Tournament softball: Crawford, Leclerc lift Exeter past Keene

Source: UnionLeader.com

EXETER -- Despite being seeded significantly higher, the Exeter High School softball team was well aware of how tough Keene could be entering Wednesday afternoon's first-round matchup in the Division I tournament.

After all, Keene beat Exeter 6-3 during the regular season.

But the Blue Hawks, seeded No. 4, did enough to put away the gritty Blackbirds, seeded 13th. Exeter starter Edy Crawford threw 6⅔ innings of five-hit ball, and Summer Leclerc recorded three hits and notched the final out for a save in a 3-1 victory for the Blue Hawks.

"We knew it was going to be tough. They're not easy," Exeter coach Kristen Morissette said. "Keene's scrappy, they come to play and I'm glad we were able to get the win. The first game (of the tournament) is always the hardest, always the toughest and that last out was not an easy out."

Crawford had retired 11 straight Blackbirds until Taylor Swift -- yes, that's her name -- put Keene (8-12) on the board with a two-out home run in the top of the seventh inning. Katelyn Short followed with a single before Leclerc was called from her shortstop position to record the final out against No. 9 hitter Taylan Wheeler.

"We played good tournament ball here against a very good team. We just couldn't come up with that timely hit all game long," Keene coach Peter Vearling said. "That happens. That's the way this game works sometimes."

Exeter will now host No. 5 Pinkerton Academy (16-3) in Saturday's quarterfinals. The Astros advanced with a 1-0 win over Goffstown. Pinkerton and Exeter did not meet during the regular season.

"The first one is always tough, but we pushed through," Leclerc said. "We definitely wanted another chance at them (the Blackbirds). They're a hard team to play against, and we all together knew we wanted to get this win."

Leclerc gave Exeter a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after she doubled off Keene pitcher Cassidy Dunham and scored on Madi Paige's RBI infield single.

After stealing home on the back end of a double steal in the third inning, Leclerc delivered a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to give Exeter a 3-0 cushion. Lila Smith, Avery Allard and Annie Christiana all singled to load the bases in front of Leclerc.

"I just wanted to stay loose and I just tried not to put too much pressure on myself," Leclerc said. "I went in confident and did what I know I can do."

Crawford was making her first postseason start and didn't have much trouble until the seventh inning. Exeter's defense turned a 6-4-3 double play in the third and Allard made a diving stop off the bat of Asianah Gostyla to begin the seventh.

"The seventh inning was really hard, but I knew I had Summer to back me up," Crawford said. "There were a few nerves, but I got through it."