HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL / SOUTHERN SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS : 3-A DIVISION : Woodbridge Settles Score in Rematch With Saugus, 2-1

Woodbridge High came into Saturday’s Southern Section 3-A Division softball final at Mayfair Park in Lakewood with something to prove.

And the top-seeded Warriors earned the respect of Saugus with a 2-1, eight-inning victory over the Centurions.

A two-out double by pitcher Alison Ward and a single to right-center field by Jessica Montgomery on the next pitch lifted Woodbridge (30-4) to the title.

Ward, who retired 19 of the last 20 batters after giving up an unearned run in the second, said Woodbridge was determined not to repeat its performance in a 5-1 loss to Saugus on March 16.

“We wanted to beat them and prove we were a good team,” said Ward, who improved her record to 19-2 with a five-hitter.

Saugus (26-4) looked like it might make Woodbridge pay dearly for an early mistake when the third-seeded Centurions pushed home their run in the bottom of the second.

Freshman Jeanine Giordano started a two-out rally by bouncing a single over third base. Giordano stole second and scored when Woodbridge center fielder Alison Johnsen bobbled the ball on a single up the middle by Kim Weir.

But that proved to be the only crack in Woodbridge’s armor.

The Warriors tied the score in the fourth. Debbie Nasitka led off by looping a single into right field off the glove of second baseman Kim O’Leary. Nasitka was sacrificed to second and scored with two out when left fielder Christina Schlender misjudged a hard-hit liner by Lisa Weaver. Schlender broke in on the play and Weaver’s shot sailed over her head for a double.

Neither side could muster another threat until Woodbridge scored in the eighth against starter Kerry Coudry (22-4).

Coudry, who gave up seven hits and two walks, said her pitches lacked their normal movement and added that she was forced to groove her pitches because the umpire called an exceptionally tight strike zone.

“I had to bring the ball into the strike zone more for this umpire,” she said. “The strike zone got a lot tighter in the last inning.”