Drive for five: Larson, Taunton softball come from behind to win fifth straight D1 title

WORCESTER— Throughout the spring, it’s been rare to see Taunton softball trailing in a game. But when they were, they always came back, be it against Dighton-Rehoboth, La Salle Academy or Bishop Feehan.

If anyone thought Saturday would be any different for the Tigers, especially with a state title on the line, they’d be sorely mistaken.

Despite trailing or being tied with No. 2 Wachusett (22-2, 4-0 Midland-Wachusett A) for the first 4½ innings, No. 1 Taunton (25-0, 16-0 Hockomock League) put up 7 runs across the fifth and sixth inning to secure the 10-4 win, a second straight undefeated season and, most importantly of all, the program’s fifth straight MIAA Division 1 title and 10th overall.

“I knew this was going to be a tough game going into it,” Tigers coach Michelle Raposo, adding she was really happy for her seniors to go out on top. “(Wachusett) is a really good team that scores early and we knew we couldn’t let that bring us down or make us nervous.”

At the center of it all for Taunton was senior pitcher Cate Larson, as the Georgetown-bound star led the way both in the circle (7 innings , 8 hits, 2 earned runs, walk, 8 strikeouts) and at the plate (2-for-4, double, home run, run, 4 RBIs).

“It feels amazing,” Larson, who wraps up her 5-year high school career with 0 playoff loses and 5 state titles. “I’m so proud of Taunton High and the dynasty we’ve created, and I think it’s just amazing for the girls who graduated before me and for the ones who’ll come next year.”

After going down 2-0 in the top of the first, the Tigers struck back in the bottom of the second as sophomore catcher Aniyah Bailey tripled, then came home on a sacrifice bunt by Providence College-bound senior shortstop Brooke Aldrich before Larson launched a ball over the left field fence for a game-tying home run.

Not to be outdone, Wachusett doubled their total with runs in the third and fourth, coming off an RBI double to center by senior catch Tiegan Walsh and an RBI single by junior left fielder Morgan Lucas respectively.

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But again, Larson responded with her bat. After an RBI single by sophomore second baseman Maddie Crowley in the fourth and and junior left fielder Mia Torres coming home on an error that saw Aldrich advance all the way to second in the fifth, Larson laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring home sophomore third baseman Bella Bourque to take their first lead of the evening. From there, Taunton never looked back.

The Tigers plated 5 more runs in the bottom of the sixth, including off RBI doubles by Larson and Torres, with it also serving as the latter’s 100th career hit, something she didn’t know until a sign popped up in the outfield.

“When I saw it, I started crying,” Torres said. “I got a little emotional because I didn’t know (that was my 100th hit) and I’ve worked so hard to try and get there and I’m so happy with my team.”

Wachusett tried to stage a comeback of their own in the top of the seventh, getting runners on second and third with two outs, but Larson struck out Senior pitcher Shayna Bakum to close out the game and secure the glory.

”She’s a fighter,” Raposo said of Larson. “She’s just strong mentally and she’s just an overall great kid.”

For Raposo, it’s almost as if being down gives Larson and the rest of the Tigers an extra edge in their comeback efforts.

“It doesn’t make them nervous, it fuels them a little harder,” Raposo said. “Coming in down 2-0, they knew they were going to have to battle and it was going to take more than a couple runs to win today.”

As Tigers past, present and future gathered in the outfield at Rockwood Field to bask in the glory of the back-to-back-to-back-to-back champions, Raposo couldn’t help but think back to winning her state titles as a player in 2002 and 2003, the latter of which happened on the same field.

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“When we won back-to-back state championships, that was unheard of (in Taunton),” Raposo said, who now has three more as the Taunton head coach. “It was just an unbelievable feeling to win one… this is an anomaly.”

All three also came with her daughter Torres on her team. It’s a bond the pair both treasure, though Torres admits she now has some bragging rights.

“She won two (as a player) and I finally won three, so I get to brag a little that I have more than her,” Torres said with a laugh.

With the win, the Tigers extend their streak to 56 and become just the second MIAA softball program to reach double-digit title wins, with only Turners Falls, who beat Greenfield 2-1 in extra innings in Amherst Saturday for the Division 5 title, having more (12).

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton softball downs Wachusett for fifth straight D1 crown