Marlborough 4, Nashoba 0

Marlboro High coach Kyle Wescott was plenty confident that one run would be enough for his team, but when the Panthers picked up four in the 11th, Wescott was a confident man who could also take a deep breath after nearly three hours of softball. The Panthers scratched for a run in the top of the 11th inning and tacked on three for insurance and held off Nashoba Regional, 4-0, in a drama-filled Central Mass. Division 1 semifinal at Worcester State�s Rockwood Field. Marlboro, the No. 3 seed, improved to 16-6 and will meet Holy Name or Shepherd Hill at Worcester State at 7 p.m. Saturday in the championship game. Second-seeded Nashoba, which spilt its two regular-season meetings with the Panthers, finished 16-6. The Panthers scored the eventual winning run when Erin Coughlin smoked a one-out double to the center field fence, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an outfield miscue. Marlboro loaded the bases later in the inning, setting the stage for sophomore shortstop Victoria Falco, who laced a bases-clearing triple to right to put her team ahead, 4-0. �Victoria does it with defense for us,� Wescott said of his No. 9 hitter. �I think she�s the best defensive shortstop in Central Mass., and her bat will only get better as she gets older, but she got a huge hit for us.�

»Marlborough schedule/results

»Nashoba schedule/results