Westfield Voc-Tech High School softball coach Kyle Dulude’s teams always turn it on when the action on the diamond heats up in the final few weeks leading up to the postseason. This season is no different.
Voc-Tech played their hearts out on the road yesterday, rallying to pull even against tough Tri-County League foe, Pathfinder, before losing in the seventh inning 6-5.
It was a marked improvement for Voc-Tech (7-6), which lost to Pathfinder 13-0 in the teams’ previous meeting.
“I feel like we should have won the game,” said coach Dulude. “We had a lot of opportunities, we hit the ball, and we played good defense.”
Voc-Tech squandered multiple chances, leaving the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning, stranding runners at second and third in the sixth, and leaving a runner at second in the seventh. But the Tigers did manage to push two runs across to pull even in the fifth, setting up the dramatic seventh.
In the top of the fifth, Leandra Maldonado led off with a walk, advanced to second base on a fielder’s choice, and scored on Monica Iglesias’ bunt single. Iglesias came around to score on a fielder’s choice.
Voc-Tech’s defense – led by Kisha Rivera’s nine putouts – kept them battling to the very end.
The Tigers’ team “D” shined even brighter in the bottom of the seventh as Maldonado made a diving infield catch on a sharp liner, and fired to her teammates who managed to pick off baserunners in between second and third, and first and second bases for an apparent triple play. Officials disagreed, calling the initial out a hit, awarding the batter first base with two outs. Pathfinder pitcher Jenna Maska – who had 13 strikeouts – delivered, this time at the plate, with a game-winning RBI double.
“I thought for sure we were going into extra innings,” said Dulude. “I’m still proud of the girls. They were determined to do better against a quality pitcher.”
Maska, who at times appeared frustrated with the small strike zone, allowed nine hits yesterday. In the teams’ previous meeting, at one point she struck out 14 of 15 batters.
Voc-Tech pitcher Monica Ilnicky kept Pathfinder off-balance, mixing up pitches, and allowing her defense to make the plays. Ilnicky also hammered two doubles at the plate.
Tigers’ Monica Iglesias went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
“We’re going focus on trying to get better, make tournament, and have a respectable showing,” Dulude said after the heartbreaking defeat. “We have to get focused on playing better every day.”
