SOFTBALL SECTIONALS

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

05-29-09 -

ICHABOD CRANE
After finishing the Patroon Conference in a tie for second place with Chatham, the ICC Riders were seeded third in the Class A Section II sectionals. In the first round, the Riders are set to square off with the sixth seed Glens Falls from the Foothills Council. The Riders are one of just eight teams in Class A this year.
 
The Riders boost two talented freshman pitchers in Jessica Van Alphen and Erin Wadsworth, a lefty and righty. The top of the lineup boosts talented seniors Keira MacDonald and Alli Pullen. Junior catcher Becca Smith also hits near the top of the order and is always a threat to gun down a runner attempting to swipe second or strays too far from first base.
 
TACONIC HILLS
The Titans are coming off their first Patroon Conference title in four years, led by probable league Most Valuable Player Aleshia Link. Taconic Hills was awarded with the second seed in Class B and got a bye in the first round. After their first round bye, the Titans will get their quest for a sectional title underway on Thursday, when they will face off with seventh-seeded Cobleskill-Richmondville from the Colonial Council. Cobleskill advanced to the second round after knocking off Saratoga Catholic 9-0 on Wednesday.
 
Link, only a junior, is one the top pitchers in the entire section. The lineup is dangerous throughout, without a real weakness. There are any number of players who can come through with a big day, including Becky Edgeworth, Kailynn Keeler, and Alyssa Van Alphen. Link is no slouch at the plate either.
 
CHATHAM
The Panthers are coming off an impressive run and a tie for second place in the Patroon Conference. After their fantastic regular season, Chatham was seeded fourth and opened up sectional play on Wednesday when they faced off against thirteenth-seeded Coxsackie-Athens for the third time this year. The Panthers did what was expected and pounded out a 10-1 win over the Indians.
 
Chatham put up runs by putting the ball in play and forcing the Indians to make plays. In the first two innings, the Panthers scored three runs all on errors. Katharine Behrens led the way for the Panthers at the plate, picking up 2 hits including a double, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs. Chrissy Dunton pitched a complete game on the hill for Chatham, allowing one run on 4 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 5.
 
Chatham has now won 10 straight games after starting the season 10-5. Up next for the Panthers is fifth-seeded Fonda from the W.A.C. Chatham and Fonda squared off earlier this season, with the Panthers coming away with a 7-2 win.
 
HUDSON
The Hudson Bluehawks made it into sectionals with a victory in their final regular-season game of the year, and with that, they were awarded the twelfth seed in Class B. In their opening round matchup against fifth-seeded Fonda, the Bluehawks, for the second straight year, put a scare into a higher ranked team but again came up short as they fell 3-0.
 
As has been the case a number of times this year, it was just a lapse on the defensive end that cost the Bluehawks. In the second inning, two runs were let in on an errant throw. The third and final run of the game came on another error later in the inning.

Ashley Gaylord turned in another strong all-around performance on the mound for Hudson, going six innings and giving up 4 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. At the plate, Hudson picked up 5 hits: Ashley Swithers collected 2 of the hits while Lena Alessi, McKenzie Hunter, and Danielle Kitsock each chipped in with a single of their own.
 
Hudson will return a large portion of their team, including Gaylord on the mound, but will lose six big contributors to graduation, including Alessi and Hunter, along with shortstop Meghan Keeler, Nicole Gazzera, and Jade O’Leary.