Right-hander Julia DiMartino limited Canandaigua to just three hits and Anna Fisher stroked a key RBI double to break up a scoreless tie in the sixth inning as Brockport defeated the Braves 1-0 in the Section V Class AA semi-finals.
DiMartino allowed the first batter to reach base on a single, but settled down to strike out the next six batters and 14 overall. The Braves didn’t get another ball out of the infield until the seventh inning.
“That first hit sort of took the pressure off,” said DiMartino. “My curveball was my best pitch so I could work the outside of the plate. I knew we could pull through.”
The Blue Devils were slow to generate offense with just a walk to Serenna Roose and a bunt single by Brooke Falsion over the first four innings.
In the fifth, Brockport second baseman Sophia Avery reached on a throwing error, Jasibel Claudio singled to left and Falsion reached on a bunt single to load the bases, but the threat ended on a groundout.
After DiMartino struck out the side in the top of the sixth, Brockport finally broke the scoreless duel. The rally began with two outs as Shannon Allen drew a two-out walk and scored the game’s only run on a double to the right-center field off the glove of the right fielder by Allen.
Canandaigua threatened in the seventh with a pair of one-out singles. After a groundout to the pitcher put runners on second and third, DiMartino fanned the final batter to seal the shutout.
“I wasn’t worried,” said Blue Devils head coach Chris Carr. “In the regular season we played a strong schedule and were challenged in a lot of those just like this—a scoreless or one-run game late. Those taught us some good lessons.”
14th-seed Penfield, who upset second-seed Victor in the other semi-final, stands in the Blue Devils’ way as they attempt to defend the 2013 title.
