NEW BEDFORD — There's a reason coach Craig Soares decided to start freshman Olivia Araujo at shortstop this year.
“She has potential,” said the head coach at GNB Vocational Technical High School.
Araujo was on full display Monday afternoon as the 11th-seeded Bears defeated 22nd-seeded Seekonk, 11-9, in an MIAA Division 3 round of 32 game.
In the top of the seventh, with the winning run reaching home plate and the Bears leading by just two runs, Araujo caught a liner and got the runner on third base out, setting up a double play to end the game and send Voc-Tech to the Sweet 16.
“It's repetition,” said Araujo, who got his first out on a pop fly in the seventh inning. “You've been in the cage 100 times a day since you were a kid, and it's paying off.”
“When the ball comes, you have to be ready. You have to know where to go. You have to want the ball. That's really important. You have to want to play. You have to want to win the game. You have to want to get the out.”
Soares said Araujo's softball IQ continues to improve.
“As a coach, you talk about different scenarios and you go over them. You practice different situations in practice, but when it happens in a game there's nothing a coach can do,” he said. “You either know how to handle it or you don't. It was a smart play to get on base there with two runners on and down by two.”
“We kept fighting.”Bishop Stang baseball team rallies to reach Division 3 Sweet 16
Araujo also had a productive time at the plate against Seekonk.
The Bears were trailing 6-4 in the fifth inning when Araujo hit a three-run triple to right-center field to give Voc-Tech the lead and put them on a seven-run lead.
“We've been fighting almost every game,” Coach Soares said. “It's not easy, but our freshmen have shown up there.”
“I love the big moments,” Araujo said. “They really build character and make you want to succeed. They motivate you to keep going. When I was up to bat, all I had in my head was making contact and swinging.”
Araujo grew up playing baseball and continues to play, but also focuses on softball.
“One of the reasons I came to Voke was because of the softball program,” said Araujo, who lives in Dartmouth. “They have a great coaching staff and the team is always there to support you. As a freshman it can be intimidating and nerve-wracking, but when you're on a team like this it's no big deal. It's been a great experience and I love the girls.”
“I feel like this team can do anything.”
Tournament Time:All South Coast High School MIAA playoff scores can be found here
How it happened
Kaitlyn Oliveira's two-run homer, her second of the game, gave Seekonk a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
The Bears tied the game and took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning when J'Niah Cooper scored on a passed ball. Seekonk fought back quickly, scoring one run in the third inning and three more in the fourth to take a 6-4 lead.
In that time, the Bears scored seven runs on six hits and two walks. In addition to Araujo's big hit, Copper had a two-RBI double and Genesis Nunez scored two runs on a single, her third hit of the game.
“We all make good contact and when we need to work together, we can,” Araujo said. “We can play small ball and we're smart.”
What it means
The Bears (12-11) will visit sixth-seeded Triton Regional (17-4) at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Division 3 Sweet 16. Seekonk finished the year with a 9-11 record.
statistics
Nunez was 3-for-3 with 3 hits, 3 RBIs and one run. Cooper was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs. Araujo was 1-for-3 with 3 RBIs and one run. … Ana Tsonis pitched a complete game on the mound, allowing 12 hits and 9 runs, walking 2 and striking out 8.
“That's the kind of person Ana is,” Soares said. “She threw a couple of balls up in the air and got us to strike them out. With all due respect, Ana has kept us in the game all year. We play defense behind her, but she's a solid pitcher. She's not a strikeout type of pitcher, but she gets a few strikeouts every game. She hits it where she wants to, usually keeps the ball in the park and lets the defense make the plays.”
GNB Vocational Technology 11, Seekonk 9
Seekonk;201;303;0—9
GNB Vocational Skills;210;170;x—11
WP: Anna Tsonis
