'An unbelievable feeling': Taunton softball headed to fourth straight state title game

WORCESTER— All season long, Taunton coach Michelle Raposo has stressed the importance to her team of scoring early, both to give some reassurance to senior pitcher Sam Lincoln and put the pressure on their opponent.

In the top of the first during Tuesday's Division 1 Final Four game against No. 2 Central Catholic, freshman catcher Aniyah Bailey (1-for-4, run) hit a double down the left-field line. The next at-bat, junior shortstop Brooke Aldrich (2-for-2, RBI) hit a double of her own, driving in Bailey from second to give the Tigers the early lead.

As it turned out, that one first-inning run made all the difference as No. 3 Taunton (24-0, 16-0 Hockomock League) put on the defensive pressure and gritted out a 1-0 win over the Raiders at Worcester State's Rockwood Field. With the win, the Tigers to the Division 1 title game for a fourth consecutive year.

"It’s an unbelievable feeling. I can’t even describe it," Raposo said. "These girls worked hard. We knew it was going to be a tough game and they just pulled through. I didn’t know it was going to be a one-run game all the way through (when) we scored in the first inning, but we got it done, made it work and bared down when we needed to."

Lincoln delivered another strong performance in the circle for Taunton, with the 2024 Gatorade Mass. Softball Player of the Year going all seven innings giving up just a hit and a walk while striking out 14. While admitting having just a run lead isn't her ideal scenario, she enjoys the challenge it brings and doesn't let it get to her too much.

"I’m locked in no matter what," Lincoln said. "One run is one hit off the bat and it could be tied, so I go in with the same mindset that it could be anything."

For Aldrich, who continued her playoff hot streak at the plate, she knew the importance of getting on the board first, especially in such a high-pressure game.

"You have to hop on it early because if you fall behind, it’s a lot more pressure, so it’s a lot easier," Aldrich said.

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For Raposo, Aldrich coming through at the plate again is no surprise.

"She thrives in (the tournament)," Raposo said. "She’s a great kid that works under pressure and gets up there, finds her pitch and she drives it."

Raposo also praised the fielding efforts of her team, especially coming off of what she described as an "uncharacteristic" surrendering of five errors against Methuen in the Elite Eight. The Tigers went a perfect 5-for-5 on putout attempts, including a strong throw from Aldrich at short in the top of the seventh for the first out.

"We took that and we talked about failure recovery a lot, like that was our failure recovery and let this be our game," Raposo said. "We need to be flawless and we need to do everything we can to get to those balls and get those outs because that one out is going to mean everything when it comes down to it."

As the Tigers prepare for another trip to Amherst with hopes of a fourth straight state title, Raposo said the true driving factor of the team is its sense of community.

"They band together, root for each other and pick each other up when they’re down," Raposo said. "I’ve never seen a team that bonds together the way that Taunton does. They fight for each other and do everything that they can, whether that’s on the field or up to bat, to make sure that we’re ahead at the end of the game."

The Tigers will face the winner of No. 1 Wachusett and No. 21 King Philip at Sortino Field on the campus of UMass at a time to be determined on either Friday or Saturday.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton High softball defeats Central Catholic in state semifinal