By MIKE ROSE
Honeoye Falls, NY — It was a battle of first-time sectional champions on Wednesday and Bloomfield emerged on the other side with a berth to the regional round. The Bombers shutout the Dundee/Bradford BraveScots, 3-0, behind a complete game shutout from Ashlyn Wright. Despite the performance in the circle from Wright, Bloomfield head coach Mark Jacobs believed she didn’t even have her best stuff.
“It was a gutsy, gusty performance,” Jacobs said. “I can’t say enough good about Ashlyn Wright. I mean she did not have her best stuff today, she just had to pitch her way around people. And that’s an excellent ball club she pitched around. To shut them out was amazing and not having her good stuff to do that just shows what kind of pitcher she is.”
Despite an off day, Wright still put together a performance on par with her dominance throughout the season. She struck out 14 across her seven innings of work allowing two hits and four walks, lowering her season ERA to 0.59. Dundee/Bradford, who averaged 13.7 runs per game and scored 10+ runs in 12 of 18 games entering Wednesday, failed to advance a base runner past second base against Wright.
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“It’s nice to know you don’t have to manhandle your way through all those innings with a good defense behind you,” Wright said. “My catcher is very supportive and I really get through those bad times with her talking to me through them.”
Her catcher, Calla McCombs, provided more than defensive support, she also sparked the offensive effort. McCombs recorded the second Bombers hit of the game with a one-out triple in the third to begin a rally.
“I knew I was behind in the count and she had been throwing inside all game so I just reminded myself to be ready and turn on it if she gives it to me because my favorite pitch is inside,” McCombs said.
She would score on a ground ball from Wright who reached on an error to give Bloomfield an early 1-0 edge. Brianna Leitten followed with a base hit and a wild pitch allowed Leitten and courtesy runner Evalynn Howlett to move into scoring position. Cece Falsone delivered with a sacrifice fly to give the Bombers a 2-0 lead after three innings.
McCombs helped tack on an insurance run for the Bombers in the fifth. She led off the inning with a single before advancing to second on a passed ball and third on a groundout. Leitten extended the lead to three on a groundball to third with McCombs beating the throw home for her second run scored. Wright recorded five of the final six outs of the game via strikeout to secure the win and advance Bloomfield to its first-ever regionals appearance.
“It’s nice to bring it back to the town and make history,” Wright said. “The town really relies on sports and it’s nice to give them something to talk about.”
“It feels really, really good,” McCombs said. “All of us have been waiting for this for so long. Losing the past two years this was like a relief, it felt really good.”
Bloomfield’s best season in program history will continue into the weekend in its first Far West Regionals appearance. Jacobs just wants his team to play their game as they continue to venture into uncharted territory.
“Again, we’re gonna face another very good team,” Jacobs said. “We just have to stay loose and play our game and if Ash(lyn Wright) is on and we’re playing our game we’ll be right in the middle of it. Will it be enough? We’ll find out but we just gotta stay loose and be us.”
The Bombers will find out if it is enough when they take on the Section VI champions Westfield in the Class C regionals on Friday at Webster Schroeder High School. The winner will advance to next weekend’s state final four at Martha Avenue Recreational Park in Bellport, NY. The first pitch of Friday’s regional contest is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
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