BOTTOM OF THE SCOTTIES ORDER STRIKES BACK
Late Ballston Spa softball hit parade lifts Scotties into NYSPHAA Final Four
You can pitch around a batter, you can pick and choose your pitches to work around the heart of an order, but when you’re the Ballston Spa softball team and you’re murder’s row runs from the lead-off batter all the way through the ninth batter in the order you know you’re always in every game.
Down to Section III champion Cicero-North Syracuse late Thursday afternoon the Scotties needed every bat to come through and it started with Caroline Srokowski in the No. 8 spot, delivering an RBI single to tie the contest, 1-1, in the bottom of the sixth.
With the bases loaded, Alison Sgambati knocked in the goahead run, but consecutive errors by Cicero-North Syracuse allowed two more runs to score for a late cushion.
Then with the top of the line-up coming around again, Ana Gold and Grace Thompson stood and delivered once again as Ballston Spa advanced to the NYSPHSAA Class AA Final Four with its 6-1 win.
“Toby (Youngblood), my assistant coach, my JV coach, we were talking about that,” Ballston Spa coach Amanda Fifield said. “We
said it’s going to come down to the bottom of the order coming through and that’s exactly what happened. We know one through nine is going to hit and its timely hitting for them and they came through at the right time.”
The Scotties were unflappable even after Cicero-North Syracuse pulled ahead in the top of the fifth inning.
“We just knew that we had to keep pushing and stay together or else we wouldn’t have won the game,” Ana Gold said. “In the fifth inning after they scored, we all got together and we decided we needed to get this out.
“Then it happened and then we came in and we’ve scored those runs.”
Scottie hurler Sarah Pritchard was hot once again in the circle – that was until her second consecutive ice bath from her teammates during her post-game interview.
“So normally they dowse coach with the water but I guess I’m getting it this year,” Sarah Pritchard said. “I mean I don’t mind it, I’m open to two more. I can’t wait to get to more ice.”
As composed as she was in the circle, Pritchard continued her interview wet, but un-phased.
“We got down when we made a mistake and I couldn’t be more proud of this team,” Pritchard said. “Coach always says that, you know, our line up doesn’t have any holes in it, you know, all of us can get the hit when the time comes and they really showed it today.”
With the bases loaded it was Sgambati’s turn to be the hero.
“I was pretty nervous, I was a little nervous, I’m not going to lie,” Alison Sgambati said. “I was just going out there thinking like we just, I just need a single to help my team out because we just all are really good hitters so I know that if I don’t get on my team’s there to back me up
But today I came off and I was just thinking one pitch at a time and saw a pitch and drove it.”
After losing in the Section II final last year, another appearance in the New York State Final Four was in the minds of each Ballston Spa player.
“I had them write goals for themselves and for the team,” Fifield said. “The team goal is to get to states again and I said, ‘Well, how are we going to do that?’”
“You know, it was through the hard work day in and day out, and they put that forth. Now that we’ve hit that goal, it’s time to set new goals going into the semis.”
Ballston Spa will face the winner of Friday’s scheduled contest between Section VIII’s East Meadow and Section XI’s Longwood 9 a.m. Saturday, June 9 at Moreau Rec Park in the NYSPHSAA semifinal.