The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Cougars advance with win over Blue Devils
Stockbridge Valley downs Madison to reach Class D semifinal
Bats stayed warm on a cold morning and the Cougars beat Madison to advance.
MUNNSVILLE >> The weather for Saturday’s Class D softball semifinal between Stockbridge Valley and Madison was more fitting for late March than late May.
The Central Counties League rivals had to battle cold temperatures, drizzling rain and windy con- ditions -- as well as each other -- for a berth in the semifinal, and it was the top- seeded Cougars who survived with a 10- 2 victory.
“All things considered - with the weather conditions on a bitter day - we handled it pretty well,” said Stockbridge Valley head coach Chris Peto. “We battled out of some jams.”
It was Peto’s squad that put Madison in a jam early. Tiffani Jacobs led off the bottom of the first with a bunt single off Madison starter Emily Davis, stole second and reached third on a Justiss Usborne single. Meriah Beauvais struck out for the first out of the inning before Sam Yates laid down a bunt to Madison first baseman Shelby Johnson. Jacobs broke for home and Johnson tried to cut her down at the plate,
but didn’t have a chance against the speedy runner. Usborne, who had earlier stolen second, took third on the play and Yates took advantage of a defensive lapse by Madison to advance to second. Teresa Meeker followed with another bunt but this time Johnson was up to the challenge, throwing Usborne out at home. Meeker tried to take second but was caught in a rundown that worked to the Cougars advantage. Yates scored and Meeker was safe. Hailey Jacobs and Morgan Rood then hit back- to- back singles, with Rood’s plating two runners and extending Stockbridge Valley’s lead to 4- 0.
The four runs would be more than enough for Usborne, who didn’t allow a hit through the first three innings.
“It’s good to know that I have a little bit of a cushion,” said Usborne of pitching with the lead. “I have to keep doing what I have to do.”
Her offense would extend that lead over the next two innings, again thanks in large part to Tiffani Jacobs. The freshman catcher lined a one- out single in the second inning, stole second and came around to score on an Usborne double. Beauvais brought Usborne in with an RBI single to push the lead to 6- 0.
Singles by Rood and Brianna Dygert started a third- inning rally. Rood would eventually come home on a wild pitch and Dygert scored thanks to a Madison error with Tiffani Ja- cobs batting, stretching the lead to 8- 0. Usborne again helped her own cause with a single to score Jacobs moments later.
Madison got a run back in the top of the fourth and threatened for more. Nikki Tubbs hit a oneout double, just getting under Beauvais’ tag at second. Haley Ponton legged out a bunt single and Tubbs scored, this time just getting under Jacobs’ tag at the plate. A walk to Lexi Tubbs loaded the bases for the Blue Devils with two outs but Autumn McLain struck out looking to end the inning.
The Cougars got the run back in the bottom of the frame when Dygert drove Meeker in with an RBI single before Madison again threatened to get back in the game in the top of the fifth. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for the Blue Devils with only one out. Usborne bore down, striking out the next two batters to get out of the jam and keep the 10- 1 lead in tact.
“Justiss battled a lot today,” said Peto. She put herself in a lot of jams but battled out. That’s the sign of a mentally strong pitcher.”
The last jam came in the top of the seventh inning. Ashleigh Russell reached on an error but was thrown out trying to score on Shana Biedermann’s double. Nikki Tubbs brought Biedermann home with a single but Usborne got Morgan Lewis to pop out to Meeker at second to end the game.
“We played well,” said Madison head coach Elaine Hogan. “We never gave up. We had a lot of great defensive plays, but we left the bases loaded a few times.”