Softball: North Rockland bows to Shenendehowa in Class AA state semifinals
MORICHES – Addyson Bohlander settled under the fly ball, the fate of the North Rockland season at hand. She made the catch and launched a throw toward home plate, hoping to beat the tag-up of Natalia Colone. But the ball arrived a hair late and a few feet up the third-base line as Colone zipped past catcher Olivia Leon.
“We practice it all the time. The throw just couldn’t get there in time,’’ North Rockland coach Jackie Dinuzzo said.
Shenendehowa spotted North Rockland two runs in the first inning but kept the Raiders scoreless the rest of the way. The Plainsmen scratched out single runs in the fourth and fifth innings and Colone scored the winner in the eighth for a 3-2 victory in the state Class AA semifinals at the Town of Brookhaven complex on Friday.
“We had a good battle,’’ Leon said. “We had a great season and we tried our best but came up short.’’
“We came out of the gate scoring right away, but I knew two (runs) probably wouldn't be enough against these guys here,’’ said Dinuzzo, whose team finished 21-3. “They're very well-coached. Their pitcher is phenomenal - we knew she was living away and throwing change-ups.’’
Shen starter Breanna Hayes was tagged quickly by aggressive North Rockland batters. Leadoff hitter Alison Murphy drilled the game’s first pitch for a single through the hole at shortstop. She was bunted over by Keira Costin and scored on a ripped double down the third-base line by Olivia Leon. Then Hannah Leon took a 2-2 offering up the middle for an RBI single and the Raiders were up 2-0.
“When we score early usually it's a good sign for us,’’ Dinuzzo said. “But every team here is good and you know two isn't going to win it. You need a little more than that against good-hitting teams.’’
That would be the extent of the North Rockland offense on a breezy and chilly afternoon. The Raiders managed only two more hits: a bunt single by Bohlander to lead off the fifth, left stranded at third base while holding a 2-1 lead, and an eighth-inning single by Leon, who was left at second.
Colone halved the deficit with a solo home run blast off Delaney McGovern to left-center field to lead off the Shen fourth. In the Plainsmen fifth, No. 1 hitter Emily Baumes smacked a one-out deep double just off the glove of Bohlander. Hayes then drilled a sharp ball in the hole on the left side and beat the throw to first base. A throw was made across the diamond in an attempt to catch Baumes straying off the bag, and then another throw was made to second to catch Hayes trying to take an extra base and was misplayed, allowing Baumes to tie the score.
“We got a little sloppy there,’’ Dinuzzo said.
Section 2 champion Shenendehowa will play Section 6 champ Clarence – a 6-3 semifinal winner over Section 8’s Massapequa – for the Class AA state title at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Twitter: @ KenMcMillanTHR
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Softball: North Rockland bows to Shenendehowa in AA state semifinals
