By MIKE ROSE
Batavia, NY — Friendship-Scio’s Neveah Ross has been writing her name into the record books all season long and she posted another game to remember in Thursday’s Class D semifinal win over Notre Dame Batavia. Ross achieved perfection, setting down all 21 batters she faced including 15 strikeouts in a 2-0 victory.
“She is a one-of-a-kind,” Friendship-Scio head coach Deb Warner said. “She’s a team leader, she leads in almost every category, offense, defense, baserunning. She is the team, with the support behind her she leads them to where they are now.”
Ross only saw one ball leave the infield in the game on a fly ball to right field off the bat of Mia Treleaven. Kadence Sadler made the signature play of the game, lunging to secure the catch and keep the perfect game intact. It was the second time this season Ross has thrown a perfect game after an 18-strikeout performance back on April 9 against Genesee Valley-Belfast.
“It really is a mentality,” Ross said of her performance. “You got to keep your head above the water and just keep your mind straight, do the fundamentals and keep it locked down.”
The game was headlined by a pair of star starting pitchers with Ross and Notre Dame’s Loretta Sorochty on either side. Friendship-Scio was able to strike early against the Irish’s ace. Ross roped a triple into left field in the first but was stranded after Sorochty struck out Cierra Davenport. In the second the Eagles got on the board after Nora Thompson reached on an error and was driven in on an RBI single from Jadyn Wonderling. Warner knew striking early would be key for her team.
“It was an important factor,” Warner said. “We changed the lineup a little bit thinking we could get that early run. It didn’t happen in the first innings so then we kind of regrouped and went back to the short game. I think that’s what helped a lot too.”
“That was really big because it gives me a chance to take a step back and breathe on the mound and do a little bit extra with what I can do with my ability with the ball,” Ross said.
Ross was stranded at third again in the third after walking, stealing second and advancing to third. She continued to mow through the Irish’s lineup on the other side recording five strikeouts among the six out in the third and fourth innings. Then in the fifth, the Eagles got an all-important insurance run. Wonderling worked a lead-off walk followed by a single from Morghyn Ross. Avery Lamberson worked a walk to load the bases from Neveah Ross to deliver once again. She sent a fly ball into right-center field that dropped in to give Friendship-Scio a 2-0 lead. A lead that would prove to be insurmountable with the pitching performance being put together on the other side.
Ross struck out the side in the seventh to finish off the win and send the Eagles to the finals. Ross made sure to try and put the looming perfection out of her mind to avoid the jinx.
“You really just have to focus on getting the last three outs,” Ross said. “There is like this curse with the perfect game, if you think about it, it goes away, you say the word it, it goes away, anything. So you just have to keep that way out of your mind until the end of the game, then you can celebrate.”
Friendship-Scio celebrated not only the perfect game but punching a ticket to the sectional finals for the third straight season. They were previously victorious in 2022 and 2023. Friendship also won the 2021 title in Class D2.
“It’s a great experience, to do this four times. This is awesome,” Warner said.
Friendship-Scio will take on the No. 1 seed Keshequa Indians for the Class D title on Saturday. The first pitch at Fillmore High School is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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