TIVERTON — A banner turnaround season for the Tiverton girls softball team came to an end over the weekend at the hands of unbeaten and top seeded Scituate.

With a 2-0 win on Saturday and a 10-0 win on Sunday, Scituate won two straight in the best of three championship series to take the Division III title.

Scituate pitching and defense silenced Tiverton’s usually reliable lineup while Scituate batters were relentless Sunday.

Still, given that the Tigers went from winless last season to 15-1 and a second seed in the playoffs in 2017, this was a season to remember.

“Unfortunately a win wasn't in the cards for us today,” said Coach Josh Mello after Sunday’s loss. “

We played with them for the first few innings, limiting their offense to a couple of runs. Offensively we ran into the same problem we had yesterday. We hit the ball very hard, but right at people. Their shortstop took hits away from us once again. In fact, we out hit Scituate for a good portion of the game. We gave up a couple of walks and Scituate was able to come through with the two-out hit often enough to pull ahead. We made some errors that didn't help us, but the kids battled to the end.”

“Despite not coming up with the results we wanted out of the finals, I have to say that I am very proud of what this team was able to do and accomplish this season,” the coach wrote. “From day one our players were on a mission … They were coachable, had good attitudes, and were willing to put in the effort it took to get a little bit better each and every day. For a team made up of mostly seniors and freshman, with a couple of sophomores mixed in, they had great chemistry. It was like the big sisters playing with the little sisters at times. Those things are things that are nice to have and things that can't be coached.

This season is one that we can use to spring us forward to next year. The experience they all gained will be very valuable moving forward. … Finally thank you to my nine seniors who worked tirelessly over their time in the softball program to improve. You all have been a fun and very memorable group to work with.

Game one — so close

Cassidy O’Neill fired a four-hit shutout as Scituate defeated Tiverton, 2-0, in game one of the best-of-three Division III Championships.

Leaven Carr pitched a great game, Coach Mello said. “She consistently hit her spots, pounded the strike zone, and frustrated some of Scituate's best hitters. They were able to get one more hit than us and find a way to get the big hit when they needed it on a line shot to left center field that Riley Martin nearly snagged for an unbelievable play. They say this is a game of inches and Riley was within centimeters of making the catch.

Tiverton managed four hits and was called for one error, a controversial call that led to a coach’s appeal.

“We played outstanding defense and made plays when we needed to. We cut a run down at the plate on a really nice play by Katelyn Farias. She threw to Jordan Murphy who covered the plate nicely and brought a low tag down on the Scituate player.”

“The kids were snake bit at the plate a little bit, Coach Mello said. “Our only multiple hit game player was Katelyn Faria Farias (two singles). When we did start to bring the bats around we hit the ball right at people. Unfortunately we just couldn't put them altogether at the right time to get enough base runners to play small ball and make things happen.”