Poland advances with regional softball victory

SYRACUSE - Shelbi Hagues fired a four-hit shutout and rapped three hits of her own at Carrier Park Saturday when the Poland Tornadoes earned a trip to Long Island for the state's Class D softball Final Four with a 7-0 win over Edwards-Knox, the Section X champion.

Hagues, Poland's senior pitcher and leadoff hitter, did her part to extend her final scholastic sports season. She struck out 10 batters and walked two while allowing two opposing runners to reach third base. At the plate, she singled twice, doubled and scored two runs in a game that was scoreless until the third inning.

More:Section 3 softball, 2023 playoff results and highlights

"She's doing a great job for us," coach Erin Meeker said of the veteran starter who calls her own pitches from the circle. "She always does a great job. She knows what to throw in certain situations. She knows what she's confident throwing and this has worked pretty well for us."

Edwards-Knox pitcher Cadey Wheat retired Hagues to start the third inning but walked Maddison Haver to get the Tornadoes started. Haver stole second base and scored on a hit by Sarah Zuchowksi. A walk followed and the Tornadoes scored again on an error. Another walk loaded the bases before Emma Tabor hit a run-scoring single with a second run scoring on an errant throw.

Leading 4-0, Poland went back to work in the fourth. Hagues and Haver singled, and both scored on a hit by Zuchowski.

Hagues doubled in the sixth and scored on Zuchowski's sacrifice fly, a pop fly behind third base that the shortstop caught as Hagues tagged up.

"One of the biggest things is that we need to get girls on base to drive in runs," Zuchowski said. "To do that in a regional championship game is a credit to them."

The bottom of the order had filled that role in Poland's win in the Section III championship game when all six runs scored with Hagues at the plate.

"We hadn't won sectionals since 1991," added Zuchowski, another senior. "I've wanted to do this since sixth grade."

The state semifinals and finals will be played over two days for the first time the spring and the Tornadoes meet Section V's merged Scio/Friendship team in a 1 p.m. Friday semifinal at the Moriches Athletic Complex; the other semifinal will be played at the same time and feature Section II Salem and Section IV Deposit/Hancock, the defending state champion. Deposit also won four of the five state titles prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

The championship game is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Elmira Heights-Thomas A. Edison 6, Cooperstown 1

ENDICOTT - The Spartans from Elmira Heights' Thomas Edison High School broke a tie in the fourth inning Friday and defeated Cooperstown 6-1 in Class C regional play in New York's state playoffs.

The Spartans (17-4), champions of Section IV, advance to the state Final Four that will be played over two days for the first time next weekend at the Moriches Athletic Complex on Long Island.

The loss at Union-Endicott High School ends the season and an eight-game winning streak for Section III champion Cooperstown (17-3).

Thomas Edison took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and Cooperstown tied the score in the top of the fourth when Sophia Hotaling scored on a sacrifice fly from Jeana Geertgens.

The tie was short-lived. Thomas Edison came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning and three more in the fifth. Two Cooperstown errors contributed to the runs in the bottom of the fourth after Hotaling had singled and advanced two bases on an error to set up her run.

Hotaling had a single and a double among nine Cooperstown hits, and Katie Crippen singled, tripled and walked.Bri Korsky had two hits and scored two runs for the Spartans while pitcher Gabby MIlazzo had two hits and drove in two runs.

Thomas Edison heads to Long Island June 9 and 10. The Spartans' semifinal opponent will be Section VI Gowanda, a 5-0 regional winner Friday over Section V Bolivar-Richburg.

The Spartans are three-time state champions, having won titles in Class C in 2014 and 2019 after winning their first championship in Class D in 1991 by beating Section III Poland in the final.

Section II Chatham also advanced to the semifinals on the other side of the bracket, following Wednesday's 11-3 win over Section X St. Lawrence with 12-2 win Friday against Section VII Northeastern Clinton.

The final spot in the Final Four will be determined Saturday when Section VIII Friends Academy of Locust Valley meets Section IX SS Seward of Florida. Seward beat Section I Tuckahoe 12-1 in a Wednesday sub-regional.