Softballers win again
Lady Whalers turn back Division 1 Falmouth
BY STEVE SHEPPARD INDEPENDENT SPORTS EDITOR
Olivia Hull pitched a one-hitter and struck out eight Falmouth batters Sunday as the Lady Whalers improved to 8-0 on the season.

Nantucket overturned Falmouth, 7-1, in what has almost become a rarity this year - a complete, 7-inning game. Two days before, the Whalers defeated Provincetown, 19-1, behind the nine rbi performance of Shantel Hanniford, who also belted a pair of first inning home runs; and the week before that, Jessica Guevera struck out nine and pitched a five-inning no-hitter in a 17-0 rout of New England Christian Academy. By comparison, the game against Falmouth was a relatively close contest.

Coach Chris Maury said Nantucket was ready to face the Division One opponent. "Falmouth's a pretty good team," he said. "We played good defense, and we're hitting the ball really well. All the runs we've scored aren't by accident; we've improved offensively. The biggest factor is this group is really focused."

The Whalers took an early, 3-0 lead before Falmouth was able to notch its first hit and score its lone run, in the fifth inning. Prior to that, Hull had allowed just two baserunners on bases on balls.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL GALVIN/The Independent Lindsay Fry (top photo) applies the tag and Olivia Hull (above) displays her winning form in Sunday's victory over Falmouth.

Nantucket added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth on hits by Hanniford and Stephanie Norris, and another pair in the sixth on a single by Cassie Moran and a Maryanne Bradley sacrifice fly.

Falmouth threatened in the sixth, but two big plays at the plate prevented further scoring.

The unseasonably cold weather didn't deter the Whalers' defense (or the hearty fans), as crisp fielding and heads-up plays were the order of the afternoon. "They're making the most of it," Maury said of his team. "The main thing is they're having a lot of fun out there."

The Lady Whalers don't play again until this weekend, when Provincetown visits Friday for a makeup of a previously postponed game, followed by a visit from New Testament Saturday for a doubleheader that

is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. I