Kingston rallies past Newburgh in 8 innings

Kingston High overcame some middle-inning offensive woes and scored five runs with two out in the eighth inning Monday to defeat Newburgh 9-4 in the teams’ Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association softball opener.

Newburgh rallied from a 4-0 deficit, tying on Gabbi Leggett’s two-run homer in the fifth.

“In the fifth, sixth and seventh, that’s when we struggled a little bit,” Kingston coach Trishann Hayes said. “We couldn’t get the timely hit.”

Shannon Bonewit and Kailyn Lukaszewski drew walks around a groundout in the eighth. After Lauren Shambo’s drive to right was snagged on a diving catch for the second out, the Tigers got the next four batters on to break

the game open.

Sydney Bonewit lined a two-run triple down the right field line to put Kingston ahead. Another run scored on an error, then Jessica Chilcott doubled in one run and Alyssa Finno singled in the gap to bring home another.

Victoria DeMercurio pitched the first four innings,

struck out four, walked none and allowed just a run on five hit, but took a no decision. Shambo couldn’t hold the lead, but got the win with four innings of relief work. She struck out eight, including two in a row to get out of a jam after walking two in the seventh.

Finno hit a leadoff homer to put Kingston ahead in the third. The (2-0) Tigers tacked on three more runs. Chilcott and Kaitlynn Schrowang were both hit by

pitch and Megan Peace singled to load the bases. That set up Shannon Bonewit’s two-run single and a sacrifice fly from Alyssa Villielm.

Finno had two hits and Schrowang also doubled in the win.

Leggett had three RBI on the day with the homer, plus a single and double. Maddie Pacione, who struck out 10, took the loss.

Kingston is back in action Thursday with a nonleague game at John JayEast Fishkill.