Wallkill girls rally past New Paltz

By Mike Zummo
Posted 4/26/23

Previous incarnations of the Wallkill softball team would have lost this game.

The Panthers’ defense fell apart on them in the sixth inning, and they found themselves trailing by three runs …

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Wallkill girls rally past New Paltz

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Previous incarnations of the Wallkill softball team would have lost this game.

The Panthers’ defense fell apart on them in the sixth inning, and they found themselves trailing by three runs heading into the bottom of the seventh. But they weren’t deterred and took advantage of wildness by two New Paltz pitchers, scored four runs of their own in the seventh and walked off with a victory when Mia Ferrante came home with the winning run in a 6-5 Mid Hudson Athletic League Division I victory on April 17 at Wallkill High School.

“This is one of the best games we’ve ever played,” said Gabriela Faia, who tripled in the seventh and scored the game’s tying run. “Throughout my four years of being on varsity, this is the best game.”

The Panthers went into the bottom of the seventh trailing 5-2 when Maya Allesandro drew a one-out walk to get the inning started, and Charley Callahan followed with a single to center fielder. Allesandro came around to score on an error by New Paltz center fielder Ella Nathe.

Then with Charley Callahan on second base, Faia drilled a triple to center field, chasing home Callahan and putting her on third base with the tying run.

“As I was running the bases, I was like, ‘hopefully it goes over her head’ and it went right over her head between the right fielder and center. I knew Charley was coming home and I was at third, I had confidence in the hitter behind me to bring me in.”

That was Ferrante, who didn’t need to bring her in.

Faia’s triple also ended New Paltz’ Holly Radulski’s day in the circle as she gave way to Molly Saunders, who uncorked a wild pitch, chasing Faia home and tying the game at 5-5.

It also cleared the bases, but that didn’t matter, as Ferrante dunked a 3-0 blooper into short right-center field and then took third base on Elysia Villafane’s double.

“I didn’t give her the take sign on that one,” Wallkill coach Sean Murphy said. “She’s No. 3 in the class. That kid’s brilliant, and I trusted her to go get a pitch. That was the one that she liked. She went out and hit a little duck snort into center field.”

Murphy got a little conservative on Villafane’s double, as he held Ferrante at third base with one out.

Saunders got ahead of Kasey Garzione, 0-2, before she battled back to 2-2. Then Saunders threw another wild pitch that brought Ferrante home with the winning run despite some initial hesitation.

“I had to tell her to go because she got a late jump,” Murphy said. “I always tell them, if you’re going to go, you do it.’”

It delivered the type of win for the Panthers that eluded them last year. Last year’s team missed the Section 9 Class A playoffs after being walked off three times.

“It’s a hallmark of what we’ve got going on,” Murphy said. “In our four wins, we trailed in the fourth or fifth inning or later and we were able to come back. That’s something I’m proud of.”

The Panthers were down because they lost their defense in the top of the sixth inning, as they made three errors in the inning leading to four New Paltz runs to give the Huguenots a 5-2 lead.

The Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on RBI singles by Faia and Ferrante, and New Paltz got a fourth-inning run on an RBI single by Ella McDonough.

Emma Hunt struck out 11 in the win. Only one of five New Paltz’ runs were earned.

“That’s as dominant a performance as I’ve seen, and credit to New Paltz because they hit the ball hard,” Murphy said.

The Panthers finished the week with a road game against the Marlboro Dukes on Wednesday and a home game against the Beacon Bulldogs on Saturday. The Panthers have finished their first run through the division with a 2-1 record.

The Panthers fell, 4-0, to Marlboro. Ferrante and Reilley Ciastko had two hits each, and Hunt allowed three runs on eight hits with six strikeouts. They rebounded with a 5-0 win over Beacon on Saturday. Ferrante had two hits, and Villafane had a hit and an RBI. Hunt had three hits and three RBIs. She also threw seven shutout innings, allowing five hits and struck out 12.

“Emma’s been a big part of it, and the lineup’s been a big part of it,” Murphy said. “It’s exciting times right now.”