By PAUL GOTHAM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — The final result was favorable, but Pittsford Sutherland Softball didn’t earn any style points on Wednesday.
Especially not with head coach Mike Scialo.
The host Knights (14-2) built a six-run lead and then had to hold on for a 9-7 victory over Honeoye Falls-Lima (7-6) in Monroe County Division IV action.
Ella Devaney connected on her second home run of the game. Gabby Lyons followed with a two-run triple, and Sutherland appeared to be cruising with an 8-2 lead after four innings of play.
That is until the Knights stumbled and nearly gave away the game in the sixth.
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“It’s a veteran group with five seniors on this team that shouldn’t let that happen, but they did,” Scialo said. “You shouldn’t be getting tight up by six, but we did.”
Sutherland committed four errors in the frame, and HF-L put the tying run in scoring position and the go-ahead run at the plate.
“That’s just not us,” Scialo said. “It’s not what we do. If we have a two-hour practice, it’s an hour and 45 minutes of defense and hit for 15. And for us to do that? It’s not common.”
Twice the Knights had chances to get a force out at second base but failed to convert. HF-L took advantage with timely and opportunistic base-running.
“You play HF-L and you know that’s going to be a good game every time,” Scialo said.
What made the performance all the more puzzling for Scialo was that Sutherland didn’t have a game on Tuesday – this after seeing a 12-game win streak snapped with a 4-2 loss to Eastridge on Monday.
“This time of year, you might play four games in a row, and you don’t get a practice. The fact that we had a practice before this game and that’s what happens? That’s what drives us nuts.”
The bright spot of the day was sophomore pitcher Julia Devaney. The right-hander struck out five while issuing one walk. She allowed three hits and of the seven runs that scored against her, none were earned.
“Give her a bunch of credit,” Scialo said. “You’re out there doing your job and all of sudden you’re having to get seven outs. That’s tough. She could’ve very easily lost command of the zone instead she kept hitting her spots and just praying that they make a play for her eventually.”
Devaney ended the top of the sixth with a strike out.
“She’s doing a great job for a first-year pitcher.”
Ella Devaney finished 2-for-3 with two home runs and a walk. Alex Sippel was 2-3 with a round-tripper of her own, two RBI and a run scored.
“That’s what we do,” Scialo said. “We can hit the ball out of the park. It’s how we score a lot of our runs. We got the lead just didn’t hold it.”
Lyons was 2-4 with a double and two RBI. Katie Sarr drove in two with a base hit. Hannah Glanton, Amanda Meyers and Emma Hollenbeck each singled and scored in the win.
HF-L’s Brooke Gruschlow singled, drove in two runs and scored once. Georgia Brownsword singled and came home twice. Jenna Fowler drove in a run with a base hit and later scored. Morgan Dunman, Emeline Good and Jade Fowler scored a run apiece.
Despite the lackluster performance, Sutherland clinched the divisional title and the reigning sectional champs have a firm grasp on the top spot in Class A heading into the postseason.
“We’ll give them a little credit,” Scialo said with a smile.
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