Pentucket proceeded, courtesy of a two-run single by sophomore Kallie White, to win, 4-2, improving to a sterling 14-0. Ranked No. 11 in the Globe poll, the Panthers have broken through after consecutive seasons in which they couldn't beat the best in the region.
"We knew it was going to be good -- I didn't know that it was going to be this good," said Smith.
What's the secret?
Competitive fire, an abundance of talent, and a bond that cannot be broken.
It starts with LeBel, a four-year starter who has fanned 126 in 88 innings to the tune of a 0.795 ERA. A metronome of consistency, she's struck out more than 700 in her fabled career.
"I definitely have quite a bit of internal fire," said LeBel. "I'm always in competition with myself. Every batter, I'm trying to push myself more and more."
LeBel, alongside senior shortstop Kayla Murphy, forms the leadership group. Murphy already surpassed 100 career hits and will play at UMass Boston. Rangy in the field, she's a thorn in the side of opposing pitchers, hitting .463 with 27 runs and 19 RBIs from the No. 2 spot in the lineup.
"Coming to games in middle school, I remember looking up to the high schoolers and being like, 'Wow, that's going to be me one day'," reminisced Murphy. "I always wanted to play in college. That's what's driven me. With our freshmen and eighth graders, we're always encouraging them and I feel like that's just going to grow the program more in the coming years."
On youth softball night, dozens of young girls enveloped the left-field line, eagerly awaiting autographs from the Panthers. The energy buzzed all game, with future Panthers ecstatic about the potential to play on the team one day.
It's not just seniors rowing the boat; everyone's got a seat and is doing their part. White, junior Sarah Freitas, senior Mia Bartholomew, and sophomore Caitlin McCoy join Murphy and freshman Kam Bonneau as players with a batting average north of .300.
Bonneau has been a revelation, hitting .641 with nine home runs. Pitchers try to dance around her, throwing so far outside that she'd need an oar to hit it. Yet with the depth of the lineup, avoiding Bonneau puts runners on base for the cavalry behind her.
"Her mechanics and her bat speed and power are like nothing I've ever seen," said Smith.
Bonneau, a left-handed hitter with power to all fields, smiles in the on-deck circle. A noise emanates from the crowd unlike anyone else in the lineup when she waltzes into the batter's box; those in attendance know something special could happen.
"There was the talk that this was going to be Pentucket's year," said Bonneau. "To be able to be on this team and to thrive has been one heck of a dream, honestly."
With 11 of 12 players participating on a club softball team, the Panthers dove headfirst into the offseason. Thousands of buckets of balls were hit, never mind countless hours in the gym or in training facilities. The cumulative result has been a zero in the loss column.
Beyond the physical ability, the team's relationships inspire its fervent play.
"The chemistry is there," said Smith. "The leadership is there. The fight is there. Any one of them gets a hit, they are all almost crying. It's the emotion. They are so tight. They all want each other to do good."
"It's a one off -- this has never happened where everything has fallen into place," said Smith.
▪ After graduating seven starters from a squad that went 18-4, Milton is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel in a transition year.
"From the beginning, our focus was to be where we want to be at the end of May and into June," said second-year coach Charlie Drane. "We're not particularly young, but we're inexperienced."
Leading the offensive charge for the Wildcats is Holy Cross-committed junior catcher Victoria Fish, who's gone deep in five straight games and has eight homers on the season.
"[Victoria] has the mindset of a player who's going to go and play Division 1 softball," Drane said. "It helps to raise the expectations of the team. She's just committed herself to softball and it shows."
Victoria is joined by her sophomore sister, Sophie, who has five long bombs. At least one of the sisters has gone yard in 10 of Milton's 13 games.
Drane looks forward to seeing what they both can do down the stretch and into next season.
"They're going to be fun to watch."
▪ The NCAA Division 1 softball tournament kicks off Friday at 16 regional sites, and there's plenty of Massachusetts products taking the diamond.
Wednesday, No. 17 Apponequet at No. 18 Middleborough, 4 p.m. - The Lakers put a beatdown on Middleborough in their first meeting, a 7-1 decision at the start of April. But since vacation week, the surging Sachems are 5-1 and averaging 8 runs per game.
Friday, No. 4 King Philip at No. 9 Walpole, 4 p.m. - King Philip begins their gauntlet end-of-season schedule, featuring four straight games against Globe-ranked teams. Meanwhile, Walpole rides a six-game win streak into the top-10 tilt.
Friday, No. 8 Central Catholic at No. 19 Tewksbury, 6 p.m. - Two heavyweight offenses, each averaging 11 runs per game, square off in a Merrimack Valley matchup.
Saturday, No. 2 Silver Lake at No. 5 Lincoln-Sudbury, 11 a.m. - A rainy weekend meant the battle of heavyweights originally scheduled for last Saturday got postponed. Let's hope the skies hold off this time around.