Blue Devils fall short

Brockport capitalized on three Greece Arcadia errors in the bottom of the seventh inning to score four runs, but fell short in an 8-6 loss in the Section V Class AA varsity softball semi-finals. The defeat ended their 12-game winning streak and their season.

After the Titans scored two runs in the first inning, Amanda Streb stroked a two-out, 0-2 offering deep over the center field fence for a solo home run to close the gap for the Blue Devils. The Titans scored three more runs in the third inning and manufactured another in the fourth to build a 6-1 lead.

In the fifth, Brockport's Shannon Connors led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a fielder's choice and scored on Streb's single to right. Another base hit by Hannah Barton put runners at first and second. Jenna Petty then reached on an infield single, but Streb was out at the plate trying to score from second to end the rally.

Arcadia added what would prove to be the winning runs in the top of the seventh as they took advantage of two Brockport errors to lead 8-2 before the last inning rally by the Blue Devils.

Connors reached on an error and stole second. Alison Duff singled before Ashley Gaisser laced a double to left-center scoring two runs. Gaisser scored on a Petty single who later came around to score on three wild pitches. Two more Arcadia errors put the tying runs on base before hopes were dashed with a pop-up to the infield for the final out.

"They didn't play the way they can until late in the game," said Head Coach Katie Zinkiewich about her Brockport team. "Arcadia is a team that can execute the short game and they did. We're a team that usually plays loose and they were tense early. I'm not surprised about the late rally. This is the best group of girls and they felt they had nothing to lose in the last inning."

Streb finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a hit by pitch, Gaisser 2-for-4 with two RBI and Petty 1-for-3 with a walk and one RBI for the 14-6 Blue Devils.