SALEM, N.H. – Cold, drizzle, the intensity of the state quarterfinals, the disappointment of a home playoff loss just one year ago?
None of that mattered. The Salem High softball team came to hit on Saturday afternoon.
Fourth-seeded Salem struck early, often and with serious force, drilling No. 5 Londonderry, 15-6, on Saturday. The Blue Devils earned the trip to Plymouth State on Tuesday night (7 p.m.) to face top-seeded Concord in the Division I state semis.
“We knew it’s our last game on our home field, and we were not going down without a fight,” said senior Vania Moniz, who announced Salem’s presence with some serious authority, launching a moonshot way over the fence in center for a first-inning grand slam.
“This year we knew, we were not going to end up like what happened last year (first-round loss to Bedford). We were going to fight all the way through. We’re not going to take anything lightly, because we want this so bad.”
Moniz’ rocket was the first of two Salem slams on the day, and junior Addison Lucier added a solo shot to right for good measure.
Salem, now 17-3, wasted no time in this one.
Jenny Olson opened the bottom of the first with a single then stole second. Lucier rifled an RBI single, the first of her four hits on the afternoon, for the 1-0 lead.
Maddie Beeley singled and Ava McNamara took one for the team, loading the bases for Moniz, who made it 5-0 on a tough, two-strike pitch.
“It was two strikes, I’m kind of used to that by now because I did it a lot in middle school,” said Moniz, who will play next year for former Blue Devils’ great Katie Bettencourt at Endicott College. “I’m used to staying calm in the box and waiting for my pitch. It doesn’t matter what the count is, I’m looking for mine.
“It was definitely a weight off our shoulders. It gave us a little bit of a cushy lead, so we could stay focused, stay calm and keep moving forward.”
With that big of an advantage early, Salem was very tough.
“We were able to take a deep breath, feel good and feel a little more comfortable,” said coach Haley Chandler. “Londonderry did a great job of coming back and scoring some runs, and we also did a great job of staying on them. Keep hitting, keep scoring. I’m super proud of them.”
Londonderry’s defense let starter Olivia Cutuli down in the Salem second.
A pair of infield errors and a Lucier single loaded the bases and a third miscue made it 6-0 through two.
The Blue Devils took charge for good in the third.
Maddy Paradis, Vanessa Ventullo and Olson all singled to load them up for Brianna Lucacio. And the sophomore didn’t miss, blasting the back-breaker into the crowd for a 10-0 Salem lead.
Paradis, Emersen Poulin and Ventullo would add RBIs, before Lucier punctuated the victory with the sixth-inning solo homer.
McNamara, on the big lead, was strong, pitching into the fifth and keeping the 15-5 Lancers at a safe distance. She got some relief help from Bailey Ruel, who was sharp in closing things out.
Salem and Concord are by no means strangers. The Blue Devils dropped a 4-2 decision to the Tide in the final game of this regular season. Salem fans might also like to note that the Devils KO’d Concord in the 2021 finals, 5-1, for the program’s unprecedented 19th state title.