By PAUL GOTHAM
VICTOR, N.Y. — It was a play that the Victor softball team had been waiting to use.
On Tuesday afternoon the opportunity was there.
The Blue Devils executed their plan.
With runners on the corners in the fifth inning of a scoreless game, Victor shortstop Audrey Steinorth stepped in front of the bag at second on a stolen base attempt and fired a strike to the plate. Teammate Abby Harris applied the tag.
The potential go-ahead run was eliminated. Thoughts of a big inning were squashed, and the Blue Devils rode the wave of momentum to a sectional quarterfinal win.
“That was a special moment for all of us,” Steinorth said after No. 4 Victor (15-6) defeated No. 5 Bishop Kearney/Chesterton (15-5), 4-0 in Class AA action. “That’s something that we put a lot of effort into it.”
The sequence involved Steinorth’s sister, Olivia, delivering a pitch that Harris could handle behind the plate. The junior catcher needed to make a throw on target as well. With the runner at first in motion, Steinorth had to sell that she was looking to make the play at second before she stepped into the throw.
“The timing is very important,” she said. “I move in on the play. I trust Liv to throw a pitch that’s not quite on the plate. I have to trust Abby to make sure that she gets the ball to me. We timed it perfectly on that. We’ve been practicing that play all season.”
The situation also gave Steinorth a chance at redemption.
Kearney’s Leah Jacobs reached first to start the inning when Steinorth committed an error on a ground ball. After a pinch runner took over, Kearney resorted to consecutive bunts. Another misplay on the second sacrifice created the first-and-third situation.
The earlier mistake was in the past for the sophomore shortstop.
“Being able to let go of that and knowing that my team will pick me up and move on to the next play,” Steinorth said of her focus. “It’s really nice to be able to have that chance.”
Class AA: Defensive execution on the double-steal attempt. Audrey Steinorth throws out the runner at home. Heading to the bottom of the fifth – @SoftballKearney 0 @VictorSoftball 0 pic.twitter.com/MqYbOMQ4ea
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 21, 2024
The play gave Victor what it needed to shift the momentum of the game.
“That kind of energy gets things going,” said head coach Gina Potenza. “I couldn’t be any more proud of their execution. It’s those moments that honestly I’m so excited for them that it’s hard to not get choked up. To feel that energy and to see the look on their faces when that execution, that practice and that trust works is priceless.”
Mackenzie Visingard connected on a one-out single in the home half of the inning and eventually scored on a base hit from Olivia Steinorth. Ryleigh Fontana made it a 2-0 game with a sacrifice fly.
Ashley Jedrich connected on a two-out double in the sixth and scored on a Visingard’s second hit in as many at-bats.
“When we stopped that run from scoring, that picked us up,” Jedrich said. “It shifted the entire game. Now, that we made that play, we needed to come back with our bats. We had to start getting these runs in.”
Class AA: Olivia Steinorth helps her cause with a one-out RBI single. Ryleigh Fontana follows with an RBI sacrifice fly. @VictorSoftball 2-0 in the fifth. pic.twitter.com/4C9rp6BMqZ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 21, 2024
Class AA: Swinging bunt single from Mackenzie Visingard makes it a 3-0 game. Ashley Jedrich scores on the play. Alexah Loeser follows with a run-scoring. Heading to the seventh – @VictorSoftball 4-0. pic.twitter.com/yiRZnx8cQn
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 21, 2024
Alexah Loeser capped the scoring with an RBI single.
Olivia Steinorth struck out four over five innings to pick up the win. The senior, who was sidelined due to an injury for the Blue Devils opening game of the sectionals, allowed one hit and one walk.
“Her work ethic is something I’ve never seen,” Potenza said. “She’s coming back from an injury. Something that we’re keeping an eye on and just kinda testing out the waters. Today, was a question mark for Liv. We didn’t know if she was even going to be able to come out today or make it through. She continues to do the work in the background. She’s all about what’s best for the team.”
Visingard led the bottom half of the Victor order that had five of the Blue Devils’ six hits as well as all four of the runs.
“Everybody here plays a role regardless if you’re seeing one inning if you’re zero if you’re seeing all seven,” Potenza said. “Every person on this team has got us to where we are today. I carry a small roster for a reason, and it’s a very intentional roster. These kids continue to do the work, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they’re doing.”
Victor will face top-seeded Webster Schroeder in the semifinals. The two teams split a pair of regular season games with Schroeder taking 3-2 decision. Victor avenged that loss with a 2-0 win.
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