Kingston earns berth in Section 9 semifinals

Jessica Chilcott drove in 4runs, including a two-out, two-run walk-off hit, to lift Kingston into the Section 9 semifinals.

Jessica Chilcott drove in four runs, including a two-out two-run walk-out single, to lift Kingston High into the Section 9, Class AA softball semifinals.

The Tigers won their 12th in a row by pulling out a 6-5 triumph over Valley Central. It earns (163) Kingston a home semi 4 p.m. today against Middletown, which rallied for a 5-3 win over Roosevelt.

“They never gave up. I have faith in them,” Kingston coach Trishann Hayes said. “They’ve played so many games like this and we’ve come back often.”

Valley Central capitalized on back-to-back errors for a threerun seventh inning that erased a 4-2 deficit.

Lauren Shambo, who relieved Megan Peace to get a grounder that got the Tigers out of a basesloaded jam in that frame, singled up the middle to start the decisive rally.

Sydney Bonewit singled to left to put two runners aboard with none out. After a strikeout and a popup, it was down to Chilcott, who had hit a two-run homer in the third for a 3-0 advantage.

“I thought to myself that I had this feeling she would hit the ball right back up the middle,” Hayes.

Chilcott laced the single to center for the gamewinner.

Angela Pelt doubled in a run in the second and Shambo got the first of her two singles to drove in a run in the fourth for Kingston. Sydney Bonewit finished with two hits. Peace, who had pitched well for 6 2/3 innings, singled and doubled as part of Kingston’s 11-hit assault.

The Tigers are bidding for their third sectional final appearance in six years. They won the title in 2015.