Softball: North Rockland advances past John Jay-East Fishkill with 3-1 win
Eugene RapayTHIELLS - When North Rockland and John Jay-East Fishkill met earlier in the season, it was a high-scoring affair, with the Red Raiders rallying and winning in extra innings. There were also various players missing and positional changes to help get through the mid-season grind of playing many games on consecutive days.
In a high-stakes rematch, Saturday morning was the opposite. It was a low-scoring battle and scoring opportunities were scarce. In the end, the third-seeded Red Raiders held off the sixth-seeded Patriots, 3-1, to advance to the Section 1 Class AA semifinals.
"We didn't play our best; coming into the game, too, our energy was kind of low," North Rockland senior Kristen Luzon said. "It feels good to just kind of scrap out a win out of that, but we know we definitely have to play better next game. It feels good to get a win against a good John Jay team."
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John Jay grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third after a scoreless start to the game.
It sparked North Rockland to step it up in the bottom of the frame. Luzon got the game-tying RBI single. Ally Murphy capitalized on a wild pitch and scored the go-ahead run. Olivia Leon chipped in a RBI on a ground out, capping off the three-run outing.
The Patriots hung tough, trying to battle back into the game. They managed to get runners in scoring position in both the fifth and sixth innings, but North Rockland was able to navigate itself out of high-pressure situations.
"I kind of like when that happens, because I feel like it's more pressure, but I think it just brings the 'me' out in me and pitch my game," North Rockland junior Delaney McGovern said. "No matter how much pressure, I can still pitch my game throughout."
Sabrina Castelli attempted to spark a seventh-inning rally, hitting a leadoff double, but the Patriots were unable to get anything else going at the plate, as North Rockland held on for the win.
Despite falling short, she is happy with the season she and her teammates had.
"We played really hard, the first time we played against them we went into extra innings," Castelli said. "We knew what we were up for, but I don't doubt anything on the field or offensively. We did all we could.
"Freshman year, we won sectionals. I didn't get my sophomore year, and then last year, we were underdogs. This year, we really wanted to come out and fight, and I think we did. We beat a lot of the teams we should've. We lost some good battles, but I think we had a pretty good season."
What it means
The Red Raiders advance back to the Section 1 Class AA semifinals and move a step closer to their goals.
Meanwhile, for John Jay-East Fishkill, it's the end of the road and it finishes with an 11-10 record.
"We need to hit better, if we're going to move onto the championship," North Rockland coach Jackie DiNuzzo said. "They out-hit us today. Their pitcher was on, and she threw a lot of off-speed and mixed it up to keep our batters off. Delaney wasn't her typical self,she struggled a little bit early on, but we battled through. Our defense came through big time. You had (Kacey) Herlihy with a diving catch, (Keira) Costin with a bases-loaded snag in shallow right. We just need to clean up and start hitting."
Player of the game
Kristen Luzon, North Rockland: Offense was at a premium, but Luzon managed to get on base with every at-bat. She went 2-for-2 with a double, the game-tying RBI, a stolen base, and drew a walk in her final turn at the plate. She also played well defensively at first.
By the numbers
North Rockland (18-3) — Olivia Leon went 1-for-3 with a RBI. Ally Murphy and Olivia Abrams each had a hit and scored a run. Delaney McGovern went the distance, giving up one earned run on six hits and four walks, while striking out five.
John Jay-East Fishkill (11-10) — Natalie Nesheiwat had a sac fly RBI for the Patriots' lone run and also had a hit. Lyla Dwyer went 2-for-2 with a walk. Sabrina Castelli had two hits, including a double. Cam O'Connor had a hit and scored a run.
Quotable
"That loss last year (in the Section 1 Class AA finals), just makes us want it more," McGovern said. "We were so good last year, but we're just as good this year, and that just makes us want it more."
Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5 and on Instagram at @byeugenerapay.