PLATTSBURGH — As Friday’s Class C regional softball game moved along, it became pretty evident it was not going to end well for Northeastern Clinton on this day.
What the Section VII champions had in their control was to play hard to the finish — and that’s what they did.
Section II power Chatham (18-2) went on to record a 12-2 win in the regional final and advance on to the NYSPHSAA Class C Final Four.
“I’m proud of our team — it’s a special group,” NCCS coach Carrie McComb said. “We have three seniors and this was a good experience for the team to see what the next level is like.
“My players battled today.”
The Panthers scored a run in the first inning after their first four batters reached base. But Cougars’ pitcher Bailee Lafountain avoided further damage by retiring the next three hitters, two by strikeout.
But Chatham then added four more runs in the second for a 5-0 advantage, taking advantage of three NCCS errors.
“We got down early and made some defensive errors,” McComb said. “We also gave up some two-strike hits.
“It took us a couple of innings to settle in.”
Chatham pitcher Emily Mesick struck out nine in all and five of the first seven batters she faced, as her team gave her a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning.
But, with one out, Kate Johnston lined a double for the Cougars’ first hit.
“She (Mesick) was the fastest pitcher we have seen this season,” McComb said. “One of our in-game goals was to break up her no-hitter — and we did.”
Chatham improved its lead to 11-0 before the Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Michaela Bresnahan walked, moved up on Eaven Deso’s single and eventually scored on the back end of a double steal.
NCCS added another run in the sixth inning. Kylee Surprenant led off with a double, took third on Lafountain’s hit and came across to score on the back end of another double steal where Lafountain was thrown out at second.
Surprenant finished with two hits for the Cougars, while Lafountain, Johnston and Deso added one apiece.
“We had some good hits and hit the ball better later in the game,” McComb said. “We were able to score a couple of runs.
“We were also able to make some nice plays in the field as the game went on.”
Addison Perry and Olive Mountain swung the big bats for Chatham. Mountain finished with three hits and four RBI, while Perry also had three hits and scored four runs.
Both Perry and Mountain accounted for two-run singles in the Panthers’ five-run fourth inning that broke the game open.
Five other players had a hit each for the Panthers, who have a deep roster and got 17 players into the game.
Despite the loss, the Cougars can look back to a postseason run that resulted in a sectional championship.
—Chatham 12, NCCS 2Chatham 141 501 0 — 12 11 0NCCS 000 011 0 — 2 5 5Mesick and O. Mountain. Lafountain and Bresnahan. WP- Mesick. LP- Lafountain. 2B- Surprenant (NCCS), Johnston (NCCS).