BROADALBIN - With Gloversville runners on first and third with one out in the top of the seventh and her team clinging to a two-run lead, Broadalbin-Perth coach Sara Hisert asked for time out and pulled her team together in the pitching circle.
"I told them we had one out and that wasn't the winning or even the tying run [on third]," Hisert said. "We said we would let her go and get the out [at second]. Then we would have two outs and wouldn't worry about anybody else. I looked at my catcher [Abbie Samples] and she said, 'I'm good,'"
The Lady Patriots executed their plan as Samples fired a strike to shortstop Rachel Orapello to thwart Jessica Benton's steal attempt for the second out, while Alexis Capasso crossed the plate to pull the Huskies to within a run.
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Broadalbin-Perth second baseman Megan Platt looks for the call as Gloversville’s Jessica Benton dives safely back to second in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s Foothills Council game at Broadalbin-Perth High School. (The Leader-Herald/James A. Ellis)
Relief pitcher Samara Smith enticed a pop out from Katlyn Pierce for the final out, giving the Lady Patriots a 7-6 Foothills Council victory Wednesday at Broadalbin-Perth High School.
"Everything came together," Hisert said. "The girls have been practicing hard and it is great to see them get the win."
Gloversville rocked the Lady Patriots back on their heels early, scoring in its first at-bat.
Ashley Young led off the game with a single up the middle and went to second on a wild pitch. Maddy DeMarco joined her on the base paths when she was struck by a pitch. Young and DeMarco pulled off a double steal before Young scored on Capasso's fielder's choice before Benton walked to load the bases.
The Lady Patriots got the break they needed when third baseman Kayla Romaine snagged a hard-hit line drive off Pierce's bat and tagged DeMarco for a double play. Starting pitcher Nicole Traver got Jessica DeVoe to foul out to Samples for the final out, with the Huskies leading 1-0.
B-P quickly erased the Gloversville lead as Caitlin Rasefske led off the inning with a walk and stole second. Orapello bunted her way on and Kristina Fletcher picked up the game-tying RBI with her ground out to short. After a walk to Romaine, Traver helped her cause with an RBI bunt single to put B-P up 2-1.
The Lady Patriots continued to roll with Marque Parillo driving in two with a bases-loaded single and Megan Platt connecting for a 2-RBI double to build a 6-1 lead.
"I think it was important for us to score right away," Hisert said. "You don't want to be playing on your heels. It was important for us to get and keep the momentum going. It was important for us to hit the ball hard today and we did."
The Huskies got a run back in the top of the second when Alysha Kennedy reached on an error and moved to second on a wild pitch. Ashley Ostrander drew a one-out walk before Young drove in Kennedy with her RBI single.
Young stole second to put Gloversville runners on second and third with one out when the Lady Patriots again came up with a big play.
DeMarco hit a line drive the looked like it would go over the head Parillo in left field.
Instead, Parillo reached up and made a snow cone catch before firing the ball back to the infield, catching Ostrander off base for third out.
Broadalbin-Perth picked up what would be the winning run in the bottom of the third.
Samples led off with a triple to right field, but was stuck there as Huskies' starting pitcher Sammie Stewart got the next two batters. Again, the Lady Patriots got a break when Platt's fly ball was dropped in the outfield and Samples raced home for a 7-2 lead.
Gloversville again rallied back in the top of the fifth with Young and DeMarco opening the inning with back-to-back singles. Capasso emptied the bases with a 3-run home run to left to cut B-P's lead to 7-5.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Gloversville threatened in the top of the seventh with Capasso and Benton singling to set up the first-and-third play executed by the Lady Patriots to preserve the 7-6 victory.
"They got out of sorts there for a little while, but they regained their focus, knuckled down, came back and almost got them," Gloversville coach Bruce Bump said. "Hopefully, they will learn from this game to remain focused. Sammy was getting unraveled some but in the middle of the game, she settled down and pitched very well the rest of the game. It is important for our pitchers to learn. They [Stewart and Shawna Funk] are both sophomores and they are coming on strong. This year is a learning experience for them but next year we expect them to be coming on strong."
Young delivered three singles for the Huskies, while Capasso had a single and a 3-run home run and Benton singled twice.
Parillo and Traver both singled twice for B-P, while Samples and Platt delivered extra-base hits with their respective triple and double.
Broadalbin-Perth 7, Gloversville 6
Gloversville110 030 1 - 6 9 2
Broadalbin-Perth601 000 x - 7 7 1
Stewart and Pierce; Traver, Smith (6) and Samples.