John Jay Fight Falls Short at Somers

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On Wednesday May 17, 24th seeded John Jay traveled to Somers to face number10, and there was no shortage of excitement. The lead went back and forth, and John Jay was still threatening in the seventh. But a final score that didn’t go the Wolves way was not the final tally, according to Adrionna Palmiero, who stepped in while Steve DelMoro was away with the arrival of his first child.

“They put in blood, sweat and tears, and they care that we’re not at the top. But the girls are great athletes, and they will go far,” Palmiero said after the 14-11 defeat.

The Wolves didn’t wait to get started either. Brenna Doherty walked, Laney Daly reached on an error, and Riley Foote’s single knocked in two.

So Somers was quick to return the favor. Katie Cole led off with a triple against Emma Klares, and Ellie Walsh bunted her shortstop home.

With a little controversy at first, the Tuskers then took the lead in the second. After Maya Nelsen cleanly fielded Alyssa Pirraglia’s grounder, her throw to first was dropped by Jamie Siegel. Still, the first baseman picked up the ball, and the out call was given. Somers questioned, and the umpire reversed the decision.

Klares would walk three of the next four batters, and with a run in, Krista Gallagher made John Jay pay. She stroked a single, and Somers took a 4-2 lead.

The girls didn’t get down, though, and got a couple of unearned runs to take 6-4 lead in the fourth. Even better, Klares didn’t allow Somers to answer back, and the fourth really had things looking up for the visitors. Nelsen again led off with a single, and Foote’s bloop found a spot between the centerfielder, the shortstop and the second baseman.

One out with runners on first and second, Barry doubled to deep center, and on the launch pad, the freshman really felt the groove. “Today, I was on it,” said the centerfielder, and the lead was three.

That gave Siegel a chance to pick it up. Her single drove in two, and the score stood at 9-4. A double down first by Julia Neumann kept the rally going, but more insurance was not to be.

After the catcher dropped strike three to Buatte, Siegel danced off third to draw attention away from first. Katherine Papa was on top of the misdirection nonetheless and threw out Siegel as she tried to slide back into third.

Of course, the heads up play didn’t keep Maya Nelsen from doing her thing at the hot corner. She gobbled up Papa’s sidewinder, and made no bother of playing in. “I grew up playing third. I’m used to it,” said the senior. “Then I have a mentality of like, give me the ball.”

Even so, Somers kept stroking. Gallagher and Julia Rossi both launched long fly balls, but Buatte and Barry ran them both down.

Unfortunately, John Jay could not add on in the fifth, and even after Klares got the first out, Somers still exploded. Singles by Victoria Morel and Pirraglia and a double by Jenna Jagr knocked the John Jay starter from the game.

A 9-6 game, Neumann entered, and got out number two on a Cole grounder to first. Unfortunately, the last out proved elusive. Walsh was hit, Papa walked, and Gallagher’s grand slam gave Somers a 10-9 lead.

The mood obviously altered, John Jay was unable to push a run across after Siegel singled and Buatte walked. So Somers continued the attitude adjustment. Triples by Pirraglia and Cole led the way to a 14-9 lead, and the Wolves were down to their last three outs.

After Daly struck out, Nelsen and Carys Cooper walked, and Barry kept it going with two outs. Her single drove in two, and John Jay was a bloop and a blast away.

Unfortunately, Siegel struck out but the disappointment didn’t diminish the never-quit facts on the ground. “I’m really proud of what the team did today,” said Siegel, and while she’ll be at Syracuse next year, the first baseman hopes that the example set by the seniors carries over.

The same sentiment came from Brenna Doherty. “I hope I was a good role model, and I’m proud of how the younger players have grown,” she said.

The lessons don’t just sit with the kids either. “The game has taught me so much,” said Doherty. “I learned how to be myself, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it.”

Off to Bucknell, she’ll probably play club, while Nelsen has committed to play at Oneonta. There, she hopes to apply the softball curriculum that has schooled her. “I’ve learned to not be so hard on myself - especially when it comes to high school softball,” said Nelsen. “You just gotta have fun.”

In this, her teammates have been pretty good teachers. “They are each their own special person, and they each bring their own unique fun vibe to the team,” she concluded. “The team would not be how it is without each and everyone of them.”