Softball Team Adds 'Regional Champs' to Resume

RFH 2010, HCS Softball

Wed, Jun 08, 2011

State finals await this weekend in Queensbury after HCS hammers Deposit 7-0.

Softball Team Adds 'Regional Champs' to Resume

BINGHAMTON -- The HCS softball team's march through the post season began with a win at home and then one in Cicero, one in Liverpool and today the regional title victory in Binghamton. Next stop: the state semi-finals and possibly finals in Queensbury this weekend.

Bill Dowsland's Lady Emerald Knights are making the trek up the Northway almost to Lake George this weekend thanks to a 7-0 no-hitter over Deposit here today. It'll be the state's number two ranked team in Class D's first trip back the championship series since 2004, and they face number one ranked Livingston Manor, the defending Class D state champs from along Rte 17 in the Catskills.

Today's was about as complete a win as any coach could ask for.

"Becca (Rogers) threw a no-hitter. We had great defense and great offense," said Dowsland. "It was just a complete team victory."

As for the no-hitter. Eighth grade pitcher Becca Rogers worked without faltering in the 83-degree heat at game time. She struck out eight -- low for her this season -- and walked three. However, when Deposit did manage to hit the ball, it was right to someone. When the Lumberjacks got runners in scoring position, Rogers appeared to work even harder and squelched any threat.

Rogers added an exclamation point to the win in the finall inning. She got the first batter to pop out to Jordan Peterson at secon and then added her seveneth and eighth Ks to the book to wrap up the game.

In the field, HCS avoided errors. The quality of Hamilton's defense was demonstrated at one point when senior first basemen Jenna Schell bobbled the ball and Peterson was the to grab it and made the put out herself.

At the plate, HCS hitters did it all. They bunted well, hit the ball hard for extra bases and drove deep sacrifice flies when needed.

In the bottom of the third, Hamilton used a walk to Rachel Holcomb and doubles by Peterson and Kelby Watkins to put their first three runs on the board.

Schell opened the Hamilton half of the fourth inning by beating out an infield ground ball. hat opened the flood gates for HCS to score its other four runs. The big hits of that inning were Peterson's triple and Sara Whyatt's shot down the third base line for two RBIs.

Watkins, Peterson and Katie Weeks each had two hits, and Schell had three hits.

In the top of the sixth, a Deposit fan bellowed a line from the old Monty Python song, "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK ...," but they weren't OK. Their only scoring threat when Rogers allowed two walks in a row before extinguishing what was Deposit's only rally.

Dowsland said the team leaves for the Adirondack Sports Complex in Queensbury Friday morning for the next day's game.