By MIKE ROSE
Webster, NY — The Fairport Red Raiders saw just about everything go wrong in the top of the first inning in Saturday’s Class AAA Far West Regional. The Red Raiders dug themselves into a four-run hole after a half inning of play but the message from head coach Curt Johnson was simple. We still have 21 outs. It would take a lot less than that for the Red Raiders’ response. They answered with five runs in the bottom half of the first and rode that momentum across the finish line to a 9-6 victory over the Lancaster Legends in the Class AA Far West Regionals.
“I didn’t think we’d get five there I said ‘let’s just get two, show them we’re here” Johnson said. “Getting five and taking the lead was absolutely huge.”
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Four of Lancaster’s eight baserunners for the game reached in the first as they built the early edge. Brennah DeWald worked a leadoff walk before two quick outs from Fairport pitcher Kailey Gardner. From there the Legends got hits from three of the next four batters with a two-run error in the middle. Alyssa Brunner’s two-run single capped off the early onslaught from Lancaster. However, the high-powered Fairport offense was not to be outdone.
Back-to-back hits from Nicole Allen and Lauryn Smith to start things got the first run on the board. Smith eventually scored later in the inning on a passed ball before Millie Reed dropped an RBI single in that chased Lancaster starting pitcher Grace Szpylman. Brunner came on in relief and Makayla Strack greeted her with a two-run single to cap off a five-run rapid response from the Red Raiders. From there Gardner settled in while the Fairport offense kept clicking.
Fairport added a run in the second and the fourth to push the lead out to 7-4. Brunner kept Lancaster afloat in the sixth, cashing in a two-out, two-run single to pull the Legends within one. The Red Raiders had an instant answer once again however with Reed bashing an RBI double following by an RBI single from Strack who finished the day 4-for-4 with three RBI.
“I always think about it just have a clear mind when you’re up there,” Strack said. “We have one-through-nine great hitters and I knew I had a job and I knew I wanted to do it for my team. I went up there and just put bat to the ball and it ended up in our favor and it was a good day.”
Strack led what was a complete offensive performance for the Red Raiders. Six of the nine Red Raiders starters recorded hits while eight of nine reached base in the victory. Allen added a 4-for-5 day out of the leadoff spot scoring twice. Smith tallied three hits, two RBI and scored a run while Reed drove in a pair with two hits and a run. Gardner finished her night allowing six unearned runs on seven hits in a complete game effort in the circle.
“She’s been battling all year,” Johnson said of Gardner. “She doesn’t throw very hard but she hits her spots and they didn’t hit the ball hard. Had a lot of ground balls on the infield, swinging bunts and so basically throughout the game I can see they’re not hitting her hard we just gotta make the plays. And we did, fortunately, we made enough plays to get the win.”
The win represented the first in the regional round for Fairport since 2009 and the first time knocking off Lancaster in a regional bout, having previously gone 0-3 against the Legends prior to Saturday. Johnson believed all season this was a team capable of ending that dry spell.
“I didn’t know when the last time was but I knew it had been a while,” Johnson said. “With nine seniors and we got five-year veterans, four-year veterans this was the team we looked at to make it to states and they did it. They absolutely did it. It wasn’t easy, wasn’t easy at all and so I’m proud of them, extremely proud.”
Strack credits the tight-knit bond her team shares as a big reason they were able to clear the regional hurdle this time around.
“I think we have never been a closer team than we are now,” Strack said. “We truly think of each other as family and I can easily say say I am proud of each and every girl on this team. And I think we’re not done yet, we are gonna keep on going and we’re beyond happy and proud of each other and I think it shows when we’re out on that field.”
As for the unofficial team mascot, Sprinkles the stuffed octopus, Johnson says they may have to find room for a regional championship tentacle to join the two sectional title tentacles. Strack believes they should also save some room for a state championship tentacle after next weekend comes to a close.
“I think we just have to keep on doing what we’re doing,” Strack said. “We can’t go into any game thinking it’s going to be an easy game but we also have to go in with confidence in ourselves. I don’t think there is anything stopping us now, we are going to get that state championship.”
Fairport will get its chance to try and finish it off next weekend in the state final four. They’ll begin with a semifinal matchup against Section XI champion Sachem East on Friday, June 7 at Martha Avenue Recreational Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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