BROCKTON, Mass. ---- In the first year under head coach Sandy Lombardi, the softball program showed signs of greatness, but in the end the Warriors ran out of steam down the stretch just falling short of returning to the Region XXI Championship.

The Warriors finished the 2014 campaign with an 8-8 record. Massasoit started 0-3, and then won 6-of-7, before losing four in a row. The Warriors closed out the season with two wins to finish .500 on the year.

Massasoit was flying high, winners of six of seven heading into a doubleheader vs. eventual Region XXI Champion CCRI. In the first game, the score was tied 2-2, before CCRI scored 11 runs over the last two frames. In the second game, Massasoit led in the fifth, but CCRI took the
lead in the sixth and game was called due to darkness with the Knights winning 6-5.

The Warriors would then follow up with two tough losses by getting swept by Dean College, 10-2 and 5-2 to be eliminated from the Region XXI Championship contest.

Despite the disappointment of not making it back to the Regional Finals, the softball team had plenty of bright spots and strong performances in 2014.

• 1B Marina Palladino and C Amanda Young were named to the All-Region XXI Team.

• P Taylor Richards pitched every inning of every game for the Warriors in 2014. She pitched 99 innings with 70 strikeouts and only 12 walks.

• Massasoit posted a .330 team batting average and scored 10-plus runs six times.

• Eight players hit above .300 on the season, led by Palladino's .458 average.

• Palladino, Young and Ashley Pitts all tied for a team-best with 18 RBI.

• Head Coach Sandy Lombardi won her first game vs. NHTI on April 6, 5-2.