By STEVE BRICKLER
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Top seed Penfield softball claimed its first title since 2005 years with a come-from-behind victory over third seeded Hilton 6-4 in the Class AA1 softball title game at Gates-Chili High School on Saturday morning. Freshman Mackenzie Noble was the tournament MVP, pitching a complete game while striking out six to earn the win. The Patriots were fueled by a four-run two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth.
Penfield Coach Frank Clark said that the Patriots semi-final walk-off win against Thomas was instrumental in his team’s late comeback in the final. “It was the first time our backs were against the wall in a good month or month and a half, so to know that we could come back and we had to come back today helped us.”
Noble had to get out of a jam in the top of the first inning as Hilton’s first two batters Maddie Murphy and Paige Batz reached base on an infield single and hit by pitch respectively. They both moved up a base on a wild pitch but Noble was able to retire the next three batters in order to snuff out the Hilton scoring opportunity.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Patriots manufactured a run to take a 1-0 lead. Number 2 hitter Ella Maley walked. Vivian Russo laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Maley over. Maley aggressively took third as well and a throwing error trying to get Maley at third allowed her to score to give the Patriots the lead.
Hilton responded in the bottom of the second with three runs; all scored with 2 outs. On a day where the wind was blowing in from left center, small ball was the order of the day, and Hilton produced 5 straight singles to take the lead. Mackenzie Borrelli started the rally with a single to left, followed by a single by Caroline Schmitte. Murphy then plated Borrelli with an RBI single to center on a close play at the plate. Batz and Juliana Saporito followed with RBI infield singles to give the Cadets a 3-1 lead. Grace Speer loaded the bases for Hilton on a fielder’s choice where both baserunners were able to advance. Jordan Brozak then hit the ball hard to center for Hilton, but the wind held the ball up allowing Penfield to make the catch and prevent further damage.
Said Coach Clark. “It was a really good game. Hilton is so well coached. They played small ball really well against us and we didn’t defend it as well as we wanted to and they took advantage of it when they put the three up.”
Penfield was able to get runners on base in every at bat in the second through fifth innings but were only able to break through in the bottom of the fourth on an Alexi Cimino double, followed by a steal of third base. Allison Gardner plated Cimino with a sacrifice fly to narrow the margin to 3-2.
Meanwhile, Noble was cruising along in innings 3 through 6, allowing only one baserunner on a walk in the top of the sixth inning while her defense made all of the plays behind her.
Said Noble. “I focus on my defense and getting ahead in the count, and I think I do that pretty well. And my defense I can rely on. If I just pitch it, if I trust in myself, I trust in them. I know they have my back.”
The Patriots were able to reclaim the lead they would not relinquish in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Cimino singled and proceeded to steal second. Gardner moved Cimino to third on a sac fly to right field. Stephanie Coughlin then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Cimino to tie the game. The throw to first to try to get Coughlin sailed down the right field line, allowing Coughlin to advance to third base. Maley followed with a walk and took second on a potential double steal play, but Hilton did not throw to second, keeping Coughlin at third. Russo followed with a tie-breaking two run single to score Coughlin and Maley to give the Patriots their first lead since the opening frame. Mackenzie Whitehead followed with a run scoring double on the only ball that made it to the outfield fence all game.
“We knew their pitching was going to keep us off balance and she did,” said Coach Clark of Hilton’s Schmitte, an 8th grader. “She hit her spots and changed speeds real well on us and it took until the sixth inning to adjust and hit the ball hard.
The Cadets would not go quietly in their last at bat in the top of the seventh. Murphy singled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on an infield single by Batz. Murphy scored on a sacrifice fly by Borrelli.
With the tying run at the plate, Noble was able to get the final out via strikeout to set off the Penfield celebration 21 years in the making.
This title adds to a list of sectional titles won by the Patriots this school year. “We’re doing really good this year in all of our sports and I really feel like our culture has been way higher and we’re feeling very happy about that,” said Noble.
Hilton’s season ends with a 13-9 record but they graduate only three seniors off of this year’s roster so the future looks bright.
The Patriots (20-2) move on to the Class AA State Qualifier versus the winner of Eastridge and Pittsford Sutherland.
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