LAGUNA 4 RBI, ARDENTE HR, 4 RBI; DeMARCO 2 HRS
Hard hitting and a seesaw battle for supremacy led to an extra-inning classic between the Cranford High School Cougars softball team and the Blue Devils in Westfield on April 9. With a quick jump start on offense, the Blue Devils seized an early lead, watched it crumble in the fourth, battled back in the sixth and seventh innings to knot the score only to cede a pair of runs in the eighth but kept their wits enough to plate three runs in the bottom of the inning to emerge with a 1312 triumph.
That display of offense resulted in three home runs and 11 additional extra base hits. Cougar senior Sophia DeMarco belted a pair of solo home runs, walked twice and scored four times. Maddy DeLong doubled twice, singled, walked, stole a base, scored twice and added three RBI. Lillianna Pardo tripled, doubled, was hit by a pitch, scored twice and banged in four RBI. Sophia Alvarez-Gomez tripled and singled once. Brooke Jones (run) and Alexa Stulpin (RBI) each doubled and singled once. Ava Orr doubled and scored once. Ellie Queenan tripled and had two RBI. Hannah Semple scored once and Grace Ingraham was hit by a pitch.
Blue Devil Natalie Ardente went 3-for-3 with a home run, double and four RBI. Alex Laguna doubled, singled twice and had four RBI. Erin Doherty doubled and scored twice. Cat Heflin went 2-for-4, walked, scored three times and had an RBI. Kayla Reyes went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Quinlan Doherty singled, walked and scored twice. Gianna Puglise singled and scored twice. Annie Reilly scored once.
The Cougars got the ball rolling with a couple of runs in the top of the first inning. DeMarco drew a free pass off pitcher Bella Scipione. DeLong doubled to center and Stulpin rapped an RBI double that also resulted in a throwing error.
Trailing 2-0, the Blue Devils immediately answered with a show of force to scuff the plate with four runs. Heflin led off with a walk and stole a base. Quinlan Doherty ripped a single and also stole a base. Laguna lashed a two-run double, Puglise reached on an error, Reyes singled and Ardente hopped a two-run single.
DeMarco whacked her first solo blast in the second inning then the Blue Devils added three more runs to grab a 7-3 lead. Reilly reached on an error. Heflin hacked an RBI single. Erin Doherty took one for the team, Laguna tapped an RBI single and Puglisi’s grounder was muffed as Doherty scored.
“We got off to a very good offensive start in the first two innings. Everyone was putting the ball in play and having disciplined, quality atbats,” Blue Devil Head Coach Caitlin Cheddar commented.
Silence prevailed until the Cougars bellowed with a big six-run fourth inning to take a 9-7 lead. It was highlighted by Jones’ double, DeLong’s two-run double, Stulpin and Orr reaching on errors, Pardo’s three-run triple and Queenan’s RBI triple. A silent response by Westfield allowed Cranford to take a 10-7 lead in the fifth when DeMarco unloaded with her second solo homer. Still there was silence on the bases until the bottom of the seventh.
“Cranford settled in through those middle innings and came up with some really nice defensive plays to keep us scoreless through four consecutive innings. Cranford had a big offensive inning in the fourth inning which gave them the lead,” Coach Cheddar explained.
But the Blue Devils’ offense did return in the nick of time. Laguna, Puglisi and Reyes all singled but then with one out Ardente stepped to the plate and whacked her three-run home run to tie the game at 10-10.
The Cougars’ eyes opened wide in the eighth and produced two runs to retake the lead. Orr singled, Pardo poked an RBI single and Queenan cracked an RBI single. Trailing 1210, the Blue Devils managed to put it all together to snatch the victory away from the Cougars.
Coach Cheddar described, “Going into the seventh, we were down by three. We got two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh and Natalie Ardente hit a three-run homerun to tie it up. We gave up two runs in the top of the eighth and then in the bottom of the eighth Cat Heflin singled, Quinlan Doherty walked, Erin Doherty walked and Alex Laguna hit a 3 RBI double to right center which rolled to the fence to win it.
These rivals will meet against at least another time before the season ends.
“It was an exciting game. Cranford battled the whole way and I’m sure that when we see them again later this season, it will be a great rematch,” Coach Cheddar said.
Cranford 210 610 02 12 Westfield 430 000 33 13
