Sports
NK's Riptide Gets Walk-Off Victory In Governor's Cup
Simmons stifles the opposition to minimize the damage and the "Riptide" get a walk-off victory with a hit from an unlikely hero.
It was a walk-off win for the North Kingstown's Riptide softball team as the girls took home the Governor's Cup over Cranston's Mount Pleasant Hurricanes yesterday.
Mount Pleasant wasted no time in getting the scoring started with a two-run first inning. The two runs, both unearned, were scored on an error and a pass ball.
The Hurricanes found themselves with another scoring chance in the third when North Kingstown starter Rachel Kanter walked the first two batters of the inning. Kanter was relieved by Emma Simmons following the walks. Simmons then surrendered an RBI single up the middle by Gabriella Cazzarro. An infield single followed and the bases were loaded with no one out. Simmons was then able to get out out of the jam with a popout and back to back strikeouts.
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Riding the momentum from getting out of the bases loaded nobody out situation, North Kingstown rallied in the bottom half of the third. After a couple of walks, Amy Augenstein doubled to bring in a run. And later Emma Simmons drove in another with a blooper to right. A passed ball brought the tying run home and the score was tied 3-3.
Both pitchers really settled in after the third. Simmons did not allow another hit while striking out six in the final four innings after coming on in relief. And Mount Pleasant starter Gabriella Cazzarro shut down the Riptide until the bottom of the seventh.
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Caitlin McGuirl reached on a strikeout due to the ball getting away from the catcher. She was bunted over to second by Jojo Harrison. Then the number ten hitter Talia DeMarco came to the plate with McGuirl on second. DeMarco seized the opportunity and hit a clean single to right to bring in the winning run. And North Kingstown wins the Governer's Cup 4-3.
The Riptide were able to stay away from the big inning in the third with great relief pitching from Simmons.
"Rachel just didn't have her stuff today. But we have the luxury of having two number one pitchers so we were able to go with Emma and she did a great job," said North Kingstown coach Evan Kanter after the game.
North Kingstown also got the big hit late in the game by Talia DeMarco to cap off the total team victory.
"Everybody really contributed, and it was a great game. Great way to finish," said Kanter.
