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Bluejays advance in Div. IV softball
By BRANDON JUDEH
LISBON
Persistence paid off for the Jackson-Milton softball team after failing against Western Reserve twice in the regular season.
They finally succeeded with a thrilling 3-2, nine-inning victory, in the Division IV district championship game Friday at the Lisbon Baseball/Softball Complex.
With the score deadlocked at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jackson-Milton junior Caitlyn Carney was put in a situation that all kids grow up dreaming about.
Bottom of the ninth inning, a runner in scoring position, tie game, a chance to be the hero.
Carney lived the dream by hammering a single into center field, scoring Zaina Shali and sending the Bluejay faithful into a torrid frenzy.
“The first thing that went through my mind was that I couldn’t have any better runner on base than Zaina,” said Carney.
“I knew I had to do something and thankfully I pulled through.”
The Bluejays (24-4) had chances to win the game in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but failed to deliver.
“This is the kind of game you live for and practice in the gym in the winter for, it was a game you hate to see anyone lose,” said Jackson-Milton coach Kelly Snowden. “We left a lot of runners on base, but we were due and it was our time.”
Bluejays starting pitcher Paije Kiraly pitched a masterpiece, going nine innings, striking out five and coming up big when her team needed her the most.
“The adrenaline got me through those last innings, it was a huge rush and my defense came up big. I am so thankful for them and trust them completely,” Kiraly said.
The Bluejays defense saved several runs throughout the game with spectacular stops and basic fundamentals.
Western Reserve (24-5) took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a two-out RBI triple by Alexis Lude.
The Bluejays answered in the bottom of the inning when senior shortstop Katie Santor notched an RBI single to tie the game.
A costly error by the Blue Devils gave Jackson-Milton the lead.
A walk to Rachael Obradovich moved Santor to third base. She stole third and came home when no one covered the bag and the throw went into the outfield.
The Blue Devils, however, would not go away.
They answered in the fifth with yet another two-out rally. Sissy Stubbs singled and advanced to second on an error. The next batter, Brittney Lude, delivered a game-tying single.
In the sixth, the Bluejays led off the inning with back-to-back singles by Maddy Tomaino and Santor, but relief pitcher April Lude retired the next three to fight her way out of trouble and keep the score tied.
Brittney Lude had two hits and an RBI, while Stubbs pitched five innings and scattered five hits over five innings for Western Reserve.