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Fredonia 11-12 year old girls reach state semifinals in Fishkill

FISHKILL — The 11-12-year-old Fredonia Major softball All-Star team competed last week at the New York state tournament in Fishkill.

Eight teams from across the state competed in two separate four-team pools with the top two teams from each pool playing in the semifinals. Fredonia was grouped with, Baldwinsville, Tri-County and Monroe-Woodbury

Fredonia took Game 1 with a 17-7 win on Wednesday against Section 1 East champ, Baldwinsville.

Fredonia jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first inning by taking advantage of numerous walks and hits by Taryn Sillanpaa and Lila Cameron. The middle innings saw Fredonia put up eight more runs without getting a hit.

Fredonia won Game 2 against District 2 North champ Tri-County, 2-1.

Tri-County scored in the first inning on a leadoff single, a stolen base and a Fredonia error.

However, Fredonia pitcher, Rebecca Piede, would settle down and shut Tri-County down the rest of the way by only allowing one more hit and one walk the rest of the game.

Fredonia finally got on the board in the third when catcher, Kyleigh Waterman, reached on a walk. She was then replaced by pinch runner, Sarah Davis, who advanced to third on a hit by shortstop Erin Mansfield. After Mansfield stole second, centerfielder, Erin Schrantz, hit a deep shot over the rightfielder’s head to score both Davis and Mansfield.

That would be all the runs Fredonia would need to move on to the state semifinals.

Fredonia’s final pool-play game was a 4-3 loss to Section 3 North champ, Monroe-Woodbury.

Fredonia put a scare into the eventual 2017 State Champions when second baseman, Lila Cameron, led the game off with a single and moved to second on a Mansfield sacrifice bunt. Schrantz and Sillanpaa both walked and Schrantz later scored on a passed ball.

“I think they were a little shocked after that first inning,” Fredonia manager Ed Schrantz recalled. “In their first two games they threw two shutouts, so after we put two runs up on them as early as we did made them realize they had a scrappy team to deal with.”

After falling behind 3-2, Fredonia scratched out another run in the fourth on two more walks by Schrantz and Mansfield. After two wild pitches, which allowed Mansfield to score, Monroe-Woodbury was forced to bring in their ace pitcher, Emma Lawson.

She proceeded to strikeout every Fredonia batter she faced.

Monroe-Woodbury won in the bottom of the sixth on a Fredonia bunt coverage miscommunication.

“It was a tough way to lose the game,” Schrantz noted. “But, it was nice knowing that we played the eventual state champion tougher than any other team they faced in this tournament. Their coaches and parents were very complimentary of how well our defense played to keep the game as close as we did.”

Fredonia’s final game was a 13-3 loss against Section 4 West champion, North Shore Long Island in the state semifinals.

The game started off well enough when leadoff batter, Cameron, walked and moved to second on a Mansfield sacrifice bunt. Schrantz then singled and later stole second. Then, thirdbaseman, Hallie Laurito, stepped up and hit a deep triple to rightfield to score two runs. Fredonia’s third run came in the fourth when Jenna Truby singled and later scored on a Mansfield hit.

Unfortunately, Fredonia’s defense, who carried them on numerous occasions, had trouble containing North Shore’s offense.

“They had 14 hits, and we had five errors. I don’t care how good you are, you can’t overcome that combination,” Schrantz said.

This was the final Little League game for All-Stars Payton Allessi, Gaby Matos, Taryn Sillanpaa, Erin Schrantz, Lila Cameron, Hallie Laurito, Erin Mansfield, Nevaeh Zadzilka, Rebecca Piede, Sarah Davis and Kyleigh Waterman.

11-year-olds Maria Maytum and Jenna Truby will be back next season.

“Of course we would have liked to have won it all, but getting to the New York state semifinals was a huge accomplishment for this team,” Schrantz said. “The only sad part about this entire run to states is that it’s going to be the last time I get to coach this wonderful group of girls. After advancing to the state tournament with the 12-year-olds the last four year we really have become like family. When I gave out their state pins at the conclusion of our final game, it was very emotional. I look forward to watching these girls move on to the high school team someday.”

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