John Jay Softball Wins Big on Senior Night

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Wednesday, April 24, John Jay hosted Pelham for senior night, and the rain and overcast weather passing by returned the appropriate front for Emma Klares.

“It was nice that the sun came out,” said the senior. “We put the posters out, and it felt like senior night.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE FREE TAPINTO.NET NEWSLETTER

Holding up her end in the circle, the starter was still happy to share the spotlight with the kids in the 6-2 victory.

Eight grader Elise Templeton drove in three runs, Bella Barry drove in two, while Carys Cooper made two exciting plays in the seventh inning, and Maria DeGataeno got the two inning save.

The Wolves weren’t the only ones happy that the sun came out either, and the Pelicans were quick to show their appreciation.

Leah Stein lashed an opposite field double to start the game, and after Grace Ferrari’s sacrifice bunt moved the runner up, Emma Mamba lifted an RBI fly out to center.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE TAPINTO APP FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS. AVAILABLE IN THE APPLE STORE AND THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE .

So John Jay went right to work. Riley Foote walked and Laney Daly laid down a perfect bunt to make it first and second.

Nobody out, Barry applied her usual tunnel vision with a line drive into the left centerfield gap.

“When I’m up there I just lock in and block everything out,” said the centerfielder. “It’s just me and the pitcher.”

She then reached third on a wild pitch, and Cooper drove in the third run with a smoking line drive to left.  Lorelei Jaklitsch making the catch still had Barry in awe of the freshman. “A great hitter,” Barry said, “one of the best I know.”

A 3-1 game, Pelham got the lead runner on again. An error by Laney Daly at short didn’t deter Klares, though. The senior countered by getting the Pelicans with a fly out to center, a grounder to short and a strikeout looking.

John Jay going quietly in the bottom of second didn’t have Pelham do the same in the third.  Daly had a tough time with a soft liner that caught the shortstop on an in-between hop, and a sacrifice bunt by Ferrari moved Stein to second with one out.

Klares then hit Mamba and Madeline Simon’s pop behind third caused a bit of chaos. Daly and Cooper gave chase, but the ball fell for a 3-2 game.

Klares retired the side on a grounder to Riley Foote, and the offense took their turn. Daly walked, Barry was clutch again with a single to center, and Elise Templeton refused to get low balled on Simon’s sinker. Templeton reached down, and punched the ball into center for a two run single.

Now 5-2, the Pelicans kept flapping. Two walks and a single by Mamba had the bases loaded with two outs. No problem, Klares simply saw the jam as her turn on the docket. “I was a little nervous, but part of me was also excited, because I like being in charge of the game. And I was like, Ok, this is my time to really step up,” the starter explained.

Simon went down looking, and Klares would keep the drama to a minimum in the top of the fifth. Three up, three down, and the offense began the third act. Daly, Barry and Cooper all singled, and Templeton drove in her third run with line drive single to left.

Insurance policy issued, and DeGataeno was no liability in the top of the sixth. The freshman got the first two batters on strikes, and Stein was called out for stepping out of the batter’s box.

John Jay went quietly in the bottom of the sixth so Cooper made noise with her glove. She swooped in on Ferrari’s bunt, and in making easy work of Mamba’s hot shot, Barry nicely fielded the obvious question.

Would she rather have Cooper behind the plate or at third. “All around, everywhere,” Barry was perfectly elusive.

The final word was reserved for the senior, though. “EK, she came in, let our defense work, and pitched well,” concluded Coach Steve DelMoro. “I’m really proud of her last four years.”

John Jay is now 5-5 on the season

For more local news, visit TAPinto.net