OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Westfield’s Mackenzie Schumaker is tagged out at home by Bloomfield catcher Calla McCombs during the NYSPHSAA Class C Far West Regional at Webster-Schroeder High School on Friday evening.
WEBSTER — Westfield did not start its third straight softball Far West Regional the way they wanted to, falling behind 2-0 to Section V’s Bloomfield after the first inning.
But in the end, the Wolverines still had a chance.
In the top of the seventh inning, still trailing 2-0, Westfield looked to rally when Sydney Hotchkiss sent a double to right field for her third hit of the day. An errant throw to first base after Drew Ernewein’s grounder put a pair of Wolverines in scoring position with just one out. In the next at-bat, Keara Kincaid connected and put the ball in a tough spot, but Bloomfield second baseman Addison Falsone made a diving catch and flipped the ball to second for a double play to clinch the Bombers’ spot in the state semifinals next weekend with a 2-0 victory.
“The second baseman made a heck of a play,” Westfield head coach Shawn Gnadzinski said about the game-ending double play. “If she does not get that, we’re scoring both runs and tying it up, so wonderful play by them. Classy team right there, I’m not going to take anything from them. They’re tough and I think they felt our girls were as well.”
After flawless execution in the Section VI championship game against Chautauqua Lake, a shaky first inning resulted in the Wolverines’ demise in the state quarterfinal.
OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Westfield shortstop Tanleigh Bestine throws to first base while pitcher Eva Gnadzinski looks on during Friday’s NYSPHSAA Class C Far West Regional against Bloomfield at Webster-Schroeder High School.
Bloomfield led off the game with a walk and made it count as Sydney Falsone stole second and reached third on an errant throw. The Bombers immediately cashed in when Calla McCombs drove a hard single into left field.
McCombs stole second and third, but the Wolverines induced consecutive popouts. They looked like they’d get out of the jam, however, Celia Falsone worked a walk. As she went to steal second, a miscommunication in the field opened the door for McCombs to steal home and a 2-0 lead.
“The first inning we just had some nerves and some jitters,” Gnadzinski stated. “I liked the way they settled in. We gave ourselves an opportunity.”
Falsone attempted to steal third after McCombs reached home, but Hotchkiss managed to throw her out to get out of the inning.
After that tumultuous first inning, Westfield locked in and junior pitcher Eva Gnadzinski allowed just one more hit. Gnadzinski finished her six innings allowing the two earned runs on two hits and three walks while striking out two.
OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Westfield pitcher Eva Gnadzinski delivers to the plate.
“She had three runs scored on her in 28 innings against the best of the best,” Coach Gnadzinski said about his daughter stepping up in the playoffs. “I’m super proud of her and I’m proud of the defense that they played behind her as well. … She’s put in a lot of work.”
Westfield needed two runs the remaining six innings, but Bloomfield junior pitcher Ashlyn Wright was not making that an easy feat. Wright pitched the complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts while giving up just five hits with no walks.
However, Wright could not get out Hotchkiss who went 3 for 3 on the day and provided the leadoff double in the top of the seventh inning.
“The whole playoffs she’s been locked in,” Gnadzinski said about Hotchkiss. “She’s been getting on base, she’s doing a great job behind the plate not giving up bases. Rising up and getting clutch hits, scoring big runs for us and putting us in position here to have a chance. She’s really put together a nice playoff run.”
If it wasn’t for Addison Falsone’s diving catch in the seventh, Westfield surely would have scored at least one, but it was not the first time the Bombers made key defensive plays to keep the Wolverines off the board.
In the top of the fourth, MacKenzie Schumaker reached on an infield single then was put in scoring position by a second Hotchkiss single. Maddie Burgess attempted to bunt the runners along with one out, but popped out and the Bombers looked to double up at first, however an errant throw allowed Schumaker to race around to home, but she was tagged out on a close play at the plate.
Apart from a Kincaid single in the fifth, Westfield was unable to put together the offense to get over the Far West Regional hump.
Westfield gave up just one run in its conquest of a third straight sectional title and surrendered just two hits in the Far West Regional, doing that all while graduating three-time OBSERVER/Post-Journal Player of the Year and NCAA Division I pitcher Haleigh Dellow.
“I’m proud of them that they were able to get their own identity,” Gnadzinski said about this team. “I feel like the playoff run, knocking off the No. 3 seed, the No. 1 and the No. 2; I’m proud of the seniors, they really rallied around our younger ladies and they stuck together. We call ourselves family and that’s what we needed to do is be a family and work together, pull each other up when we’re struggling and celebrate during our wins. What a nice run for these ladies and a few outs or a base hit and we’re having a different conversation.”
The Wolverines finished the season with a 16-6 record and the Section VI Class C title, but graduate four seniors in Tanleigh Bestine, Keara Kincaid, and Brynn and Drew Ernewein.
“I’ve had this group since Little League,” Gnadzinski said about the seniors. “We went on two state runs in Little League and to have them a few plays away from going to state here, I knew that they had it in them. We just needed to be playing our best ball at the right time and they definitely were and they had a lot to do with that. We’re definitely going to miss them.”
The victory sends the Bombers (20-2) to next week’s state championships on Long Island, while the Wolverines will gear up to try and get back next year.
“I want to congratulate this group on a great season,” Gnadzinski said about his team. “I’m proud of the way they battled. I’ll cherish all the memories we’ve had over the years for sure. They never gave up, stuck together, picked each other up, the way it ended is hard, but they have a lot to be proud of.”