New City Softball All Stars Back on Track in District Tournament

The New City Little League softball All Stars took a decisive 16-6 lead Thursday night to mercy South Orangetown in the fifth inning is district tournament play.

Solid pitching and excellent hitting gave New City its first win in the losers' bracket as they look to hand their league its second district championship title this season.  Though both teams played solid defense, the score tells that this shaped up to be a largely offensive game.

Despite allowing three runs to open the game, New City clamped down defensively as the lineup came alive to light up the board with two runs in the first, six in the second, two in the third, three in the fourth, and a final three in the fifth.  While South Orangetown was able to put up a respectable six runs, they could not silence the bats of New City, as they put runners on the bases and points on the board in five consecutive innings.

#21 Gianna Lia opened pitching for New City and was relieved in the fifth having thrown a solid game as she struck out nine, walked 10, and allowed five runs.  Relieving her was #11 Madison Borenkoff, who closed the game with a solid performance as well, striking out three, walking two, and allowing only one run.  Lia and Borenkoff led the way for their team offensively as well with three RBIs a piece.  #2 Taylor Adolff had an impressive offensive game too as she accounted for a fourth of her teams runs with an RBI double, an RBI triple, and four steals, two of which were at home.

Lia opened the first with two walks and a strikeout, after which two scored on a double to left field.  One more scored on a wild pitch before Lia was able to close the inning with a walk and two strikeouts.  South Orangetown struck out two to start the first, however Borenkoff was able to turn it around for her team with a double to center field.  #33 Kerrin Powers was then walked to bring up Lia, who singled to center field to put her team on the board.  Powers then stole home on a ball to Adolff, who grounded out to first to close the inning.

Lia did not let up a run in the top of the second to bring up New City for its dominant performance in the bottom of the second.  With two outs and bases loaded, Borenkoff came up to bat.  #3 Ali Ilsley and #9 Gabby Palumbo both stole home on pitches in the dirt before Borenkoff grounded to third.  She was safe at first and then second as South Orangetown overthrew the catcher in trying to get #13 Carli "Cocoa" Solicito out at home.  The rally continued as Powers connected for an RBI single, followed by Lia for an RBI double, and ended with an RBI triple from Adolff.  With the score now 8-3, South Orangetown was able to get out of the inning as they fielded a grounder to third and made a great throw to get the out at first.

South Orangetown tacked on another run in the third off a wild pitch.  Lia then struck out two and Palumbo made a nice stop and great throw at shortstop for an out at first.  Borenkoff retaliated in the bottom of the third with a two RBI shot to left field.  In the top of the fourth, South Orangetown got another run in when Borenkoff made the safe, and smart, play to tag first on a grounder to her, rather than attempting to catch the runner at home.  Lia then closed the inning with a nice play at home and a strikeout.

Lia singled to center field and Adolff walked to open the bottom of the fourth.  #12 Jamie DelRosario brought home Lia with a grounder to third.  Adolff and then DelRosario both scored the final two runs of the inning off pitches in the dirt during Ilsley's at bat.  This brought South Orangetown up in the top of the fifth for what would be their final at bat of the game.  They brought the score to 13-6 when Lia threw a pitch in the dirt, which the runner on third was able to steal home off of.

New City now needed three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to mercy South Orangetown, thus securing their victory.  Borenkoff and Powers got on off singles to start the inning.  Lia then hit a shot to third, which was caught for an out but brought home Borenkoff.  Adolff then hit a double deep into right field to bring in Powers. 

All that New City needed now was one more run, however, it was looking like they would not be able to deliver, as DelRosario popped out to third.  This brought up #14 Shannon Farnan with two outs.  She took three balls, a strike, and fouled one off to put her at a full count.  The tension mounting, she swung and missed, however the catcher dropped the ball and Adolff jumped on the opportunity to score the winning run from third.

New City played a great game all around to put them back on the path toward the district championships.  South Orangetown played a solid game as well, however New City's heads up base running and unstoppable hitting was too much for them to handle.  Glenn Powers, New City's manager, was very pleased with his team's performance.  "The girls played an all around great game," said Powers.  "I am very impressed with their hitting.  They bounced back from their loss to Pearl River and we're excited to play them next."

New City plays again today at Strawtown Field against Pearl River at 7:30 p.m.