Bella Boyer delivers decisive blow to send top-seeded Central Catholic to Division 1 softball title game

Central Catholic's softball team erupts as sophomore Bella Boyer rounds the bases after her 2-run homer in the fifth inning broke a 2-2 tie in Tuesday's 4-2 Division 1 semifinal win over Peabody at UMass Lowell.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

Bella Boyer hits ninth in the Central Catholic lineup. But the ball jumps off the bat any time the sophomore center fielder makes contact.

In the bottom of the fifth inning of Tuesday’s Division 1 softball semifinal at UMass Lowell, the score tied at 2, Boyer delivered the hit of her varsity softball career..

Boyer clubbed a two-run homer as top-seeded Central Catholic defeated No. 5 Peabody, 4-2. The Raiders (23-1) advance to the state championship for the first time and will play the King Philip-Taunton winner Saturday at UMass Amherst (TBA).

In the first pitch of the at-bat, Boyer barreled into an arcing shot that landed well beyond the left-field fence.

“The at-bat before that, I noticed that they were cramming me inside,” said Boyer, who also cracked a double. “I’ve been working really hard with my hitting coach, and my dad, who also works with me at hitting, to make sure that I stayed loaded back and getting inside. I kind of saw it coming and just thought that I had to get a hard hit, wasn’t thinking that I needed to hit a home run and get my hands through.”

Final: No. 1 Central Catholic 4, No. Peabody 2

Bella Boyer’s two-run home run proved to be the difference in a thrilling Division 1 semifinal win for @CCRaider_sports.

The Raiders (23-1) advance to the Division 1 championship at UMass-Amherst. @GlobeSchools pic.twitter.com/qHP5LbTxq8

— Cam Kerry (@camkerry7) June 13, 2023

“Bella has done a couple of key, clutch things for us this year,” said Central Catholic coach Stacy Ciccolo. “She’s a solid contact hitter and that one she got a whole lot of.”

Juniors Abby Bettencourt and Logan Lomasney hit solo home runs for the Tanners (20-2).

Division 3 State

Middleborough 3, Triton 0 — Middleborough senior captain Alex Welch thought she hit a high pop foul down the right field line. But the entire Sachems team knew Welch had absolutely crushed a towering home run, immediately sprinting out of dugout to celebrate.

Welch has been on a tear, smacking her sixth home run of the postseason in a 3-0 Division 3 semifinal victory for sixth-seeded Middleborough over No. 7 Triton at Rockwood Field on the campus of Worcester State. The Sachems (20-4) return to the Division 3 championship game to face the winner of No. 4 Norton and No. 9 Bishop Fenwick at UMass Amherst on a date and time to be announced.

Welch’s two-run first inning homer traveled well beyond the fence, over a massive protective net and was announced as the farthest home run ever hit at Rockwood Field.

“I don’t think that’s fair, I don’t know where that’s going, it felt like a giant pop up foul ball,” said Welch. “It went out, it was really surprising honestly. It felt really good though.”

Fellow senior captain Cassidy Machado twirled a gem, striking out 15 in a three-hit shutout. The Nicholls commit worked both sides of the plate, exercising plus velocity and tight spin to stymie hitters.

“Again, you talk about your leaders: my two leaders, Cassidy and Alex, they make me look good,” said Middleborough coach Dan Sylvia.

Sophomore Emma Penniman, the Cape Ann League Kinney MVP, struck out 10 for the Vikings (19-5).

(Cam Kerry reported from Lowell and Worcester.)