It’s been well over a year since the last time the Londonderry High School Softball has suffered a defeat. The Lancers have gone 30-0 since May 3, 2024, and are now heading into the 2025 Division I Championship as the number one seed and hoping to defend their title.
The Lancers finished the regular season last week by tacking on two more wins, to finish at 19-0 and going into the post-season with a strong head of steam.
In the last two weeks, Londonderry was able to dispatch of their two nearest challengers with 6-0 and 7-2 victories.
On May 20 they beat the Astros in a six-run shutout and last week, on May 28, they finished the regular season with a 7-2 over the now 15-3 Windham Jaguars.
The LHS squad was also able to finally finish the rain-delayed game with Bishop Guertin, winning 11-2 on May 27.
In the regular season ending win over the Jaguars in Windham, junior pitcher Elizabeth Kearney had another dominating performance in the circle for LHS, striking out 18-batters, allowing just four hits from a very tough line-up, while walking two.
The Lancers offense put the team in the drivers seat early, getting two-runs in the top of the first with singles by Allison Chambers and Kearney, then having two walks and a fielders choice drive in the second run.
Windham came back with one in the third inning, but a lead off double by Shannon Crowley in the fourth led to a wild-pitch steal at home for what turned out to be the eventual game-winning run.
Londonderry batters had three singles, a double and a triple in the final inning for the five-run win.
Abby Austen had a triple and a double and went two-for-four at the plate. Other doubles were hit by Kearney, Crowley and Riley Campo.
Overall, Londonderry had 10 hits, walked four times and struck out four times.
In the continuation of the game with Bishop Guertin, that was delayed by rain, earlier in the month, the Lancers played the remaining three innings, winning 11-2. As it turned out, just one run was scored after the game resumed, tacking onto their 10-2 lead in the top of the fifth, with a Kearney single.
Kearney got the win with another exceptional performance, striking out 21 BG batters, walking one and allowing just two hits.
Austen hit two homeruns, drove in four RBIs and went three-for-four at the plate. Allison Chambers also had a three-hit game. Kearney Moore and Ginney Flaherty each had doubles.
The Lancers will begin their quest for a repeat win of the Division I title after a first round bye. The team’s first playoff game is scheduled for Saturday, June 7, at home, against the winner of the Portsmouth (#8) vs. Salem (#9) game.