Page 4 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MAy 29, 2026 ~ SHS Sachems Spring Sports roundup ~ Saugus softball punches tournament ticket, baseball seniors close chapter strong By Dom Nicastro The Sachems secured their postseason T he season came down to the final week for Saugus softball. One of the youngest teams head coach Steve Almquist has coached found itself needing wins late just to keep playing. The Sachems responded. Now, Saugus softball is headed back to the state tournament. Baseball closed its season honoring a senior class that helped establish a foundation for the program, while several Sachem student-athletes also earned recognition away from competition for excellence in academics, athletics and leadership. SOFTBALL BATTLES THROUGH PRESSURE, EARNS POSTSEASON SPOT Saugus softball is tournament bound for the 10th straight season. berth with a convincing 14-2 victory over Swampscott in a win-or-go-home scenario, finishing the regular season 10-10 after winning two of their final three games. “In a must-win or go-home scenario, the kids rose to the occasion and took care of business,” Almquist said. The offense exploded for 17 hits, showcasing the balanced attack that steadily developed throughout the season. It took a few innings for Saugus to get rolling. The Sachems led only 2-1 entering the fourth before the bats erupted. Sydney Deleidi singled and Ari Chianca walked before Angie Dow ripped a tworun double down the left-field line to help spark a five-run inning. “Once the dust settled we found ourselves on top with a 7-2 lead,” Almquist said. That proved 50 more than enough support for freshman ace Sofia McCarrier. McCarrier dominated, tossing a complete game while allowing just two runs on two hits with six strikeouts. “Swampscott never was able to mount any type of offensive threat,” Almquist said. The offense continued piling on. Deleidi delivered one of her best performances of the season, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Chianca finished 3-for-3 with two runs. Aubrey Demonte added two hits and three RBIs. Layla Demonte doubled and drove in two. Dow finished with a double and two RBIs. Freshman Izzy Cantrell, recently called up from JV, delivered a memorable moment by ripping a double over the center fielder’s head for her first varsity hit. Hannah Strout, Julia Strout, Alannah Duong, Jenna O’Donnell and McCarrier all contributed offensively. “I couldn’t be happier for the kids for making the state tournament,” Almquist said. “This is the youngest team we’ve fielded during my time here.” The youth movement showed throughout the season. The Sachems regularly relied on eighth graders Hannah Strout, Aubrey Demonte and Jenna O’Donnell, freshmen McCarrier and Cantrell, plus underclassmen spread throughout the lineup. “Credit to the kids as well as my amazing coaching staff for all of the hard work they have put in,” Almquist said. Earlier in the week, Saugus nearly pulled off a major upset against Division 1 power Peabody before falling 8-3. The Sachems battled. Layla Demonte and McCarrier opened the second inning with backto-back singles. Lani Perez added an RBI single. Sophomore Alannah Duong delivered perhaps the biggest swing of the day, blasting her first home run of the season over the left-field fence. McCarrier and O’Donnell split pitching duties and combined to keep Saugus competitive deep into the game. “We went toe to toe with them giving them everything they could handle,” Almquist said. Then came Swampscott. Then came the celebration. Ten straight tournament appearances. Baseball seniors finish strong, Crawford delivers gem Saugus baseball closed its season at 9-11 but not before one final memorable performance from its senior leadership group. On senior night — played on the road while serving as the home team against Peabody — Brayden Crawford delivered one of the strongest outings of his career. Crawford threw a complete game victory with 13 strikeouts while allowing just one run and six hits. He also helped create the tying run in the sixth inning by getting on base and eventually scoring on a passed ball. Later, Eli Fialho delivered the decisive blow with a two-run single that scored Nathan Soroko and Jordan Rodriguez. Donny Santostefano and Garret Peavey also added hits. The win highlighted a senior class that leaves behind a significant legacy. Saugus graduated six seniors: ROUNDUP | SEE PAGE 5 Spring is Here! 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 Celebrating 67 Years in Business! n Roofing fng
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