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NEWTON — The third time was not the charm for the Methuen softball team yesterday. The Rangers saw their season ended by Newton North for the third year in a row, this time by a 3-1 score in the Division 1 North quarterfinals. “Maybe we can get on the other side of the bracket next year,” mused Methuen coach Jason Smith, whose club concluded a terrific season with a 17-4 record. “It’s a little disheartening.” Newton North sophomore Gabby Vachon threw a three-hitter while striking out seven to pick up the win. Methuen’s only run was unearned, coming in the fifth inning. Kayleigh Forgetta pitched well for Methuen but Newton North, which collected nine hits, got all the runs it needed in the bottom of the first on a two-run homer by senior Kate Ainger. Heather McLaughlin played well defensively at first base for Methuen and threw out a runner at the plate and Kelly Blackwell shined at third while going 1 for 3. Amanda Conway and Kayla Potter had Methuen’s other hits. With the majority of the team returning next year, Smith knows that the potential is there to take the next step. “This hurts now, but we have a great core coming back,” said Smith. “We just need to keep getting better so we can go beyond this point next year.”

Lauren McDonough pitched well, going the distance, but Methuen fell to Chelmsford 4-2 on a two-out, two-run single in the top of the 10th. Amanda Conway (2 hits), Kat LeFebre (2 hits, RBI) and Meghan Murphy (RBI) led the Rangers.

 Kat LeFebre was 4 for 4 with four RBIs to highlight Methuen's 13-1 victory over Greater Lawrence.

Methuen's softball team swept Central Catholic, winning its second matchup 12-3 behind a grand slam by Meghan Murphy and a two-run homer by Amanda Lemire. Murphy was 2 for 3 with five RBIs for the Rangers (12-3) and scored twice and Kayla Potter was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and scored twice. 

Methuen only had four hits for the game, but an RBI single by Angelina Correia and an RBI triple by Kat LeFebre proved decisive as Methuen won a cliffhanger over Tewksbury 4-3. The Rangers (11-2) survived a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh.

Methuen's softball team qualified for the state tournament the earliest in at least 15 years with a 4-1 victory over Lowell. Kelly Blackwell had two RBIs, Amanda Lemire was 3 for 3 and scored twice and Kayleigh Forgetta threw a three-hitter for the Rangers (10-1).

Behing Kayleigh Forgetta's nifty four-hitter, Methuen picked up its first win over Central Catholic in at least four years, 2-0. Kayla Potter and Amanda Lemire had RBI singles for the Rangers, who improved to 9-1, and Kat LeFebre had a key pickoff throw to nail a runner at first base in the sixth.

Madison Adames had a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh to lift Methuen's softball team to a 6-5 victory over Tewksbury. Trailing 4-0, Kelly Blackwell got the Rangers (7-1) back in it with a two-run homer in the fifth.

After tying the game with four runs in the bottom of the seventh and another in the bottom of the eighth, Methuen's softball team (6-0) outlasted Dracut in a battle of unbeatens, 12-11.