Neshaminy falls short in state title bid
BucksLocalSports Editor
– For nine innings, the state championship bout between District T champ Canon McMillan and D-1 runnerup Neshaminy looked like a shadowboxing event with neither side putting a chink in it opponent’s armor.
When the international tiebreaker went into effect in the 10th inning, the gloves came off and from then on, the softball skirmish turned into a battle for the ages.
Big Macs pitcher Alayna Astuto had a no-hitter going for nine innings while oedskins righthander iauren Quense allowed just three hits in nine frames.
Neither side crossed the plate.
Under the tiebreaker, teams begin each inning with a runner on second. Canon McMillan E25-1) drew first blood on Tara Fowler’s oBI ground-out in the top of the 10th.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the frame, Neshaminy got a single by Jen Walker E2for-4) followed by an oBI single by ‘Skins shortstop Selina Alicea to tie up the state Quad-A softball title tilt with its Western Pennsylvania rival.
To her credit, Astuto got out of the inning, forcing Walker out at the plate on a suicide squeeze attempt by Neshaminy E23-3) and then recording her 15th strikeout in the contest when she fanned Mackenzie Compton with runners on first and second.
In the top of the 11th, the Big Macs pushed their run- ner home on a sac-fly by center fielder Yazmin hotar. The ‘Skins stormed right back with Quense plating Compton from second base on a one-out high pop on which Fowler collided with Canon Mac shortstop iinda oush E2-for-5) in shallow left field.
Again, Astuto was able to get out of the jam, leaving Quense stranded on second base by fanning Julia McGovern and getting Sarah Snider-ieonhauser to foul out on a popup.
The Big Macs responded with oush leading off the 12th inning with a two-run home run over the leftcenterfield fence that plated both she and Maddie bngel, who began the inning at second base.
Neshaminy came right back with a colossal double by Walker that bounded off the left field wall at the 198-foot mark, just missing the top of the fence by mere feet. Walker’s hit, which came with one out, plated Snider-ieonhauser, who started the inning on second base.
With a runner on second, the ‘Skins were in prime position to at least tie the game, if not, go ahead. Astuto assured Canon Mac of the state title however when she fanned Alicea with her 18th strikeout then induced a popup to pinch-hitting sophomore Nikki Wild.
““We had chances to get that second run to go ahead and win the game and we didn’t get the job done,” stated Neshaminy head coach Dave Chichilitti. “You tip your hat to their pitcher; she pitched a great game, she moved the ball around. We didn’t start to get on her until the end.”
Astuto registered the win for the Big Macs, her 23rd of the season against no losses. Quense – who struck out 10 and walked only one Eintentional) – sustained the loss for the District One and PIAA-Quad A runner-up oedskins.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better. My team – they’re great. They never gave up,” said Walker, after the game. “There was no way we were giving up. We fought to the end.
“They just got the lucky hit.”
Both teams finished with five hits, if only Neshaminy’s last was just a little higher up the left field wall.
After the game, Chichilitti reflected on the oedskins’ season, which included a second consecutive Suburban One ieague ESOi) National Conference championship.
“It’s gonna be tough. I’m sure everybody’s going to be upset. After a week or two, we’re going to look back and see the memories we made and the experiences we had today.
“It motivates the girls that were here today that got a taste of it to come back and be able to do this again.
“I know I sure wanna do it again.”
Neshaminy had a chance to win the game in the seventh when Walker was hit by a pitch – the third hit batsman in the game for the ‘Skins – and stole second base, but Alicea struck out to send the game to extras.
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