Panther Softball Team Comes Back To Beat Greenwich

by Gary Danforth
Visiting Greenwich Central School tried, and did, get to Hoosick Falls Central School freshman pitcher Rachel Quackenbush early last Monday afternoon, May 18. But, not unlike most good pitchers, if you’re going to get to them, they say get to them early. After allowing three straight hits to open the game to Eileen Troy’s Witches, Quackenbush and company slammed the door and walked off the Panther diamond on Senior Day with a 6-3 victory. Spotting Greenwich a 3-0 lead after one half inning, the Queen of the Diamond settled down and struck out sixteen batters on a chilly day for the Panthers’ WASAREN League win. And, once again, a team effort got the win for HFCS. Seniors Carly Pine, Emily Ciuk, Jackie Kimball, Nicole LaCroix and Caila Brownell led the Panther effort.
GCS jumped right on Quackenbush, fresh off back to back no-hitters in the Mt. Anthony Tournament. A single to center field, a double down the left field line, a single to center field, a ground ball out and a tap back to the mound got all three Witches’ runs home. Quackenbush gave note to what was in store for GCS for the rest of the game when she struck out a Greenwich batter to end the Witches’ first inning.
Hoosick Falls got a run back in inning one. Pine walked. After a strikeout, Pine moved to second base. Quackenbush legged out a slow roller to second base with Pine scoring on the throw to first base and then beating a throw home. Two Panther strikeouts ended the first inning and left GCS ahead, 3-1.
Quackenbush was settling in and struck out the Witches’ side in inning two. Carly Morin opened the Panther second inning with a walk. But a strikeout, fly ball out and pop up to third base ended the Hoosick Falls second inning. Greenwich went down in order in inning three via a strikeout, a nice grab of a line out by Panther third baseman Brownell and a ground out to Pine at second base.
HFCS took a 4-3 lead in the bottom half of inning three. Shortstop Jen Priore walked and Quackenbush legged out an infield hit. Katie Kovage drove the second Panther run home with a single to right field. A stolen base, a passed ball and walks by Marissa Davendonis and Emily Ciuk scored two more Panther runs, good for a 4-3 lead. Strikeouts bookending Ciuk’s walk got HFCS out of the inning.
Greenwich was faring no better than most teams who have gone up against Quackenbush. The Queen struck out the Witches’ side in inning five. A fly ball out to left field and a pop up to first base got two Panther outs in inning five before Quackenbush hustled down the line on a third strike not held. A ground ball out put HFCS away in the inning.
Greenwich got their final hit in inning six. Following a tap back to the mound, Quackenbush gave up a sharp single to center field. But GCS went down via a strikeout and ground ball out to end the Witches’ sixth inning.
Hoosick Falls got their final two runs in inning six. After LaCroix fouled out to the catcher, Pine singled to center field. Priore lined to shortstop, but Quackenbush lined a single to right center field. Quackenbush stole second base. Then Kovage walloped a drive into left field scoring Pine. Then Brownell lined a single into left field scoring Quackenbush. It was 6-3, Panthers. Davendonis lined out hard to the Witches’ center fielder or there would have been more Panther damage.
Greenwich had no chance in inning seven. With a three run Panther lead, it was lights out. Three Witches up, three struck down. A total of sixteen strikeouts on the day. HFCS won, 6-3.
Roaming the Outfield: Every Witches’ hit was a solid shot. When the ball comes in that fast it’s going to go out fast if you get good wood on it. The problem for Greenwich, and most every other ball club, is getting wood on Quackenbush pitches. It’s kind of like catching mosquitoes in the dark. You know they’re there, but you have trouble catching up to them.