by Gary Danforth
Well, the Queen of the Diamond and her teammates were at it again yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, May 5, when Charlie Weeden’s Hoosick Falls Central School Panther softball team rode the overpowering, one hit, nineteen strikeout performance of sophomore pitcher Rachel Quackenbush to a 7-0 WASAREN League win over host Cambridge Central School. The Indian batters, try as they did, were simply no match for Quackenbush’s blazing pitches. Against what looked to be fastballs, risers and nibblers on the corners, the Indians may as well have been swinging
splitting mauls in trying to catch up to Quackenbush’s assortment of smoke. I mean, it was futile, at best, for CCS. The win gave Hoosick Falls a 7-2 league mark and a 10-2, overall, won-loss slate. HFCS has lost league games to Schuylerville and Stillwater by 1-0 and 2-1 margins, respectively. Hoosick Falls will get a chance to redeem themselves against Schuylerville on Thursday, May 6, when the Panthers host the Black Horses on their own turf. Game time is 4:15 pm. Both pitchers struck out 20 batters the first time around. It should be some battle again.
Quackenbush’s teammates saw the Queen strike out the side in innings one, three, four, six and seven. That helps cut down run production from the opposition.
HFCS scored two runs in the third inning to break the game open. Shelby Jones reached on an error, Jen Priore beat out a bunt single and Alyssa Schneider ripped a single to left centerfield. Pinch runner Clarissa Mango scored when Quackenbush reached on an error. Then a second run came across when Katie Kovage walloped a single to left field.
Hoosick Falls added a run in inning four. Melody Mentiply singled to left field, and Frankie Pearson laid down a nice sacrifice bunt to move Mentiply to second base. Jones singled to centerfield. Then Priore singled to centerfield, plating Mentiply for a 3-0 Panther lead.
HFCS scored twice more in the fifth inning. Kovage belted a double to left centerfield. Samantha Skott reached on a throwing error, hustling to second base. An Indian error and a passed ball got Kovage and Skott home, good for a 5-0 Panther lead.
HFCS scored their sixth run in inning six. After a pop up out, Quackenbush singled to centerfield. After a beautiful sliding catch by the Indian leftfielder got a second Panther out, Skott singled right field, moving Quackenbush to third base. An errant pick off throw down the third base line allowed Quackenbush to trot home.
Hoosick Falls got their final run in inning seven. After a strikeout, Pearson hit a drive into right centerfield which fell for a three base hit. Jones got her second hit of the day when she plated Pearson with a single to centerfield, good for the final run and a 7-0 Panther win.
Roaming the Outfield: HFCS got twelve hits in one of their better offensive games of the season. The defense remains solid for the Panthers and when you get the consistent pitching which Hoosick Falls gets you’re going to be in every ball game. Jones reached base four times on two errors and two base hits.