TACONIC HILLS TAKES 12-INNING REMATCH BATTLE WITH ICC

05-13-09 - Almost three weeks ago, ICC and Taconic Hills meet as two undefeated softball teams in their first matchup of the season. The game featured a dramatic pitching duel as ICC freshman Jess Van Alphen faced Titans junior Aleshia Link. Thanks to Link's shutout pitching, Taconic Hills took the tightly contested match.

On Monday, the two teams met up again in Taconic Hills for a much anticipated rematch. Once again the pitching matchup pitted ICC's Jess Van Alphen against Titans’ Aleshia Link. Just like the previous matchup, the result was a pitchers duel that required twelve innings, almost an entire second game, to find a winner.

Taconic Hills got on the scoreboard first when they scored in the opening inning of the game. It appeared Link would get another shutout as she worked through her first six innings, but in the seventh, ICC broke through to tie the game at 1-1. After four more extra innings of scoreless play, the Titans loaded the bases in the twelfth. Erika Yasinski earned the game-winning RBI by taking one for the team since she was hit by a pitch to force in the walk-off run.

Both Van Alphen and Link pitched complete games. Link finished with 17Ks and 3 walks, while giving up just 5 hits and one earned run. Van Alphen's final numbers were just as impressive: she struck out 14 while walking 3. She gave up just 4 hits and both runs were unearned. Offensively, Kailynn Keeler led the Titans with a double and a single. Jenna Smith had 2 singles for ICC.