By PATRICK WALSH
Ashlyn Wright hurled a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out 18, as Bloomfield captured the Softball Class C1 title on Saturday, defeating Letchworth 5-0 at Fillmore High School.
After allowing a one-out single in the top of the first, Wright retired the next 19 batters in order. In that span, the junior whiffed 16 batters and did not allow a ball to leave the infield.
“She’s a phenomenal pitcher, if anyone doesn’t know about Ashlyn (Wright) they have to take some time and watch her pitch,” Bloomfield Head Coach Mark Jacobs said. “I tell myself if we can get two or three runs, we can win the game because I know she’s that good.”
Of the 18 batters Wright fanned, 15 were swinging. The junior hurler now has 261 strikeouts on the season.
“She throws the ball hard, she has a variety of pitches and she spots pitches well,” Jacobs said. “With Calla (McCombs) behind the plate, she can throw any pitch any time she wants to.”
McCombs blasted a two-run shot in the bottom half of the first inning and gave the Bombers a quick 2-0 lead. The sophomore catcher finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
“She’s been phenomenal, every time we play a game and I’m doing a write-up to send in, Calla’s name is in it,” Jacobs said. “She hits the ball hard, she’s as smart a base-runner as there is and she flies like the wind.”
The home run was McCombs’ second of the season and put her over the 30 RBI threshold. Jacobs noted how important it is for the sophomore to get on base.
“Home runs are nice from her but I tell her I like it better when she is on first base because she causes a lot more havoc to teams.”
With the win, the Bombers captured their first sectional title in program history, avenging two prior sectional final defeats in the last three years.
“What I saw was a group that was really focused and believed in themselves,” Jacobs said. “They knew we came up short in the past and weren’t going to this year.”
Syd Falsone scored on the McCombs home run. Abby O’Brien was 1-2 with an RBI single in the fifth. Brianna Leitten drove in a run and scored once. Wright helped herself out with a single at the dish.
For Letchworth, Abbie DeRock hurled a complete game, allowing four hits and striking out seven. Trinity Scott and Reagan Bannister tallied the two Legend hits.
Bloomfield advances to face the Class C2 winner, Dundee-Bradford, on Tuesday.
“I’m glad we are going to be there. We are going to take a deep breath, but we told them listen our work is not done, we have a lot more work to do.”
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