Hilton exploded for three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to come back from a 3-2 deficit and defeat visiting Spencerport 8-3 in girl’s softball.
The Cadets jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their half of the first inning as senior Brooke Schmitt led off with a double and advanced to third when sophomore Annalise Smith reached on an error. Both runners advanced on an errant pickoff throw before senior Alvia Ruta plated Smith with an RBI single to right.
Spencerport got one run back in their half of the second as sophomore Kailee DiGiacco tripled and scored when the throw to third went out of play.
The Rangers then took a 3-2 lead in the third. Sophomore Alayna Barry led off the inning with a single and scored on classmate Tori Guary’s triple to left-center. Freshman Lil Sack then drove Guary in with a sacrifice fly.
Hilton took advantage of several miscues to take the lead in the fifth. Freshman Samantha Rasmussen was hit by a pitch after her at-bat was extended due to an error. Schmitt singled and, after a force play, junior Kylie Ashline singled to load the bases. Ruta and junior Amelia Schuster both drove in one run with singles and Kayla Rogers stroked a key two-out single later in the inning to give the Cadets a 5-3 lead.
They added three more in the sixth as Schmitt collected her fourth hit of the game with a one-out double to right-center. After a second out, Ashline plated Schmitt with an RBI single and advanced to second on the throw home. Ruta drove her in with a double down the left-field line and later scored on a Rogers single.
Hilton senior Hannah Pearson earned the win as she came on in relief with the bases loaded and no one out in the fourth inning and got out of the jam with zero runs scoring. She allowed only two hits and struck out five in four innings of work.
“Timely hitting by the top of our order with two outs and scoring six runs over our last two at-bats,” Hilton head coach Amy Centola said about the keys to the win.
The Cadets improve to 3-0 with the win and have outscored their opponents 30-9. They also have victories over Eastridge and Brockport over the first two weeks of the campaign.
