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Broncos in attack mode to make Panthers pay for miscues

By Tom King - Staff Writer | Apr 20, 2021

Alvirne's Alyssa Abbott is tagged out at second by Nashua South's Morgan Gillis during the Broncos' 21-1 win in Nashua on Monday. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Alvirne High School softball coach Emily Kraytenberg and her Nashua South counterpart, Kevin Handy, are both Londonderry graduates.

Maybe Kraytenberg can chip in for any alumni dues Handy may have to pay as a good will gesture after her Broncos decimated the Panthers, 21-1 on Monday, for her first win as the Alvirne head coach.

It’s the least Kraytenberg could do as her Broncos were in control from the start, leading 8-0 after four runs in each of the first two innings and taking advantage of eight Panther errors.

That was the plan the Broncos had – go on the attack. They had lost their first two games by a combined three runs, and were determined that wasn’t going to happen again.

“The kids came out, we wanted to be aggressive, and that’s what we did,” Kraytenberg said. “One of the things we wanted to do today was come out attacking and stay aggressive the whole game. That was one of our goals today, and we did very well.”

They certainly did, pounding out 14 hits, led by two each from Alyssa Abbott, Courtney Marioles (reached base all five at-bats with four RBIs), Sky Merrow, and Sabrina Testa, just to name a few. Every Bronco reached safely, and the only downer was Alvirne (1-2) lost catcher Talia Duca to an injury in the second inning after she had doubled in a run.

“Emily Kraytenberg, she’s a Londonderry alum like I am, she was an awesome softball player, too,” Handy said. “She’s taught those girls right. The coach is aggressive, her girls are aggressive. Kudos to Alvirne, they came out swinging.”

South used three pitchers with Natalie Ward starting and taking the loss . Meanwhile, Alvirne’s Marioles kept the Panthers in check, holding them to three hits, including Lizzie DeRusha’s RBI single for South’s only run. She walked three and struck out seven.

“She did great,” Kreytenberg said. “She kept them off balance the whole time, and didn’t let a walk faze her.”

Meanwhile, the Panthers (0-2) couldn’t avoid mistakes that they likely won’t be making a month from now.

“We’re young out there,” Handy said. The biggest thing is obviously effort and attitude and it was there. I know scores like this, things got out of hand a little bit, but they never quit, which I appreciate as a coach.”

And now both teams move ahead, as they are scheduled for the rematch on Friday. And there’s still a lot of games ahead.

“Defense, we were making the young mistakes,” Handy said. “Anytime you have over five errors, you’ve got to limit those. Young mistakes out there, just a lack of experience and the speed of varsity games.

“I know it’s cliché, but I really think we’re going to get better each and every game, every practice. Some of these girls haven’t played in almost two years.”

And the Broncos likely see good things ahead, too.

“We’re very talented, but we’re also a bunch of very good kids,” Kraytenberg said. “Makes it easy.”

Seemed that way on Monday.

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