The softball team (22-7) defeated Jefferson Community College (15-10) 4-3 on a walk-off hit in extra innings on Tuesday afternoon.
After Jefferson took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, Meghan Matan (Shaker/Latham) led off the bottom half of the inning with a single. Matan stole second and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice, and then Natalie Triano (Colonie/Albany) tied the game with an RBI single.
Jefferson threatened late in the seventh with runners on second and third with one out when they tried executing a suicide squeeze. Matan fielded the bunt cleanly and threw to Molly McDonough (Lansingburgh/Lansingburgh), who was covering third and tagged the runner out as she was retreating back. Kate Cahrenger (Waterford-Halfmoon/Waterford) got the very next batter to fly out to end the inning.
The game went into extra-innings where the Cannoneers broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the eighth going up 3-1. Cherish Kilventon (Cohoes/Cohoes) came in to relieve Cahrenger with one out and runners on second and third. Kilventon got the first batter to pop out and struck out the next.
Heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Vikings needed at least two runs to keep their post-season hopes alive. Aimee Lefebvre (Waterford-Halfmoon/Waterford) connected on an RBI double with one out making it 3-2. Kate Brown (Colonie/Colonie) drew a walk and Lori Pelersi (Bethlehem/Albany) hit a single to load the bases. Meghan Matan stepped up to the plate and drove a pitch into left-center field ending the game on a walk-off two-run single.
The Vikings travel to Corning for the Region III Tournament to take on #1 seed Tompkins Cortland Community College (29-6) on Friday, May 13.
Published: Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000 by j.hoyt