Rush-Henrietta walks off with program-first title

By PAUL GOTHAM

WEBSTER, N.Y. — Olivia Sheffer doesn’t recall any thoughts as she rounded third base.

The fifth-year varsity performer carried history as she raced toward home plate.

Sheffer scored from first on an Elizabeth Gleghorn double to complete a late-inning rally as top-seeded Rush-Henrietta defeated No. 3 Victor, 6-5 in nine innings to clinch the 2023 Section V Softball Class AA championship.

“Nothing really went through my head,” the senior shortstop said as she headed home. “I was just ‘make it home. Run as fast as you can and get there.’”

The sectional title was the first for the Rush-Henrietta Softball program.

“We’ve been waiting for this moment,” Sheffer said. “We’ve worked really hard. I’m really proud of my girls. We worked our butts off.”

History made! Elizabeth Gleghorn drives a ball into right center. Olivia Sheffer scores from first. ⁦@RoyalCometsSB⁩ defeat Victor 6-5 in nine innings to claim the AA crown, a program first. pic.twitter.com/oR5xGRo7Pb

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 27, 2023

Rush-Henrietta erased a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh to set up the extra-inning heroics.

Trailing 5-2, Elizabeth Rinella led the comeback with a single. Kadyn Hartel walked, and Sheffer brought home the first run of the seventh inning with a base hit. Hartel scored when Sami Williams reached on a dropped third strike, and Sheffer came home on an RBI fielder’s choice from Gleghorn.

“In extra innings, we didn’t give up,” Sheffer said. “We stuck through it and the best came out of it. It just feels great.”

Gleghorn’s game winner was the sophomore catcher’s first of the game.

“All I was thinking was hit it hard, hit it flat,” she said. “I really wanted to get Olivia in or at least move her.

“It was middle out. I saw it and took it that way. I was running as fast as I can. I was like ‘I need to get on base. I need to get Olivia home.’”

Hartel, the tournament MVP, struck out four and allowed five runs (two earned) on nine hits and two walks.

“I trust her so much,” Gleghorn said of her battery mate. “I can call anything and I know she’s going to put it there.”

Victor’s Kendra Santillo finished 2-for-3 at the plate including a two-run double in the fourth inning when the Blue Devils grabbed a 4-0 lead. The ninth-grade second baseman also brought in a run with a single in the fifth.

Kendra Santillo connects on a two-run double to give ⁦@VictorBLDevils⁩ a 4-0 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth. pic.twitter.com/0Q4T5EgXDj

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 27, 2023

Rhyley Fontana singled, walked and scored two runs for Victor. Carrie Sidare singled, walked and scored a run. Makenna Hobson was 3-for-4. Olivia Steinorth started in the circle and struck out 13.

Rinella singled and scored in the fifth when R-H cut the deficit to two at 4-2. Rinella went 2-for-5 on the day. Hartel singled, walked twice and scored twice.

Katie Militello and Robyn Bond added a single apiece in the win.

Rush-Henrietta advances to the New York State Class AA Far West Regional where the Royal Comets will face the Section VI champion either Clarence or Frontier.