Softball: Santilli's walk-off lifts Tappan Zee over Rondout Valley in Class A subregional
SHRUB OAK - In a game filled with plenty of spirited cheers, jeers, grunts, and emotional swings, one sound persisted above all — the thundering rumble of Brianna Santilli's bat.
The Tappan Zee senior's full-count, two-out, hard-hit double into the fence lifted the Dutchmen to a walk-off 6-5 victory over Section 9 champ Rondout Valley in the Class A subregional at Lakeland High School on Wednesday.
"I still haven't processed it yet," Santilli said. "I can't believe it. Running around the bases, I stopped because I was like, no way this just happened. I saw Eden (Blanker) score and then everything just went crazy. Tears came right out, and it's just amazing."
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The Dutchmen have had a way with late-game dramatics. From sixth-inning surges in Section 1 playoff wins over Mahopac and Ursuline, to a walk-off win in nine innings to capture the Section 1 Class A title over Hen Hud, Wednesday was no different.
"They like to keep it interesting, I guess," Tappan Zee coach Meg Sneeden said. "It just shows that no matter what's going on in the game, we're not out of it until the last out."
While Tappan Zee had gotten used to dumping its scoring plays at the end, the Dutchmen started strong, grabbing a 5-1 lead through the first four innings.
Rondout Valley started to battle back in the game, scoring one run in the fifth, then getting a spark by an Abbie Naccarato two-run home run and a RBI double by Gianna Tisch to tie it up.
The momentum started surging the Ganders' way, but the Dutchmen were unfazed by the pressure.
"You can see how much the team wants it these past few games, going into the nine innings for the section final and now today, to the very last out," Santilli said. "We keep working. I'm just so proud of our team and how much they want it."
After keeping Rondout Valley quiet in the top of the seventh, Tappan Zee's Eden Blanker was able to win a 14-pitch at-bat and get on base with a single up the middle.
Santilli battled in the following at-bat, staying alive in a full count with two outs on the board, and delivered the game-winning hit.
"We came into this game really confident," Rondout Valley coach Colleen Parete said. "We had a great season, and we knew our girls could hit. It took us a little bit too long to figure out the pitching today, but obviously we're disappointed. I feel sorry for the girls, but up until now, it's been a great run. They're a great team, and they all get along really well."
What it means
Tappan Zee is headed to the Class A regional final and will play Section 4's Vestal on Saturday at Lakeland High School.
Player of the game
Brianna Santilli, Tappan Zee: Doesn't get much better than coming up in a big spot for your team during your senior year and providing the walk-off heroics to send your team to the Class A regional final.
By the numbers
Tappan Zee — Savannah Nordstrom had a hit and two RBI. Alyssa Chiappa had a hit and a RBI. Molly Rabinowitz had a RBI. Eden Blanker went 2-for-4 with a double. Adrianna D'Orio and Gianna Cilenti each had a hit. Keira Meyers had a triple, and pitched a complete game, giving up five earned runs on eight hits with two walks. She also struck out 12 in the win.
Rondout Valley — Gigi Koch went 2-for-4 with a home run. Abbie Naccarato went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Gianna Tisch went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a RBI. Sophia Johnson had a double and a RBI. Caitlyn Sindt pitched four innings of relief, allowing just one earned run on three hits, with seven strikeouts.
Quotable
"We are still rolling, it has just been the best couple of months that I could ever ask for," Sneeden said. "I never came into the season thinking that we would win a section title or win the first round of the state tournament, not for a lack of talent or anything like that, you don't just come in thinking that as a first-year coach and it's been such an incredible experience."
Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5 and on Instagram at @byeugenerapay.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Softball: Santilli's walk-off lifts Tappan Zee over Rondout Valley
