Baldwin softball rallies past Canon-McMillan in Section 1-6A
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Saturday, April 21, 2018 | 4:40 PM
By all accounts, the Baldwin junior prom went without a hitch Friday night. But for members of the Highlanders softball team, the after prom on Saturday afternoon was a big hit.
Salena Jaquay had three hits and Carly Santillo and Allison Murray each drove in two runs as Baldwin erased an early three-run deficit to defeat previously-unbeaten Canon-McMillan, 6-3, in a Section 1-6A game.
“It took us a while to get going,” Baldwin coach Vince Sortino said. “Maybe the girls were still thinking about dancing, but we finally settled in. We got a good group of girls who believe in each other and are confident in each other not to let that early deficit bother them.”
On the second pitch of the game, Erica Haught homered to left-center field. Katelyn Greaves and Olivia Ulam followed with doubles as the visiting Big Macs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first.
Lindsay Schmidt led off the third with a solo homer to right to increase the lead to 3-0.
While the offense was racking up extra-base hits, Big Macs senior pitcher Abi Michelucci had shut down the Highlanders, allowing no hits and one walk over the first three innings.
Baldwin's after party began in the bottom of the fourth when Salena Jaquay doubled for the first Baldwin hit. After Taylor Dadig walked and Adeline Tagg reached on a bunt single toward third base, Carly Santillo chased Michelucci with a double to left center. After a strikeout and a walk, Cheyenne Shandor grounded out to score a run and tie the game 3-3.
The Highlanders then chased freshman reliever Lauren Duke with three straight singles by Cassandra Carlson, Jaquay and Dadig to start the fifth. Against freshman Elika Mowry, a sacrifice bunt and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out. Then, sophomore Allison Murray singled home two more to make it 6-3 Baldwin.
After a rough start, Tagg settled down and only allowed two singles over the last four innings after giving up five extra-base hits in the first three.
Baldwin (4-2, 4-1) moved into first place in Section 1-6A, a half-game ahead of Canon-McMillan (4-1, 3-1).
“This team, we just don't give up” Jaquay said. “We believe in each other and keep fighting until the end.”
Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.
Tags: Baldwin, Canon-McMillan
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