BRINGIN’ THE HEAT: Salem’s McAuliffe tosses 21K no-hitter
Salem’s Shannon McAuliffe struck out 21 Canton batters while pitching a no-hitter Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday afternoon, Salem senior softball pitcher Shannon McAuliffe decided to give the seven fielders playing behind her the day off.
Literally.
McAuliffe took matters into her own hands — or her right arm to be more precise — during the Rocks’ 6-1 victory over Canton, accounting for all 21 outs with strikeouts and not yielding a hit to the Cobras.
Canton managed just three baserunners against the flame-throwing right-hander — Avarie Spuller led off the game by getting hit by a pitch, Audly Edgerton worked a leadoff walk in the second and Rachel Aeck walked with one out in the fourth.
Cobras led early
Incredibly, the Cobras actually led, 1-0, after two innings when Edgerton stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
It was lights out after that, though, for the Cobras, who were victimized by McAuliffe’s big-time heat and well-placed off-speed pitches.
Canton senior pitcher Devyn Plozai was McAuliffe’s equal for the first two frames, fanning five Rocks after the first three Salem hitters all reached base (two by error, another by walk) to open the bottom of the first.
Salem deadlocked the game at 1-1 in the second when Erin Torok walked and scored on a long double by McAuliffe.
McAuliffe strikes with bat
The Rocks seized the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth when No. 9 hitter Joslyn Dawley leadoff hitter Taylor Bond worked back-to-back walks. Torok then singled home Dawley before McAuliffe struck again with a two-run double to give her team a 4-1 advantage.
Salem loaded the bases in the fifth but Plozai wiggled out of the jam by getting Bond on a called third strike to end the threat.
The Rocks tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth on a walk to Torok and four straight singles by McAuliffe, Mikayla Roberts, Charlie Lindstrom, Sydney Holcombe and Theresa Distefano.
Torok had a huge game at the plate for Salem, reaching base four times and scoring three runs. McAuliffe finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, three RBI and a walk.
Lindstrom ripped two singles for Salem.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
