FREEDOM PLAINS — It was one of those “flash before your eyes” moments, Jenny Nardelli surviving a frightening crash that left her car totaled last Thursday.
Heading to softball practice, the senior lost control of the vehicle on a slick road before careening into a tree.
“It was a sharp corner, and I slid across the double lines, so I tried to overcompensate and turned the wheel hard the other way, and that’s when I lost control,” Nardelli said of the accident on Spook Hill Road, near her home in Wappingers Falls.
So many incidents like that have ended tragically, including locally, so the Roy C. Ketcham student being in position now to share that story, her mother said, was a miracle.
“It makes me count my blessings,” Nardelli acknowledged. “I’m very lucky to be here right now.”
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“Here” was at a softball game, the shortstop showing few effects of the collision beyond some minor scrapes and soreness. That, coach Scott Satterlee said, allowed them all to exhale.
Though far less significant, Nardelli and the team again avoided catastrophe Saturday as the Storm withstood a late surge from fourth-seeded Arlington and eked out an 8-7 win in the Section 1 Class AAA quarterfinals.
“That was scary, too,” Nardelli said of the Admirals rallying for five runs and threatening more in the sixth inning. “But slightly less scary than what happened a few days ago.”
Giving new meaning to "survive and advance."
Claire Moore went 3 for 4 and her squeeze bunt scored Emma Kozlowski for an 8-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning, which was just enough of an advantage for Ketcham to stave off the comeback attempt.
The fifth-seeded Storm (11-8) head to the section semifinals for a second straight season and will visit No. 1 North Rockland on Wednesday.
“This was a good win for us, to get tested and have to come through under pressure in the last couple innings,” catcher Paige Hotle said. “We knew our path wouldn’t be easy, but I’m proud of the way we’ve responded.”
Nardelli was 2 for 4 with a walk, two runs and an RBI and Paige Hotle went 2 for 5 with two runs and an RBI. Ella Thyrre made a spectacular lunging catch in deep right field to save a run in the fourth. Kaelyn Brenner was 1 for 2 with three walks and a run-scoring double. The converted infielder faltered in the sixth inning before recovering to close the seventh.
“A lot of people have stepped up for us,” Nardelli said, “and Kaelyn has really come up big.”
Ketcham rebound from a five-game losing streak late in the regular season and beat a talented rival to get back to the semifinals, accomplishing as much as it did last season despite graduating key players.
Paige Hotle attributed some of the struggles down the stretch to fatigue as they played four games in quick succession, and the Storm “snapped out of it” with a narrow victory over John Jay-East Fishkill and now have won three straight.
“I’m proud of them,” Satterlee said, “especially because it’s been an up-and-down season and we’ve had to grind to get here. At no point have they gotten down on themselves, even though we’ve had a mountain to climb.”
A steep incline is upcoming, having to contend with the two-time defending section champs in the next round. Ketcham took a 4-3 loss to North Rockland last month, but the Storm can draw some encouragement from the fact they were competitive.
Jocelyn Pepe drilled a three-run homer to left that pulled Arlington within a run in the sixth, enlivening the dugout and home crowd. It also was the senior’s eighth home run of the season, setting a program record. Alyssa Liguori, with her 34 wins and 494 strikeouts, also eclipsed program records this spring.
Ketcham took an early 2-0 lead, but the Admirals answered in the third and tied it on Katherine D’Angelo’s RBI single. Nardelli’s run-scoring double put the Storm back ahead in the fourth and, aided by some fielding gaffes, they built a six-run lead.
Sam Harris was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run for Arlington (12-8). The sophomore also pitched 1⅔ innings of relief, allowing a hit and an inherited run. Ava Eraca went 1 for 3 with walk and an RBI, Isabelle Loginovs was 2 for 4, and Gianna Petrillo went 2 for 4, including an RBI single that sparked the sixth-inning charge.
“We cut it close and had to hold our breath there for a second,” Moore said, “but I always have faith in us.”
Their softball family also delivered after another close call. Nardelli said Keith Hotle, the father of her teammates, coincidentally was the first person to pull over and assist after the crash.
“I got a phone call saying she’s been in an accident and my heart jumped into my throat,” said Satterlee, who has known the Albany commit since the fourth grade. “As a parent, your mind automatically goes to worst-case scenario.”
Instead, Nardelli showed up to practice, to the delight of the team, and the group did its best to keep her in good spirits. The Hotles later hosted them for dinner as Nardelli’s nerves slowly settled.
“I’m gonna miss that car a lot,” she said, shaking her head. “My older brother and sister had it before me. My sister (Meg) said she’s more upset about the car being involved in a crash than me.”
Of course, a sibling being able to joke about it is the ultimate sigh of relief.
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Softball: Nardelli helps Ketcham edge Arlington in quarterfinals after scary car crash
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