of life when they batted around in the third inning, scoring five times to trim the lead at the time to 10-5.
Two of the area’s top softball teams went at it and New Bedford saw its season-opening, four-game winning streak come to an end with a tight, 3-2 loss to visiting Apponequet Regional. The Whalers fell to 4-1 with the loss, while Apponequet improved to 3-1.
Apponequet sophomore pitcher, Lauren Bernaiche out-dueled New Bedford’s standout senior Lilly Gray to earn the win. Bernaiche struck out 10 batters in the contest, while allowing six hits. Gray was similarly impressive, also striking out 10, while yield five hits.
The Whalers fell behind 2-0 in the fourth when Bernaiche singled and Laker freshman Christina Magnett blasted a two-run homer. In the bottom of the frame, a bases-loaded walk allowed the Whalers to cut its deficit in half but Apponequet similarly earned that back on a bases loaded walk of its own in the sixth. New Bedford made it 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Jenna Nogueira’s sacrifice bunt plated a run but that would be all for the Whalers, who stranded 10 baserunners in the game.
After opening the season with three straight wins, the Durfee High baseball team fell to host Apponequet Regional, 4-1. With the win, the Lakers are 4-1 on the year.
Durfee pitcher, Ethan Cambra had a solid outing for Durfee, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out four and walking three. Apponequet’s Nate Levesque was just as strong though, as he struck out seven batters, while allowing one run (unearned) and one walk through his five innings of work. Connor Johnson pitched two shutout innings in relief to pick up the win for the Lakers.
While Durfee was held to just three hits on the day, Apponequet spread the hits around. Johnson helped himself at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. Other offensive stars for the Lakers were Ian Nickerson with a pair of hits, Tanner Audyatis and Brody Joly, who each had a hit, while Justyn Machie knocked in two.
The Dartmouth High girls track & field team kicked off the 2022 campaign in impressive fashion, easily defeating Southeast Conference rival Brockton High, 89-47.
The trio of Kate Smith, Serena Carnes and Mia Carter all were multiple event winners for the Indians. Carnes took top honors in the mile (6:09.8) and 2-mile (13:30.8). Smith placed first in the 400-meter hurdles (75.9) and long jump (13-5), while Carter won both the 100 meters (13.6) and the triple jump.
Other first place finishers for Dartmouth were Brooke Davis in the 800 meters (2:48.8), Maeve Carrigg in the 100 meter hurdles (19.2) and Madison Stott in the 200 meters (28.3). The Indians’ 4×100 meter relay team team of Madison Stott, Hailey Martins, Ava Oliviera and Lindsey Klein and the 4×400 meter relay team (4:40.7) of Kaylee King, Maeve Carrigg, Katie Canniff and Hailey Zexter, also took first place.
The young Durfee High softball team showed signs of marked improvement despite falling to talented New Bedford Vocational, 9-1. The Hilltoppers, who have been on the losing end of a few mercy rule games lately, including a 22-1 thrashing at the hands of New Bedford Voke recently, played solid all-around ball and was trailing The Bears by just a 3-1 margin in the sixth inning.
Durfee received a solid outing from sophomore pitcher, Emily Curran, who was making her first career start. The southpaw hurler kept Voc-Tech at bay most of the way before the Bears broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth. The Topper defense, which has been inconsistent early this season, was rock solid, eliminating the big inning that has plagued them at times.
Durfee managed to have baserunners on often, including a bases loaded, no outs situation and the top of the order up but Voke pitcher Madison Medeiros was able to pitch out of several jams. In total she allowed one earned run on three hits, while walking four and striking out 12. The lone Hilltopper run came on a solo shot blast to center field by Brooke Macedo.
New Bedford Cable Network Game Video
Fall River – The Somerset High softball team started its 2022 campaign a bit later than most teams but certainly made a great first impression, as the visiting Blue Raiders dominated Durfee High 12-1 in a five-inning affair at the Kuss Middle School field. With the loss, Durfee falls to 1-3 on the year.
Somerset was held scoreless in the first inning but batted around in the second inning, scoring six runs. The Raiders then added four more in the third to break the game open. That was more than enough for pitcher Gabriella Nugent, who gave up just four hits, while striking out six, walking one and hitting a batter.
Nugent also got the job done at the plate, going 4-for-4, including a towering two-run homer to centerfield during the Raiders’ second inning six-run surge.
Durfee starting pitcher Brooke Silvia worked the first two innings before being relieved by Emily Curran. The Hilltoppers got two hits from senior catcher Sadie Fitzgerald, who knocked in the lone Durfee run and one each from freshman first baseman Katerina Rumsey and Curran.
“Our girls are young and haven’t played or practiced all winter,” said Durfee coach John Ferreira. “So it takes a little time.”
FRED-TV video of the game
Led by sophomore Lou Freitas, the Dartmouth High baseball came back against host New Bedford High to pull out an exciting 5-2 victory in Southeast Conference action at Walsh Field in New Bedford. With the win, Dartmouth improves to 2-1 overall, while the Whalers drop to 1-1. The contest was the league opener for both.
Freitas, who came on in relief, picked up the win by hurling 3 2/3 innings of no-hit ball, while striking out five and walking three. Freitas also contributed at the plate, as his base-loaded hit in the top of the seventh with the score tied, knocked in two runs. The Indians added another on an RBI single from Keegan Humason for its final margin of victory.
For the Whalers, it was a game of missed opportunities and a waste of an excellent pitching performance from starter Ben Frenette. The New Bedford hurler didn’t allow a hit until, the Indians’ seventh inning uprising, while striking out seven and walking two along the way.. Meanwhile, the Whalers squandered opportunities, twice loading the bases but failing to score.
The Bridgewater-Raynham boys lacrosse team extended its season-opening winning streak to four games, coming from behind to pull out a tight 9-8 victory over visiting Nauset.
Trailing by a pair of goals late in the contest, the Trojans exploded for three goals in under a minute to prevail. The B-R offense was paced by three goals each from Ryan Breheny and Christian Thornton. Evan Costa, who netted the game-winner, finished with a pair of goals.
The Taunton High girls tennis team pulled out a tight, 3-2 victory over Durfee High.
Winners for Durfee were freshman Liv Rumsey at second singles and Morgan Ledo at third singles. Rumsey posted a terrific comeback. After dropping a close first set 6-7 with a 5-7 tiebreaker, she came back to take the next two sets, 6-2. Ledo also dropped the first set in a tie-breaker in a 5-7 tie-breaker but responded by taking the second set, 6-1 and winning the match with a 6-4 third set win.
