BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Call it a comedy of errors, but there was little humor for the Concord High School softball team in its 2-1 semifinal loss to second-seeded Londonderry on June 7.

Though Concord took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning on a Londonderry error, the Lancers returned the favor twofold in the sixth inning, plating the tying and winning runs on two Crimson Tide errors and one interference call at third base.

Becky Hoidahl, Concord’s ace, was pitching a no-hitter through five innings when Christen Breda reached on a fly ball to right field.

After she moved to second base on a flyout, Breda scored on Molly Rooney’s base hit, the only hit of the game for Londonderry.

After a fielder’s choice, Cristina Bailey reached on a throwing error, and Londonderry scored on an interference call against Concord’s third baseman.

“It was a real good game until the sixth inning,” said Concord skipper Duke Sawyer, who noted his team was no stranger to close contests.

In a 14-5 season that netted the Tide the sixth seed in the Class L tournament, Concord had five one-run victories and three two-run wins. Of its five losses, none were by more than four runs and two defeats were by one run.

It was no surprise, then, that Concord’s two tournament victories – over West and Alvirne – and one defeat all came by one run.

“They played real well in the playoffs because we had a lot of close, one-run games all season long that really prepared them for the postseason,” said Sawyer. “It’s hard (to lose on errors), but I thought we did pretty well because we put the ball in play and challenged them a little after we struggled with our bats all year round.”

Sawyer added the Lancers, unlike most Class L teams, made contact against Hoidahl, forcing the defense to make plays.

Despite the loss, Sawyer said he takes pride in reaching the semifinals for the third consecutive season.

Though all five of the Crimson Tide’s seniors have left their mark, Hoidahl, said Sawyer, will be especially missed.

She leaves Concord with 12 school pitching records, including 44 wins in her career and 17 victories in a season, which came her sophomore year, when the Tide won the state crown.

Hoidahl also holds the school strikeout record with 622 and 24 career shutouts.

Before Londonderry’s two unearned runs, Hoidahl had completed 44 innings without allowing a run. She also had Concord’s only two hits in the playoff loss.