Olans, Moriarty and Zuk Help Stoughton High Softball Edge Norton

Senior captain Jess Olans tossed a complete-game two-hitter as the Stoughton High softball team earned an important 3-0 victory over Norton in a non-league game on Thursday afternoon at .

With the win, the Black Knights improved to 3-4 overall, while the Lancers dropped to 1-5 overall.

“This was an important game,” Stoughton head coach Janet Sullivan said. “Before the game, we talked about how we can’t let opportunities to get wins pass us by. This was an important win against a good team.”

In a game that only lasted about an hour and 15 minutes, Olans allowed just five base runners, striking out seven batters and walking none. She surrendered just two hits with two Lancers also reaching base on errors and another on a fielder’s choice.

“Jess pitched very well,” Sullivan said. “She did a great job mixing up her pitches and keeping them off-balance.”

The Black Knights had nine hits, scoring a run in the top of the fifth inning and adding two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. The nine hits came off Norton sophomore starter Miranda Donato, who pitched well, striking out three and walking none.

“My drop ball was good and I had some good screwballs and change-ups,” Donato said.

Senior captain and catcher Molly Zuk and designated hitter Kelsey Moriarty led the way for the Stoughton offense with two hits apiece. Zuk was 2-for-4 with two singles and one RBI, while Moriarty was 2-for-3 with two singles and a run scored.

Senior captain and center fielder Colleen Flaherty, sophomore left fielder Jordan Angelos, sophomore shortstop Megan Flaherty, senior right fielder Nicole Beauregard and Olans collected the other hits for the Black Knights.

Junior first baseman Bailey Olsen did not have a hit in the game, but had two important sacrifice bunts with each helping to produce runs.

“We had a great all-around defensive game and had just enough offense,” Sullivan said.

At the plate for Norton, Donato went 1-for-3 with a single and a stolen base in the seventh. Christine Tamulus, playing first base, also went 1-for-3 with a single in the fifth.

Stoughton broke a scoreless deadlock with a run in the top of the fifth. Moriarty opened the inning with a sharp single to center and was sacrificed to second by Olsen.

Jessica Freitas entered the game as a pinch runner for Moriarty at second. Freitas moved up to third base on a ground out and scored on a bloop single to short right field by Angelos to give Stoughton a lead it would never relinquish at 1-0.

The visitors then added two key runs in the top of the seventh. Like the fifth, Moriarty began the rally with another sharp single, this time to left center field, and was sacrificed to second by Olsen. Moriarty advanced to third base on a single to left field by Colleen Flaherty and then scored on a subsequent error to give Stoughton a 2-0 lead. Two batters later, Zuk brought home Flaherty with an RBI single to center to make it 3-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Olans retired the first batter before Donato reached base on a single to left field. She stole second base and moved to third on an error. However with Donato standing at third, Olans retired the next two batters to complete the shutout.

Even with the loss, it was a nice bounce-back performance by the Lancers, who suffered a tough 15-3 road setback to Tri-Valley League opponent Bellingham on Wednesday afternoon.

“We played much better today,” said Norton head coach Wayne Morse, who was without three of his starters for the Lancers’ two games this week. “Our pitching and defense were much better today, but I was a little disappointed with the way we hit the ball.”

Stoughton will head back into Hockomock League competition on Monday afternoon when the Black Knights host North Attleboro at 3:30 p.m. Norton will entertain Holliston in a TVL contest on Monday at 3:45 p.m.