NAPLES — The Lake Region softball team went into extra innings Friday looking for the winning hit.
It turns out the Lakers didn’t need one.
Sadie Tirrell stole third base and then scored on a wild throw in the bottom of the ninth, and Lake Region beat York 5-4, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the season.
“My team knows how to play seven innings, eight innings, nine innings, they don’t stop,” Tirrell said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever beaten York in my whole high school career, for field hockey or softball. This is really heartfelt for me.”
Lake Region (9-4) took a 4-3 lead with a three-run fifth, then had to bounce back after York (11-1) forced extras with a run in the seventh. As his team sought the win, Lakers Coach Shawn Rock had a short wishlist.
“(I said) ‘We just need a base runner,'” he said.
In the ninth, the Lakers got their chance. Sabrina Lopez walked but was forced out when Tirrell hit into a fielder’s choice. There were two outs, but Lake Region had its fastest runner on, and after having Tirrell steal second, Rock rolled the dice again.
“He didn’t say anything,” Tirrell said. “He just pointed at the base, gave me a nod and I knew what was coming.”
Tirrell took off and beat the throw, then saw it get through the infield and into the outfield grass. Tirrell scrambled to her feet and scored as her teammates rushed out to celebrate.
“I instantly felt tears,” Tirrell said. “I can’t love this team any more.”
York Coach Kevin Giannino, whose team forced extras when Ellie Bourgoine reached on a bunt single and scored on an error on Maggie Hanlon’s hard grounder, shrugged off the first loss.
“We missed a couple of opportunities, but hey, I’m perfectly fine with that loss,” Giannino said. “If we had to lose, that’s a game I’d rather lose. A type of game like that can help us, no question about it.”
York jumped ahead 2-1 on home runs by McKayla Kortes (3 for 4) in the first inning and Alexis Osterhaus in the third, then made it 3-1 in the fifth when Kortes scored on a single by Hanlon (2 for 4).
Lake Region responded in the bottom half, sparked by a two-run home run from Margo Tremblay that York right fielder Ella Moon nearly caught before colliding with the netting, bringing the ball over the fence with her.
Lake Region took the lead two batters later when Emily Rock scored on Melissa Mayo’s groundout.
“That was my first-ever home run over the fence in a game,” said Tremblay, who went 2 for 4. “I was just trying to take pressure off, just make contact. A little bit goes a long way.”
Giannino credited Moon for nearly making the highlight reel catch.
“She’s made plays like that all year,” he said. “She hit the post and the ball just went over. Nothing you can do about that.”
The Wildcats weren’t finished. But neither were the Lakers.
“We’ve kind of been the comeback kids,” Shawn Rock said. “We’re that team. Almost every game we’ve played this year, we’ve been down at some point. And we just rally. It’s impressive.”
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