Ponaganset softball upsets Johnston, advances to D-II title round

PROVIDENCE — Ponaganset’s march through the loser’s bracket in this Division II softball tournament will extend to the season’s final weekend.

Johnston became the latest upset victim for the Chieftains on this perfect Tuesday night at Rhode Island College. Claire Barrett and Ella McKenney made the key swings at the plate while Mattea Mello handled the work in the circle.

The Panthers suffered a similar fate to Barrington, Kent County and Portsmouth before them. Only top seed Lincoln remains on this unlikely journey after No. 7 Ponaganset rallied past Johnston, 5-2, to book a place in Saturday’s title-round opener.

Barrett raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run in the top of the second inning, handing the Chieftains a 3-2 lead. McKenney added some insurance in the top of the fifth by lacing a two-run triple to the gap in left-center. Mello retired eight straight hitters on two different occasions and limited the Panthers to just the two runs they scratched out in the bottom of the first.

“This is a big confidence builder for our team,” Mello said. “I feel like we’re going to keep carrying this energy to the weekend.”

Some two-out trouble for Ponaganset in the second allowed the underdogs to grab the lead for good. Haleigh Mooney lined a double to left-center and Elke Pearson drew a four-pitch walk out of the No. 9 spot while turning the batting order to Barrett. She drilled a towering fly to deep right that fell beyond a pair of Johnston outfielders and eventually slid head-first across the plate with a three-run homer.

“Finally coming together,” Barrett said. “Bringing our energy up. Everyone is doing what we need to do to win the games.”

Mello surrendered just a lone walk between the first and sixth innings to hold the lead, and the Chieftains added on in the fifth. Cora Miller and Selah Michael knocked consecutive one-out singles to center and the relay throw to third allowed Michael to move up into scoring position. The Panthers made a nice defensive play to snuff out a potential squeeze bunt but McKenney sent a bullet over shortstop that allowed Ponaganset to capitalize on its chance.