By MIKE ROSE
Webster, NY — Dominant. That is the only adjective to describe what Neveah Ross has been all season and what she was once again in Friendship-Scio’s regional win. The Golden Eagles continued their quest toward the Class D state championship Friday knocking off the Ellicottville Eagles, 2-0. Ross put together another two-way masterpiece with a 19-strikeout complete game shutout in the circle while scoring the eventual winning run offensively.
“It’s almost indescribable,” Ross said of the win. “The third time in a row and being a senior it truly is just amazing.”
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The game was a classic pitcher’s duel from the onset. Katie Lafferty was in the circle for the Eagles and began with two perfect innings. Ross meanwhile dominated early, retiring the first nine batters via strikeout. The Golden Eagles threatened in the bottom half of the third but Lafferty held serve. After a leadoff single from Jadyn Wonderling and Emily Lamberson reaching on an error, Ross had an opportunity with one out and runners on first and second. She bounced into a forceout at third base before Lafferty worked out of the jam.
From there the bats remained relatively quiet. The two teams combined for three hits up until the bottom half of the sixth with Ellicottville stranding a runner at second in the fourth and sixth and Friendship-Scio stranding a runner at second in the fifth. Lafferty did her work inducing ground ball outs, with 12 of her 15 outs through five innings coming on the ground. On the other side, Ross continued to rack up strikeouts. Finally, the dam broke with a controversial beginning to the bottom of the sixth.
With Ross leading off the frame and facing a 2-2 count she attempted a drag bunt down the first base line but came up empty. The ball went all the way to the backstop and with the home plate umpire ruling she offered at the pitch, Ross raced down to first and narrowly made it safely. An extending conference ensued and ultimately Ross was ruled to have struck out and be safe at first base.
“I definitely pulled it back,” Ross said. “That was a low pitch and he still called it. I’m alright with that, I still made it to first, but I never touched that ball.”
With a leadoff base runner aboard Ross used her speed to change the game. On the first pitch to the next batter, Ross went racing into second with a stolen base. The throw from Ellicottville catcher Riley Whitmer went into left field and Ross popped up and headed to third and eventually turned toward home on a bobble from left fielder Kayln Crowley to score the first run of the game. Morghyn Ross kept the inning in gear with a base hit before Nora Thompson reached on a fielder’s choice to short. Cierra Davenport followed by lining a base hit before Kady Sadler reached on an error that allowed Thompson to score a critical insurance run to make it 2-0.
Courtney Marsh led dropping one into right field and advancing to second on a misplay in the outfield to give the Eagles life in the seventh. However, Neveah Ross slammed the door shut with three consecutive strikeouts to secure the win.
“The girls just wanted it,” Friendship-Scio head coach Deb Warner said. “They want to go back to states for the third time. It feels awesome, nerve-wracking, lack of sleep the last three days but it’s a good time for me.”
Neveah Ross posted her 12th shutout of the season and ended the night up to 377 strikeouts so far this season. She says a big part of her team’s continued success is their ability to feed off her loose attitude in the circle regardless of what is happening in the game.
“Oh it’s huge,” Ross said. “At the end of the day softball is a game and you play the best when you have fun so to keep them relaxed is huge. Just put the gloves on, have fun, go up and hit the ball.”
Friendship-Scio (20-3) will take on Deposit-Hancock in the state semifinals in the rematch of last year’s Class D state championship game. Deposit-Hancock knocked off the Golden Eagles 5-3 in 13 innings last season to capture their second straight state title.
“I’m bringing a lot more stuff to the mound this year and I’ve been prepping for them all year,” Ross said of the rematch. “They are all I’ve been focused on lately. We’re coming and we’re coming hard.”
The first pitch Class D state semifinals matchup is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Friday, June 7 at Martha Avenue Recreational Park. The winner will advance to the state championship game the following day at 10:30 a.m.
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