JOHNSON'S BIG LAST LIFTS LAKERS

KINGSTON - Not every victory is going to look like a Picasso. Sometimes they'll look more like a finger painting, but you'll take them any way you can get them as long as the game ends up in your win column. The Silver Lake softball team had to scratch and claw out a 5-4 win over Middleborough at home Friday afternoon to make their record a perfect 10-0.

The win also officially extends the program's a long streak of playoff appearances that began in 1990.

"They're not all pretty," Head Coach Tony Pina said about the win over the Sachems. "We really had to work for that win. We didn't execute like we normally do and we left some opportunities out there that we usually capitalize on during a game.

"It's a good lesson for the team to learn. Because we've been a successful program over the years, we are going to get the best shot from every team we play and we have to be ready for that," Pina continued. "Middleborough came at us hard right off the bat and we have to be able to respond to that kind of an effort every game."

Silver Lake had not allowed more than two runs in any game this season but Middleborough topped that right off the bat with two runs in the first and one more in the second inning off starting pitcher Maddie Barone to take a quick 3-0 lead.

"They were aggressive at the plate, and give Middleborough credit, they put the bat on the ball and came up with some key hits," Pina said. "They came ready to play."

Silver Lake wasn't playing from behind for long as Caroline Videtto and Shannon Grindle helped load the bases in the bottom of the third inning for Hannah Johnson, who delivered a big bases-clearing blast over the fence in right-center for a grand slam.

"It was one of those hits that you knew was gone as soon as it left the bat. We needed a big hit right there and Hannah provided it for us," Pina said.

Middleborough added a run in the fifth inning, but would get no closer.

Videtto had a big day at the plate with three hits and junior captain Emily Critch chipped in with two hits of her own.

Videtto is tearing things up offensively so far this season with one of the state's top batting averages of .692 as of the beginning of the week. Grindle's also getting a hit more often than not with a batting average of .581.

Barone has been as stingy as ever on the mound with a record of 9-0 and an earned run average of 1.01. She's allowed just three walks so far while striking out 86 batters.

This week's weather has already wiped out a game with Hingham twice and the rain was threatening games with Plymouth South (Wednesday) and Plymouth North (Thursday) later in the week.

photo credit: Alyssa Stone