After jumping out to a 2-0 first-inning lead, Duxbury was in control, as it expanded its lead to 4-0 after three, and 7-0 after five innings, before closing out Hingham for their ninth win of the year.

The Lady Dragons snapped a five-game losing streak with a strong showing last week that saw them rip of three straight wins over Rockland (7-3), Hingham (8-1), and Whitman-Hanson (7-3).{sidebar id=4}

Riding the arm and bat of junior pitcher Casey Ducinski, Duxbury got back to looking like the team that opened with seven straight wins, as solid pitching, steady defense, and timely hitting got the girls back on track.

In the win over Rockland, Ducinski struck out 11 Bulldogs, while Laura Donovan had her teammates up off the bench when she blasted a home run in the fourth inning over the fence. Meredith Lippard also had a good day at the plate, as she drove home two runs in the seventh inning with a single.

The following day against Hingham, Ducinski was at it again. The lefty struck out 12 Harborwomen and contributed significantly at the plate, as she went 3 for 4 with a triple and scored four runs.{sidebar id=1}

After jumping out to a 2-0 first-inning lead, Duxbury was in control, as it expanded its lead to 4-0 after three, and 7-0 after five innings, before closing out Hingham for their ninth win of the year.

Nicole Forlizzi

A non-conference game on Thursday with Whitman-Hanson tested Ducinski’s stamina, as she went to the mound for the third time in 72 hours and didn’t disappoint while striking out 12 Panthers and limiting them to four hits.

After surrendering two first-inning runs on an error, a walk, and a double, Ducinski settled down and struck out the side in the second.

Duxbury responded by tying the game in the bottom of the second inning when singles by Donovan and Ducinski brought home a pair of runs.

The Lady Dragons finally took the lead for good in the third inning when Kayla McGillvray walked and Jacqui Cronin singled with two outs. Johnson stepped to the plate and hit a screamer toward short that skipped into left-center field to bring home two more runs.

For the third inning in a row, Duxbury scored two runs, as Ducinski led off the inning with a single and went to second on the outfield bobble. After stealing third, Ducinski came home on a McGillvray bunt single, and Alanna Rourke would eventually single home McGillvray for a commanding 6-2 lead.

Nicole Forlizzi’s fifth-inning single drove home Johnson for the final Duxbury run of the game.

This week the girls opened with Patriot League games against Silver Lake and Scituate, and they’ll conclude their action for the week when they travel to Marshfield to take on the Rams on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30.{sidebar id=6}