SUNAPEE- Sunapee varsity softball needed an extra inning to grab their victory in their senior game Thursday evening, beating the visiting Nute Rams on a walk-off, three-run homer, 7-4 in eight innings.
In the bottom of the seventh with the game notched at 4 apiece, the Lakers had an opportunity to win the game. With two outs and Hannah Cooney on third, Miah Hamm hit a two-out, two-strike line drive to center, but an impressive catch was made by the Rams’ centerfielder, and the game was sent into extras.
In the top of the eighth, Sunapee pitcher, Ellie Frederick, forced the first batter to ground-out. The next Rams’ batter hit a single and then stole second and third. Frederick would then toss a strikeout, so the Rams were faced with the same scenario the Lakers faced in the bottom of the seventh: Two outs and a runner on third. Frederick then threw a wild-pitch to the back-stop, sending the runner home to try to break the tie, but Frederick covered the plate and applied the tag-out for the third out.
In the bottom-half, Mackenzie Wrightington got things started for the Lakers with a fly ball that was dropped by the left-fielder, as she reached first. Star Lucas then reached on a single to put two runners on with no outs. Next up was Frederick. Facing a one-ball, two-strike count, Frederick delivered a rocket to straight-away center, and left no question if the ball was going to travel over the fence. The three-run homer propelled the Lakers to a come-from-behind victory in their final home game.
On the walk-off, Sunapee head coach, Bonnie Cruz, said, “Dead center… that was beautiful. She didn’t have any hits on the day before that and she showed up when she needed to. She is such a good hitter and she’s so anxious to hit the ball. I had a good feeling when she was coming up.”
Sunapee trailed 4-0 after the top of the fifth. In the bottom-half, Elizabeth Bennett hit a 2-run homer and Hamm delivered a 2-RBI double to tie the game up.
On the big win after trailing early, Cruz said, “I knew it was going to be a good game. The Nute pitcher was strong and we had to be patient as to when hits were going to come… we knew they were going to come. We kept working at it and kept chipping away. It was a whole team effort and everyone contributed.”
Sunapee’s lone-senior, Kalleigh Durkee, was recognized before the game for her commitment to the program (four years), and now gets to walk away with a memorable final home game. Cruz, on her senior, said, “I love that girl. She plays hard every second. Her mood is positive and upbeat for all of the years I have known her. I couldn’t be happier for her. She got a triple and scored a run today. She just tries hard all the time. I call her the ‘team mom.’ She cares a lot about everyone around her. At first base, she has done an absolutely amazing job. A day-in-day-out, hard-working and loving kid.”
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.