Softball: Monroe-Woodbury survives scare, rallies for semifinal win
MORICHES – If there was ever a time when Monroe-Woodbury questioned whether its championship hopes were in doubt, it was late in Saturday’s Class A semifinal with Lancaster.
The Legends made MW pitcher Brianna Roberts “look mortal,’’ said her mom and coach, Penny, as the lefty gave up three runs off two singles, two walks and a fumbled bunt in the fifth inning. It was the largest deficit the Crusaders had faced all season, with nine outs left in an otherwise perfect season.
“We were a little bit worried,’’ Penny Roberts said, “but I wasn’t going to show that to my girls.’’
But the Crusaders showed their mettle, rallying against a pitcher – Madi Balk – who is headed to Florida State on scholarship. Monroe answered immediately with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth, pulling out a 4-3 victory over the Section 6 champions and advancing to Saturday’s title game against Section 3’s Liverpool, a 5-1 semifinal winner over Section 8 champ Massapequa.
“To pull that one out is so surreal,’’ Brianna Roberts said. “When your backs are against the wall, down three runs, and you got to keep your energy up in order to stay in that game, that’s exactly what we did.’’
“These girls know how to battle,’’ Penny Roberts said. “I knew they had it in them.’’
Turning point
The righty Balk held the Crusaders hitless through 4 1/3 innings, though she gave up three walks and one runner reached on error but all four were left stranded, leaving Penny Roberts thinking about lost opportunities.
“I think we were a little intimidated at first when we heard where she was committed (to school),’’ said MW leadoff hitter Danielle Ryan. “She’s an amazing athlete and amazing pitcher.’’
Staked to a 3-0 lead, Balk said her pitches started to get away from her in the fifth. She loaded the bases with walks to Amanda Palmer and Brianna Roberts, sandwiched around plunking Amanda Palmer. Emma Lawson ripped a single between shortstop and third base, scoring Palmer A passed ball allowed Ryan to score and the lead was trimmed to 3-2.
“We always find a way to get on,’’ Ryan said.
Balk put the first three aboard in the Crusader sixth. Gabby Schaeffer walked, Olivia Shippee dropped a bunt to the left side but the third baseman didn’t make a throw and Palmer walked on four pitches. Valerie Pedersen was retired on a pop to shortstop. Ryan worked out a four-pitch walk to force in the tying run. Then Balk threw a wild pitch that allowed Shippee to score and Palmer was thrown out trying to advance when the throw to home plate went astray only to be fielded cleanly by the first baseman.
“We fought every step of the way through,’’ Shippee said. Faced with the opportunity to score the go-ahead run, Shippee said: “My first thought was first step. I was ready. My teammates were the first to greet me and I was so excited.’’
By the numbers
Monroe-Woodbury (25-0) - Brianna Roberts allowed five singles and struck out 13, including Karly Schurkus to end the game. Roberts threw 113 pitches, 88 for strikes (14 looking). She threw first-pitch strikes to 23 of 29 batters. … The Crusaders were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position but did draw four walks to move runners.
Lancaster – Balk would have been the star of the game, with her three singles and two RBI. Brooke Fraas and Bella Culliman had the other two singles for the Legends, who stranded five runners, including the potential tying run at second in the final frame. … Balk threw 130 pitches, 74 for strikes (14 looking). She threw first-pitch strikes to 22 of 30 batters, and fanned 10. She walked nine and hit one batter. … The Legends stranded five runners.
Kmcmillan@th-record.com
Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR
Check back later for an update off the championship game
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Monroe Woodbury softball state Class AA tournament Lancaster Liverpool
