Sports

Jess Olans Dazzles in the Stoughton High Softball Team's Win at Attleboro

Stoughton beat Attleboro 6-1 to improve to 2-3 this season. Olans earned the win on the mound and had an RBI and scored two runs on offense.

After running into near-perfect pitching performances against and earlier this past week, the Stoughton High girls’ softball team’s bats awakened Friday at Attleboro.

The Black Knights exploded for six runs in the first two innings, earning a 6-1 win on the road, improving to 2-3 on the season and bouncing back from consecutive shutout losses.

Pitcher Jess Olans helped her own cause, finishing with a single, two runs scored and an RBI at the plate. But, it was her performance on the mound that had coach Janet Sullivan praising her senior tri-captain.

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Olans allowed just three hits, no walks and an unearned run, while striking out three and picking up the complete game win.

“I think what’s making her so effective this year is her control,” Sullivan said. “She doesn’t give up walks, she makes the batters work, she keeps them off balance, throwing a good mix of pitches. She’s just been very solid and very consistent so far this season.”

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Stoughton got all the scoring it would need in the first inning. With one out Jordan Angelos singled and stole second. Olans then singled Angelos in for the first run.

With two out, Molly Zuk singled to drive in Olans for the second run. Zuk came around to score on an error by the Attleboro third baseman, giving the Black Knights a 3-0 lead.

In the second inning, Bailey Olsen got things started with a leadoff triple. Olsen then scored on an RBI single by Colleen Flaherty to make it 4-0.

Flaherty stole second and later scored to make it 5-0 when Olans reached base on an error by the Attleboro shortstop. Olans scored the sixth and final run on a Megan Flaherty single.

Sullivan would have liked to see Stoughton score more, but she was pleased with the offensive output.  Sullivan said the team only had six hits on the day, but the key was the Black Knights were able to string those hits together.

“We were very opportunistic. We got the hits when we needed them,” Sullivan said. For the most part we had the clutch hitting when we needed it.”

Attleboro scored its lone run of the game in the sixth inning. The Blue Bombardiers led off the inning with a double and then with two outs scored on an error.

Starting second baseman Megan Guerard was out of the lineup on Friday, but Liz Roch stepped up and filled in ably on defense, coming up with many putouts, Sullivan said.

The Black Knights head into vacation looking to build upon the momentum from the Attleboro win. Stoughton is scheduled to travel to Mansfield on Tuesday and to Norton on Thursday. Both games start at noon.


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