06/15 Daily Sports Eagle

Softball Highlights

Congratulations to the Varsity Softball team as they dug down deep to pull off a win for the ages in the NYSPHSAA Class C semifinals against #2 in the state, Pine Plains.  A game that started two hours late due to weather and went into the late hours of the night before the Eagles pulled it out.  Emma Menge turned in a brilliant performance in the circle, going all 10 innings while only allowing 5 hits and 2 walks.  The Bombers of Pine Plains threatened a few times, but the Eagles turned up the defense by turning 3 double plays and robbing several other hits to keep the game even.  Emma Menge picked up the only hit for the Eagles on the night, as the Bombers pitcher kept the Eagles off balance all night, but in the bottom of the 10th, Sadie Stead worked back from a 1-2 count to work the only walk of the night from the Pine Plains pitcher.  With Emma Menge at the plate, Sadie Stead stole 2nd base on the second pitch and then on the 4th pitch of the at-bat, Sadie swiped 3rd base to put her in scoring position with one out.  After three balls and a foul ball, Courtney Smith hit a very shallow fly ball to right field. On the catch, Sadie broke for home and slid under the tag to give the Eagles a 1-0 walk-off win to advance to the State Finals.

• After overcoming a marathon game and a late night of getting back to the hotel and doing laundry, the Eagles were back at it on Saturday as they took on #1 Deposit-Hancock in the Championship match. The Golden Eagles fell behind early, 0-1, then 0-3.  Emma Menge led off the 4th with a single.  Brooklynn Taylor came in as a pinch runner.  Courtney Smith followed with a single to center, which put runners on the corners.  With one out, the Eagles put on the double steal, which allowed Brooklynn to score and make it 1-3.  Deposit Hancock answered at the bottom of the 5th to make it 1-4. At the top of the 6th, Lily Bain led off with a triple, and Sadie Stead fouled with a walk and quickly stole 2nd base to put runners in scoring position with no outs.  Emma Menge hit a deep fly ball to center field, which allowed Bain and Stead to both come in and score, cutting the deficit to 3-4.  Unfortunately, that is as close as the Golden Eagles would get, as they'd fall by that final 3-4 in the State Championship.  Emma Menge went the distance for the second day in a row in the circle.  She scattered 8 hits, giving up 4 runs on one walk and striking out 3.  Emma Menge, Lily Bain, Courtney Smith, and Kiera Allen all picked up hits for the Eagles. The Eagles finished their season as the New York State Class C runner-ups with a 22-4 record and a #2 overall ranking. WHAT A SEASON, LADIES!!!! WE ARE PROUD OF YOU