EAST PROVIDENCE — The host East Providence High School softball team beat Mount Saint Charles, 10-9, in a dramatic 11-inning Division I preliminary round playoff game Wednesday, June 3.

The teams traded runs throughout the latter portion of the contest before Jordan Farnsworth drove in the game-winning run with a single for the seventh-seeded Townies, who advance to the double-elimination portion of the state tournament.

E.P., which was an upset victim to MSC a year ago in the opening round, will face the winner of Thursday's LaSalle-Toll Gate prelim game later in the week.

“I have never seen that where each team gets a chance and only scores one for four innings,” EPHS head coach Rob Traverse said. “I am really proud of them. We didn’t play real well through five (innings) and then we played really good from six to 11. It is a rewarding win.”

To start off the game E.P.’s Haley Rodriques got all three Mounties out. The Townies then responded, as Brianna Allienello singled and would later come around to score on an error. This gave E.P. a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

In the next inning, Rodriques had another stellar inning as she only allowed one hit and gave E.P. a chance to extend their lead. The Townies had a runner at second before a fly out ended the inning.

The Mounties then scored two runs in the third inning due to five straight base runners. E.P. then responded with one big swing of the bat by Corrie Traverse, who hit a two-run home run giving the Townies a 3-2 lead after three innings.

“She crushed that ball,” Coach Traverse said. “I can honestly tell you there hasn’t been a home run to right field in the history of this field (three years).”

Mount scored another run off of a single in the fourth, tying the game. E.P. was then unable to gain any momentum keeping the score knotted at three.

In the top of the fifth, the Mounties scored two runs off of an error and a double giving them a two-run lead. The Townies proceeded to strike back when Shelby Mello scored followed by Kate Atwell scoring on a sacrifice fly. This tied the game at five after five innings.

In the sixth, the Mounties plated another run after a single, which was the end of Rodriques’ night. She finished with a line of 5.2 innings and six runs allowed. Atwell proceeded to come in and earn the last two outs. E.P. didn’t get a base runner which put them in a 6-5 deficit after six innings.

Atwell then retired three batters in a row to keep the Mounties off the board and giving her team a chance in the bottom of the seventh. With the season on the line, the Townies were able to tie the game at six due to Allienello and Atwell singling. Allienello would later go onto score on a passed ball. The threat ended there, sending the game into extra innings.

In the eighth, Atwell was dominating after giving up a lead-off single which scored one run. Then, with E.P.’s season on the line again Allienello bunted in a run to tie the game at seven after eight innings.

In the ninth, the Mounties scored following a bunt and a single which gave them a one-run lead. E.P. scored matched the tally as Atwell doubled to tie the game at eight.

Mount then took the lead again thanks to two bunts. The Townies followed up with a bunt and a sacrifice to tie the game at nine after 10 innings.

In the eleventh, E.P. was able to keep the Mounties off the board despite there being a runner on third. The Townies eventually had a runner on third with Farnsworth at the plate who hit the game-winning single as the Townies celebrated the hard-fought win.

“She has hit all year and she is a hitter,” Coach Traverse said of Farnsworth after the dramatic win. “You can’t hold a good hitter down that long.”

Atwell finished with 5.1 innings pitched, three runs allowed and four strikeouts.

“What can you say? She really did the job,” Coach Traverse said of his reliever. “Haley came out early and pitched well, but our defense didn’t help her.”

E.P. will face the winner between second-seeded LaSalle or 15th-seeded Toll Gate. If the rival Rams win, the Townies will travel to Providence. If the Titans were to upset LaSalle, E.P. would host its next game.

“There is no pressure going forward because we aren’t supposed to beat a No. 2 seed (LaSalle) at their place," Coach Traverse added. "We will go out there and give it our all.”

— By Nick Friend, Post Intern