Ashland ace does it again
D'Argento finishes with a no-hitter
WORCESTER - Every game of Ashland's perfect season has been in Nicole D'Argento's hands, and last night it showed.
The senior ace stood on the grass at Rockwood Field, arms outstretched, admiring the calloused palms and blistered fingers that carried the Clockers to their second Division 2 state title with a 3-0 win over Hudson.
If Curt Schilling had his sock, D'Argento had her rosin bag, bloodied and by her side as she fanned 10 and tossed a no-hitter in her final high school appearance.
"In all honesty I just couldn't see Nicole losing this game, her last game," said Ashland coach Steve O'Neill. "She finishes 62-0 and she goes down in the annals of high school athletes."
D'Argento was intentionally walked in her four plate appearances, but still scored two runs.
D'Argento scored the first run for the Clockers. A bad throw on her attempted steal of third allowed her to come around for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Hudson's only player to reach base, junior Sarah Caragian, made it to first on a throwing error, but then was picked off.
Ashland (26-0) attacked again in the fifth. With Erin Gilfoy on first and D'Argento on second, first baseman Cristy Jenkins let a bunt by Sarah Jeffrey roll underneath her glove. D'Argento slid home, avoiding the tag by catcher Michelle Serrentino, to score the second run.
"The ball went by - I saw it out of the corner of my eye," D'Argento said. "Coach O'Neill told me to go, and I knew if it was going to be a close play I would have to go outside, [and I] got my hand in. It definitely felt good to get that second run."
Senior Kylene Pease (2 for 3) followed with a run-scoring double to center to tack on the third run.
Senior Nicole Meuse pitched well for Hudson (18-7), scattering eight hits.
Last season Ashland had only two seniors, but this year the Clockers' nine seniors had a positive impact on the team's attitude.
"This year we knew it was going to be more difficult, so we thought the influence from the older girls was going to be very important, and it was," O'Neill said. "When we made a mistake, we didn't make two mistakes in a row. We said, 'OK, let's put it behind us,' and younger players sometimes have a hard time doing that and older players understand that you have to do that."
D'Argento will rest easy until she heads to Boston College in the fall. And although her pitching often carried the Clockers, she said her teammates' support helped her fight through the season, blisters and all.
"I give all the credit in the world to my team tonight," she said. "This was just a perfect ending to a perfect season." 