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MORICHES — During the 1988 World Series, legendary Los Angeles Dodgers baseball broadcaster Vin Scully made the famous call, “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.”
Scully had a knack for being able to put events into words, when others may have been speechless.
Without a doubt, the Shenendehowa softball team felt a bit like that on Friday afternoon. Playing without any of their seven seniors, the Plainsmen mounted a comeback that culminated in a 3-2 extra-inning, walk-off victory in the NYSPHSAA Class AA semifinals at Moriches Sports Complex.
“It’s been a lot all week,” said junior third baseman Emily Baumes. “We’ve been trying to stay off social media and just focus on getting our team together for this game. There were definitely a lot of emotions. We definitely came in here thinking we were the underdogs, but it’s been like that all postseason. We knew we were going to kill it and that’s exactly what we did.”
After scoring a run in each the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings against Section 1’s North Rockland, tying the game, the Plainsmen found themselves in a familiar position — headed to extra innings.
A walk-off sacrifice fly by Morgan Smith in the bottom of the eighth, scoring Natalia Colone, propelled the Plainsmen to a remarkable victory.
“I just knew I had to get the ball in play, to get the run in,” Smith said. “It feels amazing, just seeing it happen.”
Earlier this week, the Shenendehowa softball team gained attention after its seven seniors were given the choice to either attend the prom, or commit to the entire weekend of softball on Long Island.
The seniors had pitched a plan to the coaches, where they played Friday’s semifinal game, but if they won, wouldn’t play the championship game — instead heading back home for the prom on Saturday.
Shenendehowa departed for Long Island on Thursday without any of its seniors.
“This is basically our team for next year,” said Baumes, who was named a captain for this weekend, along with pitcher Bre Hayes. “The way I’m thinking about it, this is a preview for next season. It’s great that we’re able to bond and work with each other now and keep this going as long as we can.”
“With or without anything else that’s happened,” Hayes said, “we knew we still needed to have our head in the game, bring the energy and believe in each other, no matter what.”
North Rockland came out swinging early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning. However, Hayes was able to hold the Raiders scoreless for the remainder of the contest.
“I was just trying to make my pitches spin,” Hayes said. “That’s what I was focused on most.”
“I love how the girls stayed in the game,” said Shenendehowa coach Chris Farquharson. “Bre had a little bit of a bump, but she kept us in the game after they got their two early.”
Hayes allowed five hits and just the two runs over eight innings in the circle. She struck out three and walked two.
Shenendehowa got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on a leadoff home run by Colone.
“We’ve been in this position so many times throughout the year,” Colone said of playing tight games. “We just all kept our heads up, knowing that we were the underdogs, and we wanted to show that we can win this.”
“The home run was a catalyst for us and gave us some energy. We were putting runners in scoring position through most of the game,” said Farquharson. “Natalia had a great game at shortstop, too. She played a very clean game.”
Shenendehowa got the tying run across in the bottom of the fifth. After Baumes doubled, she advanced to third on a single by Hayes and scored on a throwing error.
“It really feels great to come out here and represent all the Shen alumni who have reached out to us and all the people rooting for us, because I know there’s a lot,” Baumes said of the support she and her teammates have been receiving.
“We’ve been getting messages from past alumni,” Colone added. “People just reaching out, saying ‘you got this.’ We’ve been hearing from everyone, so much support and that’s just boosted our confidence so much more.”
The Plainsmen nearly completed the walk-off in the bottom of the seventh inning, on a single by Hayes. However, North Rockland center fielder Addyson Bohlander threw Reagan Young out attempting to score.
Colonie led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a double and was bunted to third by Emily Markowski.
After a couple squeeze bunt attempts, Smith was able to hit a two-strike pitch to center, deep enough to get Colone in from third.
“Whatever sign he gave me,” Smith said, “I had to try to execute.”
“Once we saw the ball in the air going to the outfield, it was the best feeling ever,” Hayes said. “We knew that she was scoring.”
“I can’t really explain it, besides that it felt really good.”
The Plainsmen (17-6) move on to Saturday for the NYSPHSAA Class AA championship at 11 a.m. against Section 6’s Clarence (15-6), which defeated Section 8’s Massapequa 6-3 in the other AA semifinal on Friday.
“It means a lot,” Hayes said of playing for a state title. “I’ve never been here before, but I’m really excited.”
“Even though there’s new girls that had to step up, they’re just a part of our family,” added Colone. “We all did this as one and we all played for each other.”
North Rockland 200 000 00 — 2 5 2
Shenendehowa 000 110 01 — 3 7 0
Contact Kyle Adams at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @kasportsnews.
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