Softball

Nine lives

Sullivan West’s Sarah Lander leads Dawgs to Division IV win over rival Burke

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY - Mention Sarah Landers’ name in Burke country and people will immediately say the word basketball. Two years ago, Lander was part of a season sweep of the Lady Eagles and front and center in a whirlwind story that played much better in Sullivan County than it did in Goshen.

But the rivalry ranges well beyond the hardwood. It seems whenever calendar brings a Sullivan West versus John S. Burke Catholic match up, the game has an added significance. This Division IV softball game was no exception. Burke looked to complete the series sweep begun by its 4-1 home win on May 15, courtesy of Sullivan West’s less-than-perfect defense.

But Lady Bulldogs had other plans than to get swept under the rug. Time was running out on their season and if they were going to make it to sectionals, they needed to turn things around.

Nine innings, 27 seven outs and a multitude of close calls and screams later, Sullivan West emerged with a well-deserved win. And once again, Sarah Lander’s name was right in the center of the conversation.

Added to her rep as one of Section Nine’s premiere basketball players, people in Eagle country are now apt to acknowledge Lander as a die-hard gritty pitcher as well. She struck out eight and pitched a six-hit gem against the two-time defending Section Nine champs on May 18 and stood at the plate allowing four balls to go by from Burke hurler Tara Fogarty, which forced in the winning run in the ninth inning, giving Sullivan West a 4-3 win over Burke.

One of the perks of the win will be a newfound respect for Sullivan West, a team that has had its fair share of struggles and tough season losses. By handing Burke its one and only Division IV loss this season, Sullivan West raised its stock and, as coach Mike Ellmauer calmly told his team following the win, now has to “not let down,” so it can reach sectionals where the team may encounter the Lady Eagles once again.

Burke’s coach, Steve Douthit, was extremely complimentary of Lander and the way that Sullivan West played. “They are a good team and Sarah Lander is a really good athlete. Maybe we’ll see them in sectionals and that will be a nice rubber match.” Dothit was impressed with the liner caught by Sullivan West shortstop Jennifer Pitz with runners on first and second and two out in the eighth inning. That ball looked destined to find its way through the infield and give Burke the go-ahead run, but Pitz made an awesome catch. Burke had other chances, including a 185-foot fly to left field off the bat of Fogarty that was caught.

While Lander’s play was outstanding, it was by no means the entire story. Softball is a team game and this was a total team effort. Before elucidating the details of how runs were scored, kudos has to be given to a couple of sterling defensive plays turned in by the Lady Dawgs that without question saved the day. One of those was the aforementioned grab by Pitz.

Another came earlier in the fifth inning when Burke’s Kim Mahon hit a long drive to center field. Teammate Lauren Bianchetti was on second at the time. The ball dropped in, but was adeptly fielded by Sullivan West center fielder Cara Davies, who relayed it perfectly to Lander, who fired a strike to catcher Kristen Niemann, who applied the tag for the out.

Sullivan West got out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Ginger Pierce led off with a hit and Niemann reached on an E-9. Rachel Houghtaling then brought both in with a single.

Burke got one run back in the top of the second with a lead-off hit by Paige Molloy, who scored on a triple from Erin Dobbins. The Lady Eagles tied it up in the third by combining a double from Diana Menchini with a RBI single from Fogarty.

Fogarty was pitching well, despite having issues with the strike zone that continued right until the game’s end. Burke got a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth with an extra-base hit from Morgan Douglas, who came home on a single by Bianchetti.

But the feisty Bulldogs refused to go away. In the bottom of the fourth, Lander singled and Julianne Reggero laid down a perfect sac bunt. An E-4 led to the run and the teams were knotted at three apiece.

Both teams managed to get runners in scoring positions, but fine pitching and excellent defense kept them from scoring.

In the bottom of the ninth, Niemann led off by drawing a walk. Stephanie Meyer hit a single and Houghtaling walked to load the bases. No run scored on Davies’ long fly to right, as Niemann was halfway down the line when the ball was hit and had to go all the way back to the bag to tag up.

But Lander’s walk plated the final run, despite a game-ending discussion initiated by the Burke coaches, who protested that Sullivan West runners had not touched the bags before leaving the field. That was resolved in Sullivan West’s favor and the game ended with the Lady Bulldogs improving their record to 5-8 (1-2 OCIAA).

Sullivan West has one game remaining with O’Neill, but lost its first game to Liberty 4-2. They need to win the rematches with Liberty and O’Neill to make it to the post season. Burke finishes its season with a non-league game against Minisink Valley this coming week. The Lady Eagles are 10-9 (6-1 OCIAA).

Last year, Burke lost in the second round of the regionals by the score of 5-0 to eventual Class B state champion Susquehana Valley from Binghamton. Douthit and company hope that the loss against Sullivan West will foster an even greater intensity as sectionals approach.

As for Ellmauer, who felt elated but cautious, this win could be a forerunner of good things to come for his team that is beginning to play the kind of ball he felt they were always capable of.

After all, if you can beat Burke, anything is possible.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of game photos.