Coventry edges Cumberland in extra innings, wins first DI fast-pitch crown

Coventry has claimed the program's first Division I fast-pitch title by edging Cumberland, 4-3, in nine innings at the Amica Insurance Rhode Island Interscholastic League Softball Championships earlier today at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex.

"I really can't believe it," said junior Elise Fortier, who hurled Coventry to the win and also contributed an RBI double in the ninth. "It feels great to win it for [seniors Alycia Broccoli, Kelly Nix and Katy MacAndrew]. I really couldn't ask for anything more for my teammates."

With the score still tied at 1-all in the ninth, Coventry rallied for three runs. Starting the extra inning with Chelsie Pitarossi on second base, according to the international tiebreaker rule, the Oakers moved her over to third with a sacrifice bunt by Halyee McHale. After an overthrow to first on a grounder by Katelyn Carroll allowed Pitarossi to score and Gianna Palermo reached safely with a fielder's choice, Fortier delivered a double to left that plated Carroll. Katy MacAndrew, who was pinch running for Palermo, then scored on a bunt single by Ashley Olson to make it 4-1.

Cumberland, which battled its way through the losers' bracket to earn its first title appearance in eight years, created its own havoc in the bottom half of the frame. Finishing with nine hits on the day, the Clippers got two runs back - on Ashley Noke's RBI single to left and Kelsey Cahill's RBI single to right - and had runners on first and third with one out.

But Oakers second baseman Hannah Cole caught a hard liner by Casey McDonald and doubled off the runner on first to end the inning, giving Coventry only the second fast-pitch title since it switched its program from slow-pitch in 1996. (The Oakers also won the 2000 Division II crown.)

Coventry 000 001 003 - 4 4 2
Cumberland 001 000 002 - 3 9 4
Elise Fortier and Ashley Olson; Bethany Paul and Kristen Peffer.

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 8:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)