Softball: A different year and a different outcome for Tuckahoe in the title game

Redemption.

It's a word that can take on different connotations but for Tuckahoe, it meant overcoming a really terrible memory.

Last year, Tuckahoe played Yonkers Montessori for the title but Tuckahoe didn't play the cleanest game. The committed eight errors one year ago. As coach John D'Arco said, that last year was a tough loss.

That's not how Thursday's game went.

The top-seeded Tigers defeated second-seeded Hamilton by the score of 17 to 1 in five innings to the Section 1 Class C championship not committing an error.

"(Winning the Section 1 title) was definitely our goal coming in," Tigers coach John D'Arco said. "We wanted to try and win as many games as we could, play a tough schedule, win the section and beyond. Winning the section was the first goal but not the last."

This makes Tuckahoe's first Section 1 Class C title since 2015.

"We worked really hard this year," Tigers senior Adrianna Rocco said. "We put in the hard work at practice and it really paid off on the field which is why we won the championship."

The team put up a nine spot in the bottom of the first inning after Hamilton got up to early 1-0 lead.

And the Tigers didn't look back.

As Tuckahoe looks a head to the regional portion of the NYSPHSAA tournament, D'Arco knows that defense is the key for the Tigers being able to continue on.

"At this point, we've seen really good pitching through out the year," D'Arco said. "We've seen Katie Blanch (Rye Neck), Tanner Smith (Valhalla), we faced Harrison, Magnus so we've faced really good team's pitching. My main thing's defense. We can't give team's extra outs. We have to work to get 21 outs in the game. If we play a clean game, that's what we're trying to do."

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What it means

Tuckahoe will face SS Seward, The Section 9 champion, Wednesday at North Rockland at 4 p.m. in the sub-regional. The winner will play Section 8's Friends Academy Saturday in the regional finals. The location will depend on who wins. If it's Seward, it's at Monroe-Woodbury. If Tuckahoe wins, it will be back at North Rockland.

Player of the game

Katie Attwood, Tuckahoe: The eighth-grader pitched the title game like she was a veteran. She allowed one hit and one run in five innings. She waked four batters and struck out 13. Attwood contributed at the plate as well going 2 for 3 at the plate with two runs scored and a triple.

By the numbers

Tuckahoe (15-5): Daniella Morgan went 2 for 3 with a walk, three runs scored and had two RBI. Bianca Pian went had a walk and two RBI. Gianna Galati went 1 for 3 with two RBI. Cayleigh Handel, Molly Attwood and Briana Rogliano each had an RBI.

Hamilton (11-11): Drianna Peña had the lone hit off of Katie Attwood driving in Gabriella Labrusciano in the first inning.

They said it

"I think I did pretty good," pitcher Katie Attwood said of her performance. "I think I was consistent with my strikes. I think I was able to keep my composure."

"That was my goal," D'Arco said. about the schedule Tuckahoe played. "I strategically made the schedule that way. We won every league game by the mercy rule. I went out there and made the schedule with tough games to be ready for these teams in May."

Follow Debbie Schechter on Twitter at @LoHud_Debbie & @LoHudSoftball. Follow on Instagram @scrubsgeek1318 & @lohudsoftball.