Shen tops rival Saratoga 11-2
CLIFTONPARK, N.Y.>> Shenendehowa topped rival Saratoga 11-2 on Tuesday to advance to Wednesday’s Class AA Section II semifinals against Shaker. After a competitive first three and a half innings, Shen blasted the game open as the top seed improved to 15-1 on the season.
“We did talk about not taking anything lightly,” Shen coach Chris Farquharson said. “Saratoga, they hung around. That’s exactly what I expected. In Sectionals, everybody’s in it, no matter what your record is. Our pitching kept us in the game... and I thought our hitting adapted to their pitching.”
Nicole McCarvill started at pitcher for Shen and went four innings, allowing no runs to score. She escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
Emily Albanese allowed both Saratoga runs in the fifth inning and then her defense got an outfield assist to stymie a rally.
MacKenzie Ebert went 3 2/3 innings for the Blue Streaks and Kayleigh Reome finished the contest in relief.
Saratoga made several errors to hurt its cause. With the score 3-0 in the fourth, two straight errors led to three runs. When it ballooned to 11-2 in the fifth, defense was largely to blame as well. Shen’s Emily Carroll did hit a home run.
“We did work on stuff,” Saratoga head coach Geoffrey Loiacono said. “We worked hard. Against a team like Shen, you can’t make mistakes. You’ve got to play a clean seven innings.”
Danielle Priester drove in both runs for the Blue Streaks.
Next up is Shaker for Shen. The Bison will be looking for revenge from a regular season loss.
“I’m sure Shaker is looking forward to the opportunity to play us again,” Farquharson said. “We played them earlier in the season. Very good team, very good pitcher. Definitely good hitters on that team. We’ll be ready.” SHAKER 3, COLUMBIA 2 (9) >> Lexi Ratigan tripled in the top of the ninth inning then scored on Alissa Folts’ winning RBI as the Blue Bison pulled off the extra-innings upset.
Allie Lajeunesse allowed nine hits in nine innings and struck out four to earn the win in the circle for Shaker. Pitcher Maddie Burns had eight strikeouts for Columbia in the loss.
Class B
COHOES 9, CORINTH 0 >> Isabelle DeChiaro twirled a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts and no walks and added two hits and an RBI at the plate for the Tigers. Haleigh Burgess added two singles and an RBI and Marle Dame finished with a double, asingle and an RBI for Cohoes (16-5) who advance to face Schuylerville in the Section II Clalss B semifinals Wednesday.
SCHUYLERVILLE 4, TACONIC HILLS 3 (10) >> Caitlin Kelleher hit a walk-off double in the bottomof the 10th inning to score Grace Pelletier Hoblock and advance the Black Horses to the Class B semifinals.
Teagan Andrews allowed just four hits and struck out 12 to earn the win in the circle. Lauren Kelleher and Emily Vallee bothwent 3-for-5 for Schuylerville who advance to play Cohoes Wednesday. SCHALMONT 4, GLENS FALLS 3 >> Schalmont beat Glens Falls to advance to the Class B semifinals against Ichabod Crane.
Class C
HOOSICKVALLEY8, CHATHAM 4(8)>> Camille Coyne pitched a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts and got four runs from her offense in the top of the eighth inning to advanceValley to Wednesday’s Class C semifinals. Ashley Madigan hit a three-run double in the top of the eighth while Taylor Champagne recorded two singles, Alex Parry hadadouble and three RBIs and Kaitlyn Suschinski doubled and drove in two runs for visiting Hoosic Valley (15-6).