The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Oneida rallies for win over New Hartford, title
Oneida rallies from 3-run defificit to top NH for title
The Oneida softftball team scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the Section III Class A title.
kmennig@OneidaDispatch.com @DispatchKyle on Twitter
CICERO >>>> When the Section III Class A softball fifinal was delayed in the bottom of the fififth inning on Monday night, Oneida was not in a good position to win its
fifirst title since 2010, trailing New Hartford 2-0. After the game re- started Tuesday, the Spartans extended the lead to 3- 0.
The No. 2 seed was down but certainly not out.
SamLusher and Summer Lancette each came through with two-run hits with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and Ashley Marshall shut the door in the seventh, stranding the potential game-tying run on third to give coach Mike Curro’s squad a 4-3 victory and the Section III Class A title.
“Yesterday was a bad day; today was a good day for Oneida,” said Curro. “We changed our attitude. We got back to what we do and we were us.”
He added, “The seniors, such a great group of girls. I really wanted those seniors to go out on top ‘cause they deserve it. They buy in.”
Lancette had two of Oneida’s six hits in the victory, driving in the game-tying and game-winning runs in the bottom of the sixth with a triple.
Kylie Chesebro got the win in the circle for Oneida. The freshman pitcher worked four-and-
FROMpagE 1 one-third innings on Monday night, giving up one run, and gave up another in the top of the sixth on Tuesday. In her five-and-two-thirds inningssheallowedsixhitsand struck out one.
Senior Ashley Marshall earned the save with a scoreless seventh. Classmate Jenna Didio was held hitless in what was nearly her final game with Oneida but had a stellar showing in the field, making three strong defensive plays in the first inning and not committing an error in eight chances.
“For Jenna, for her to be six years (at Oneida), one year we don’t play in the final,” saidCurro. “Three-time sectional champion, fivetime sectional finalist; if that doesn’t tell you something about what she brings to the table, what kind of athlete and person and student she is, she’s just amazing. I don’t know if I’ll get another one. There’s a lot of young ones coming up through the programand they’ll alwaysworshipandwill talk about Jenna Didio and Summer Lancette and the seniors of 2014.”
Alysa Keady took the loss for the Spartans, giving up four runs on six hits in six innings. Dana Del Genio went 2-for-4 with a double and Madison Babicz was 2-for-2 withawalk, arunscoredand an RBI for New Hartford.
However, a costly baserunning error by Babicz took two runs off the board in the top of the third inning. She started the inning with the game’s first hit, a single through the middle of the infield. She stole second and Emily Acquaviva drew a two-out walk. Del Genio appeared to hit a two-run triple but Babicz failed to touch third base, negating both runs and ending the frame with the game still scoreless.
Meanwhile, Keady limited Oneida to just one hit over the first four innings. The Spartans would give her a lead to work with in the top of the fifth and a mental error on Oneida helped extend it. Babicz again got things started, leading off with a walk. Kristin Knaul advanced her to second with a sacrifice bunt and, after rounding the bag on theplay, Babiczwas nearly picked off on a strong throw from Lexi Skibitski. However, Babicz was safe and Michaela Scarafile followed with a double to score Babicz and give New Hartford a 1-0 lead and chase Chesebro from the circle. Marshall came on to pitch to Acquaviva, who hit a grounder to Didio at shortstop. Didio looked Scarafile back to second and fired to first where Acquaviva was called safe on a close play while Scarafile took off for third. Sam Lusher fired the ball across the infield to force Scarafile out at third andOneida raced off the field, thinking Acquavivawas called out and it had turned a double play. Acquaviva took advantage, racing around the bases to score on the play and give New Hartford a 2-0 lead. Del Genio followedwith a double and took third on a wild pitch before Erin Donovan walked. Marshall got out of the inning, striking outStephanieSmith.
In the bottomof the frame, Lancette hit a one-out single for Oneida and was standing at first with Lizzy LaSalle at the plate when the gamewas delayed.
When the teams returned onTuesday, Keady appeared to be back in form, retiring LaSalle and Didio to end the inning with her team still up 2-0. The Spartans added a runwhenMackenzieHolbert hit a one-out double in the top of the sixth and scored on a Babicz single to make the score 3-0. Babiczwas thrown out trying to take thirdonan error and Knaul popped out to Didio to end the frame.
Oneida finally got toKeady in the bottom of the inning. Morgan Sgarlata and Hannah Begay started the rally with back-to-back singles. Keady then walked Skibitski to load the baseswith no outs but retired the next two batters, bringing Lusher to the plate. The sophomore came through, bouncing a two-run single in front ofAcquaviva in center field.
“I just wanted to get to first and not get out,” said Lusher. “Hoping she didn’t catch it and when people were home I was really excited because it was almost tied.”
Keady still had a chance to escape the inning with a one-run lead, facing Lancette with runners on the corners and two outs. The senior made sure the at-batwouldn’t be her last withOneida, driving a triple over Acquaviva’s head in center field to bring Skibitski and Lusher home and give Oneida a 4-3 lead.
“It just felt so good,” said Lancette. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good hit but today I really was focused on flashing the knob at where it needed to be and that helped me get it through.”
Curro added, “I’m just so happy for her because it’s been such a difficult struggle. And we talked, ‘when it counts themost, Summer, it’s going to come through.’ And I yelled to her when she was in the box ‘the gods of softball are watching right now. It’s that time they’re going to reward you.’”
LaSalle grounded out to end the frame, giving Marshall a one-run lead to protect in the final inning.
She appeared to retire Scarafile on a fly ball to center leading off the inning but the play didn’t count andScarafile eventually worked a walk. Del Genio also walked to put two runners on with no outs. Marshall bore down, retiring Del Genio on the infield fly rule and gettingDonovan to groundinto afielder’s choice, forcingAcquaviva out at second. The play brought Curro racing onto the field, saying Acquaviva hit Skibitski while she tried to turn the double play. The umpires disagreed and it wouldn’t matter when Marshall got Smith to ground one back to the circle. The senior’s throw to first was a little high but not out of Lusher’s reach. The sophomore held the bag and snagged the throwto seal the victory.
“It feels amazing,” said Lancette. “I can’t even explain it.”
Oneida’s season continues when it faces Section X championFranklinAcademy at Gillette Field on Thursday at 5 p.m.