Another Two Out Rally Propels Chatham Softball to Thrilling Win

CALDWELL — Solid defense and a miraculous seventh inning rally led Chatham to a 6-5 come from behind victory over Mt. St. Dominic Academy on Thursday.

Mt. St. Dominic has a softball program that carries a very high reputation. When Chatham's game versus Morristown had to be rescheduled, Chatham Coach Alexis Davies was happy to face the reputable team. She wanted her team to face a fierce competitor before heading into the state playoffs.

"I told them for the whole game that the outcome didn't matter and it was about the experience," said Coach Davies.

For the players and fans alike, this game was just that—an experience.

Chatham wasted no time as Amanda Fazio led the game off with a hard single. Elke Luria was called in to run for Fazio and after a Kendall Davies sacrifice bunt and a Kelly Winans sacrifice fly, Caroline Murphy lined a single to score Luria for the first of six Chatham runs.

Amanda Fazio struck out two of three batters in the bottom of the first for Chatham.

Jenna Ioffredo started off the second inning with a bang, sending a line drive into right field. After the ball got past the Mt. St. Dominic outfielder, Ioffredo hustled to third base for the Cougars. As quickly as she got the third, Patricia Crigler hit her in for the team's second run.

Fazio recorded five strike outs over the next two innings but the bottom of the third proved difficult for the young Cougar team. Mt. St. Dominic's Rebecca Gorney hit a base hit into right field to start the Lion offense.

After Maria Deluca drew a walk, Cora Ianiro hit a long fly ball into center field and was quick enough to turn the hit into a three-run inside-the-park home run. Fazio struck out the next two batters.

But Chatham trailed 3-2 heading into the fourth, and in unrelenting fashion, Mt. St. Dominic tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the inning to bring the score to 5-2.

Unable to produce any offense in the fifth and sixth innings, Chatham came to plate in the seventh down by three runs and thinking that the "experience" could prove bittersweet.

But things quickly changed for the Cougars.

With two outs and Kelsey and Kendall Davies on the corners, Kelly Winans hit a hard single to left, scoring Kelsey Davies and cutting the Lions' lead to two. Next, Caroline Murphy lined a clutch double over the leftfielder's head, scoring both Kendall Davies and Winans and tying the score at five. It was Murphy's third RBI of the contest.

"I was seeing the ball well, so I knew that I could get a hit," Murphy said. "I wasn't thinking too much about the pressure."

After the fans' applause quieted a runner was sent in for Murphy. She quickly scored after Cara Delsandro hit a game winning RBI single up the middle.

"Getting that hit really boosts my confidence," Delsandro said.

After handing Mt. St. Dominic a three up, three down inning to finish off the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars piled into the bus feeling confident going into state playoffs.

"To win against an amazing team like this shows we can play with anyone," Caroline Murphy said.

States begin next week. No. 4 Chatham will face No. 13 Hanover Park at 4 p.m. on Tuesday in Chatham in the North Jersey Group II Section II first round.