POTSDAM — Power pitching and resourceful offense were common strengths as Ogdensburg Free Academy, and Heuvelton repeated as Section 10 softball champions Wednesday at SUNY Potsdam.
OFA (16-2 overall) started the twin bill by winning its fourth straight Class B crown with a 15-5 win over Gouverneur and Heuvelton (18-0) followed with a 6-0 win over St. Regis Falls (17-1) in a match of undefeated for its ninth straight Class D crown.
Both teams are now one game away from the New York State final four. OFA will host the winner of game today between Section 7 Saranac Central and Section 2 Cohoes at 2 p.m. Saturday at SUNY Potsdam.
Heuvelton will face Section 3 champion West Canada Valley at 7 p.m. Friday in Syracuse. West Canada Valley downed LaFargeville 9-1 in Wednesday’s Section 3 title game.
HEUVELTON 6, ST. REGIS FALLS 0
In a meeting of state-ranked teams No. 11 St. Regis Falls issued an immediate challenge to No. 2 Heuvelton.
After Maddie Austin retired the Bulldogs in order in the top of the first inning, aided by a diving catch by catcher Kerrigan Rondeau, the Saints struck with lightning quickness in the bottom of the inning.
Abby Duquette lined a two-out single and Rondeau followed with a double to right centerfield. Showing the product of their meticulous practice habits right fielder Megan Woodard and shortstop Kedan Mack combined a relay to catcher Emily Streeter, who tagged Duquette trying to score.
That proved to be the Saints only scoring threat against Heuvelton ace Paige McCormick and until two outs in the seventh inning when Rondeau doubled again, but was thrown out at third on another relay where Mack and center fielder Eliza Martin combined.
The gritty Rondeau returned after sitting out one inning after being injured in a collision at the plate when the Bulldogs’ Streeter pulled off a delayed steal of home in bottom of the sixth inning.
McCormick struck out 12 and did not walk a batter hurling a four-hit shutout.
“We knew how tough it would be to score against Paige (McCormick) so we wanted to come out and be very aggressive.” St. Regis Falls coach Justin Todd said. “We wanted to score first but they made a perfect relay.”
The Bulldogs stroked the ball to all fields, ran the bases expertly dropped down timely bunts and went to the long ball in the seventh, when Madison McCormick and Paige McCormick connected for triples.
Heuvelton scored two runs in the first inning where Paige McCormick singled, Streeter reached on a dropped fly ball in the outfield and both scored on a sacrifice bunt by Mack and a throwing error.
In the fifth, Heuvelton scored two runs on singles by Kristi Donnelly and Streeter, an RBI single by Sydney Thornhill and a steal of home by Streeter.
“St. Regis Falls is a very good team and they had a great season. They hit the ball hard in the first inning and I kind of adjusted to what they wanted to do at the plate,” said Paige McCormick, who was honored by Section 10 umpires with the Dave “Huffer” Gebo Award as the Outstanding Girls Softball Player in the section.
“It was a really good game with both teams making nice defensive plays. We made some really remarkable plays out there.”
OFA 15, GOUVERNEUR 5
Small ball triggered a four-run first inning for OFA in the Class B championship and the Devils maintained control with well-placed singles and until breaking the game open against Gouverneur where Taylor Perry lined a bases-loaded triple and Natalie McCormick delivered an RBI doubled.
In the first inning Ashley Barr’s bunt single was the only hit for the Devils who capitalized on five walks by Gouveneur starter Hannah Stowell and two throwing efforts.
OFA pitcher Callee Zulauf added an RBI single in the second inning and was staked to a 5-0 lead. She cruised to a one-hitter and did not allow the lone Gouverneur hit until Jasmine Mattice belted an RBI triple with two outs in the seventh.
“Going into the game all I was trying to do was get ahead of the batters and throw strikes. It is great to repeat I just love playing softball with these girls,” said Zulauf, who honored after the game as the NAC Central Division Most Valuable Player.