Norwood Girls Win-This Day In Norwood History-June 4, 1975

Jeannie Ellis Heroics Lift Norwood Past Westwood in Tourney Opener

ROW 1: J. Skowrowski, S. McSweeney, tri-captain; J. Lanzoni — tri-captain; J. Cleary.
ROW 2: Coach Burt, B. McAuliffe, J. Trainer, L White, P. Larsen, J. Ellis.
MISSING: K. Smelstor — tri-captain; L. Rossi.

You can talk all you want about youth, but don’t knock experience. No less than four sophomores parlayed their talents for the good of the Norwood High School girls’ softball team, but in the end, it was senior captain Jeannie Ellis who wore the heroine’s crown. Norwood edged Westwood High School, 4-3, in yesterday’s first-round action in the District One Softball Tournament.

Ellis had a perfect day at the bat, going 4-for-4. But in this game, which was not decided until the final out, Ellis went sharply to her right near the second base bag, knocked down a hard grounder headed for center field, and nipped Ginnie DeAngelis at first base by a half-step. Betsy Bonner was heading home with the tying run, but Ellis’ clutch defensive play ended the issue.

“My heart is in my throat,” gleamed Kathy Burt, coach of the triumphant squad. “What a game.”

It was truly a nail-biter, seat-squirmer, and pulse-pounder, according to your form of emotional outlet. Norwood jumped to a 3-0 edge in the first inning after winning the coin flip that made it the home team on the day, despite the fact that the game was played in Westwood. Betty McAuliffe walked for openers. Ellis placed a perfect bunt and beat it out for a single. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, and both scored on an infield error with two out. Judy Soderlund, the route-going winning sophomore pitcher, rapped a clean single to drive in Elaine Donahue, who had reached on the miscue.

Soderlund proved tough on the mound. She yielded her first hit with two out in the third inning, with Westwood’s Katie Dargan delivering. Bonner, who pitched very well while also going the seven-inning distance for Westwood, lashed her first of two doubles to move Dargan to third. Chris Dion walked to load the bases with two out, but Soderlund got DeAngelis to pop out to Ellis at second base.

Westwood tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning as Beth Schweitzer reached on an error and moved up on two wild pitches. Dargan walked. Schweitzer scored on a sacrifice fly by Bonner, and Dargan went to third when the throw to the plate went astray. Dion singled in Dargan, and DeAngelis walked. Diane Saari then doubled home Dion to knot the count, but DeAngelis was thrown out at the plate, with Norwood catcher Claire Benson applying the tag.

Norwood scored the eventual game-winner in the bottom of the fifth on a solo effort. Sophomore third baseman Patty Bossio walked and stole second base. The late throw to catch Bossio went into center field, and the speedy lass scrambled home to put Norwood on top, 4-3.

Westwood made its final bid to tie the contest in the seventh inning as Bonner again doubled with one out. She moved to third base on a wild pitch after Dion fanned for the second out. DeAngelis hit the ball sharply, and it looked as if she was going to bring home Bonner, but Ellis made the game-saving defensive play to preserve the victory.

“We have been a strong defensive club all year,” said Burt. “Now we’re starting to hit better too. Before, we had good hitters at the top of the order but had to hope for hits after that. But more than anything, this is a team. Last year we had strong individual talents, especially Kathy Smeltzer. This year it has been a team effort all the way.”

The tournament continues Thursday in round two.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger