ATTLEBORO, Mass. — The Attleboro High School softball team will return to the diamond Wednesday afternoon with a trip to the Division 1 state championship on the line.
The Blue Bombardiers and Central Catholic are scheduled to resume their suspended state semifinal matchup at 1 p.m. at UMass Dartmouth. The game will pick up in the top of the 11th inning after darkness halted play Tuesday night following more than three hours of intense postseason softball.
Locked in an extra-inning battle, neither team was able to break through before officials determined conditions were too dark to continue.
“It was a terrific game yesterday,” Attleboro athletic director Mark Houle said during an interview on The Zone on MyFM 101.3. “Central Catholic is a very, very good team. They came back and tied it up, and our girls were resilient, got the last two outs, and both teams battled in the eighth, ninth, and tenth innings.”
With daylight fading, the contest was suspended and moved to Wednesday afternoon.
“The attitude was good coming back today,” Houle said. “The girls were excited.”
Attleboro appeared to have control of the game for much of the evening. Houle credited several players for helping the Blue Bombardiers build an early advantage, including standout pitcher Jenna Callahan, who has been one of the team’s most reliable performers throughout the season.
“Jenna Callahan has been outstanding,” Houle said. “She’s been battling all year. She’s a trooper for us.”
The Blue Bombardiers also received strong defensive play from first baseman Jackie Fisante and several key contributions across the infield.
One of the game’s biggest moments came when Lila Ronayne launched a towering home run to right-center field, helping Attleboro maintain momentum through the first five innings.
Central Catholic, however, steadily chipped away at the deficit before eventually tying the game in the seventh inning, thanks in part to a clutch home run from its pitcher.
“Two really good teams and a really competitive game,” Houle said. “It should be a good ending.”
As Attleboro prepares for the resumption, Houle pointed to the team’s veteran leadership as a major reason for its success throughout the season. Players such as Callahan, Ronayne, and Sophie Borges have consistently stepped up in critical moments and helped guide the team through a deep postseason run.
“The girls have been the leaders of this team and program,” Houle said. “They’re very confident.”
That confidence has been built through a season filled with pivotal plays, strong performances, and a commitment to one another.
“They’ve all been making pivotal plays throughout the course of the season,” Houle said. “Certainly they have the confidence to do it today.”
Now, after a night of unfinished business, the Blue Bombardiers will return to UMass Dartmouth looking to complete their semifinal victory and earn a chance to compete for a Division 1 state championship.
With the score still tied entering the top of the 11th inning, Houle expects the final chapter of the matchup to be every bit as competitive as the first.
“We’re hoping the Blue Bombardiers will be able to pull it out,” he said.
