By HUNTER O. LYLE
ERIE COUNTY, NY – Facing elimination in the Section VI Class A quarterfinals, the Olean softball team was unable to come away with timely hits, ultimately falling to Grand Island 8-2 as their season came to a close.
After beating Pioneer 13-0 in the first round, the No. 5 Huskies found themselves up against their glass ceiling once again. One season prior, Olean earned a spot in the quarterfinals but were eventually dispatched by Lake Shore in a narrow season-ending loss. Having that memory fresh in mind, they knew what it would take to keep their season alive.
“We knew when we got to this point we’re facing good teams,” said Olean head coach Steve Anastasia. “I told the girls before we started that we’re going to have to play our A game to win. Everybodyin the top six in Class A is really good.”
However, their opponents shared the same mindset. Making it to the semifinals before losing to the eventual Sectional champions Iriquiois, Grand Lake (No. 4, 12-7) wouldn’t hesitate to strike first.
After taking down the Huskies in their first three batters, the Vikings would get on base with a lead-off walk. A sacrifice bunt would move a runner second before a subsequent single drove a Viking home after an Olean error. Another single put a runner on first and second while, after suffering their second out, another base hit would score the second run of the day.
Taking to the plate in the top of the second, Olean would find a strong start with a walk and a single. With one out, a grounder from Ava Finch put the Huskies in prime position to score with runners on all three bases. However, not rising to the moment with timely hits, Olean failed to drive anyone in, striking out in back-to-back at bats.
“(Grand Lake) just hit the ball. If you can’t defend hits, nothing’s going to work,” said Anastasia. “We knew they were going to hit the ball, we had to keep up with them and we didn’t do that. That killed us all year, we just couldn’t come up with that key hit.”
Olean’s desperation would begin to rise in the bottom of the second, when Grand Lake put a runner on second and third with a single and deep shot into center field. Facing persistent rain, two wild pitches would allow the Vikings to build up a 4-0 lead while another single with a runner on third would solidify their lead at five.
Emma Edwards narrowly misses out on the tag at home during the Huskies’ 8-2 loss to Grand Lake. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
From there, Olean began to tie on a tourniquet. Although they would leave five runners stranded over the next three frames, their defense stumped Grand Lake, producing four stranded Vikings in the same window.
“We kind of didn’t have a choice (but to play solid defense.) A couple times we had to play the infield in, cut off the play at home, which we did,” said Anastasia. “We did what we had to do, we just couldn’t get timely hits, and that’s what it came down to. I don’t think we gave many extra outs and they just hit the ball.”
Outfielder Mallory Carter snags a fly out during Olean’s matchup with the Vikings in the Class A quarterfinals. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
The Huskies’ embargo around home would only last so long. Going three-and-out for the second time in the top of the sixth, Olean watched as the Vikings nabbed a triple in the bottom of the inning before a line drive single would increase the deficit to six. One batter later, Grand Lake crushed a ball beyond the fence, driving in a pair of runs with a home run.
With that shot, the final nail in Olean’s coffin, morale seemed low. However, they refused to roll over. Taking to the plate in the hopes of saving their season with a late-game comeback, Mallory Carter and Riley Sudbrook both reached on consecutive walks. Finch would then drive in the Huskies’ first run of the game with a sac-grounder while, with two outs, Anna Bates would score a second with an RBI single. Although they had begun to pick up steam, it was too little too late, as Olean picked up their final out just one batter later, ending both the Huskies’ comeback hopes and playoff run.
Sudbrook led the Huskies with one run during her 1-for-2 day at the plate while Bates (1-for-3) and Alaina Hirliman (1-for-4) would also find contact at the plate. Carter scored once.
“I think we had a good season. I think our record doesn’t show how good we are,” said Anastasia. “I think we’re a good team. We faltered early and the same thing that killed us all year killed us today. We couldn’t get timely hits and that kind of sums it up.”
AT ERIE COUNTY
R H E
Olean 000 000 2 2 3 1
Grand Island 230 003 X 8 13 1
OL: Edwards (5 SO, 5 BB) and Bates
GI: Kopf (4 SO, 5 BB) and Lewis
