Cumberland and Johnston stay alive in the RIIL softball playoffs

SOFTBALL

Division I

Cumberland 1, East Providence 0

Caroline Lanzi‘s outstanding effort on the mound would be just enough for Cumberland to get by East Providence in the D-I one-loss-bracket final. Lanzi, who threw a complete-game shutout, allowing only two hits while striking out 10, outdueled Townies’ hurler Keira Quadros, who was nearly as good as she gave only three hits with 10 strikeouts. The Clippers accounted for the only run in the fourth inning when Reilly Austin singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Bri Grenier. East Providence advances to the D-I consolation semifinals.

Division II

Johnston 4, South Kingstown 2

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Johnston staged a two-out rally and went on to defeat the Rebels, 4-2, in the D-II losers’ bracket. The inning was highlighted by an RBI single by Michelina Irons and a 3-run triple by Arianna Velasquez. Kaylin Foster got things started for the Panthers in the fifth, delivering a two-out single to left. Ava Waterman, pinch-running for Foster, stole second and scored on Irons’ single to center.   After two walks, Velasquez drilled a shot into the left-center field gap to clear the bases. Johnston moves on to the second round of the D-II losers’ bracket and will face the winner of Wednesday’s West Warwick-Woonsocket game.