Softball finishes in second at national tournament

ROCHESTER, MN – Facing #1 Rock Valley for a consecutive day, this time in an elimination game, the #2 Herkimer Generals softball lost to the Golden Eagles 3-2 in yet another one-run game against the raining champs at McQuillan Sport Complex in Rochester, MN.

Herkimer (38-9) rode freshman Dana Nicoletti (Syracuse, NY) in the elimination game after she helped the Generals defeat Hudson Valley 5-4 in a walk off game on Friday (5/15). The right hander did well, only allowing three earned runs off of 10 hits in seven innings of work, but four of those hits came in the fourth inning, all singles, helping Rock Valley to a 3-0 lead which would not be relinquished.

The Generals got one of those runs back in the fifth after Kayla Bancroft (Fort Ann, NY) drove in Taylor Daniels (Watervliet, NY) who began the rally with a two out single. Herkimer eventually loaded the bases after Brittany Ormond (New Paltz, NY) was hit by a pitch and Elyssa LeBaron (Corning, NY) walked, but Terra Lawler (Syracuse, NY) was unable to get the big hit, grounding out to first to end the threat.

The team had one final chance to tie the game in the seventh with Ormond on second and Lawler on first with two outs, but Hannah Potter (Pulaski, NY) struck out swinging to strand both sophomores on base. Herkimer did manage another run however when LeBaron's hit to left field scored Daniels, giving the freshman a sacrifice.

Score:

Rock Valley Golden Eagles 3, Herkimer Generals 2

Golden Eagles 000 300 0 – 3 10 2

Generals 000 010 1 – 2 9 2

WP: Morgan Adolph (25-2) LP: Dana Nicoletti (12-4) 2B: Herkimer 2 (Daniels, Bancroft); RBI: Generals 2 (Bancroft, LeBaron) Golden Eagles 3 (Carlson 2, Love) Records: Herkimer 12-0, 38-9 Rock Valley 15-0, 52-5

-Giorgio Varlaro