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Sweet Revenge Hoadley Leads Owls Back to Semis

Saturday, June, 04 By Kyle Gaudette

PLAISTOW — Kate Hoadley remembers her days as a freshmen, leading Timberlane to the New Hampshire Division 1 championship with her stellar work on the mound. The following two years came with heartback after the Owls were upset in the quarterfinals twice, but now as a senior, Hoadley has once again led her team to just two wins from the promise land.

The two-time Eagle Tribune All-Star threw a one-hitter Saturday with 15 strikeouts, as top-seeded Timberlane defeated No. 8 Bishop Guertin 9-0 to advance to the semi-finals of the Division 1 state tournament. Hoadley one-upped her performance from last year's quarterfinals, where she let up two hits and struck out 11 but the Owls were upset by the same Bishop Guertin team 1-0.  

"This feels a lot like my freshmen year," said Hoadley. "We just had to play hard and play our game and I knew that we would be okay."

Timberlane has had to fight off the demons of the past two postseasons. Two years ago the Owls lost in the first round to a Bedford team that entered the tournament with a 6-12 record, and last year's loss to Bishop Guertin as the tournament's No. 2 seed came as a huge shock. 

Owls coach Jim Clevette, however, has his team focused on doing what they do best: hit.

"We won the championship three years ago when [Hoadley] was a freshmen," said Clevette. "This year, my goal was to get back to the final four. It's always one of my big goals to make the last four. I have a real good team and they all can hit. We had two feshmen come off the bench and get hits today. We preach it to them, but I know we can hit."

Bishop Guertin was without starting pitcher Bridget Soraghan and junior catcher Neyfa Ouellette, who were suspended for the game.  

It was a rough start for the Owls on Saturday. With two outs in the first, Kylie Fitzpatrick crushed a pitch to deep left field. She rounded second and was waved on by Clevette, but a nice relay by Bishop Guertin was in time to get Fitzpatrick at the plate.

The offense got going in the second when Jill Aziz singled in Ally Collins for the game's first run. After a Jess Mezquita walk to load the bases, leadoff hitter Ally Ruth cleared them with a towering double to center field. Ruth finished with a team-high three RBI's, and Kylie's sister Kaleigh Fitzpatrick went 2 for 3 with two runs batted in.

Nere No-No

Hoadley took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but it was broken up with two outs when Cardinal's shortstop Dakota Bilodeau found the gap in center field for a triple. 

"I didn't know I had one going," said a smiling Hoadley. "I just try to make the pitches that they call for me."

"She pitched really well," said Clevette. "We made some great plays behind her."

Owls center fielder Amy Freeman had a busy day in the field. She made a diving catch coming in on a pop-up to start the third, and she made a nice snag racing back on a long fly-out from Bilodeau to end the inning.

What's Next 

Timberlane played its last home game for the season, as the semi-final matchup will be played at Southern New Hampshire University Tuesday at 7 p.m. 

They will play No. 5 Alvirne, who they beat 6-5 during the regular season. Second-seeded Salem and No 3 Spaulding play the first semis game at 5 p.m.

"It doesn't matter who you play next," said Clevette. "You still have to beat who is in front of you."