Nashua South's Liz DeRusha slides just under the tag by Alvirne catcher Delaney Power during the Broncos' 7-4 win Wednesday at Nashua South. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Often the perfect situation for any high school game is that no matter the outcome, both teams get something out of it.

We give you Wednesday’s sun-splashed clash between the host Nashua High School South and visiting Alvirne softball teams as Exhibit A.

The Broncos got a much needed come-from-behind 7-4 win, one that not only vaulted them over the .500 mark at 7-6, but showed they could fight through adversity.

The 2-12 Panthers, despite the loss, got that much needed feeling that they could compete, as they played on the heels of a 13-2 loss Tuesday to Salem, but were leading the Broncos 4-3 after three innings.

“Absolutely, we had some injuries and some young girls stepped up who are going to be a part of our future,” South coach Kevin Handy said. “I saw it out there, I commend their effort and attitude, especially 24 hours after a tough loss like that to come out here and compete like that – I appreciate that from the girls.”

Meanwhile the Broncos knew this was a game they needed to win if they want to become the contending team they have the goal of being.

“Definitely,” Alvirne coach Dakota Bilodeau said. “We picked it up a little bit. They (South) made some good plays, but we barreled the ball and we just got by.”

The Broncos got two in the first and scratched out a run in the top of the third to lead 3-1 before South came back with three in the bottom of the third off Alvirne pitcher Madyson Rambeau. After Jill Daley and Morgan Gillis reached, Liz DeRusha singled home a run and advanced to second on a throwing error. Gillis scored on Natalia Silverman-Rogers’ RBI ground out (she also had an RBI single earlier), and DeRusha slid home safely on another groundout to put the Panthers up 4-3.

She then went in to pitch in relief of starter Daley – South has just two pitchers and Handy has divided the workload all year – and DeRusha tossed a scoreless fourth. However, the Broncos got three in the fifth on Madyson Rambeau’s sac fly, a wild pitch and RBI infield hit by Delaney Power to make it 6-4.

They added another in the top of the seventh when Faith Cestrone took one for the team with the bases loaded.

Meanwhile, Rambeau pitched four scoreless innings after the Panthers’ uprising, finishing with nine strikeouts. South had runners in scoring position in three of those frames but couldn’t get the big hit.

“She’s our grinder, our workhorse,” Bilodeau said. “She gets us through, our only true pitcher.”

And they’ll have to go as far as she can take them.

“We’ve got five games left,” Bilodeau said. “Nothing’s given, we’re going to have to keep fighting. We’re excited for the tournament, we’re trying to be in the best place we can be going into it. This is a hard-working team.”

“Hats off to Alvirne, they came out to play for sure,” Handy said. “But yeah, we were right there.”

And that’s the idea for both teams, right?

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