Story by Darren Cooper / Columnist for the Record Sports Department
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS – During the hour rain delay, the Hasbrouck Heights softball team played Four Corners, Black Magic and the Name Game.
“A lot of the games we played on the trip to Florida,” explained coach Jackie Ferranti. “Just different games to keep having fun.”
When play resumed, the Aviators played big in the clutch, rallying to beat Midland Park, 2-1, on a walk-off single by senior pitcher Olivia Marinelli to send the Aviators to the North 1, Group 1 sectional final.
“I told her to take the first pitch,” said Ferranti smiling. “She didn’t listen.”
The Aviators will meet the winner of Friday’s Cedar Grove/Butler game for the sectional title. Last year was the first time Hasbrouck Heights reached a sectional final, they lost to Cedar Grove and star pitcher Mia Faieta. All season long the Aviators have been motivated to get back to this point.
“Last year, they were happy just to get there,” said Ferranti. “Now they get it.”
Midland Park put up a formidable threat to the Aviators. When play resumed in the top of the second inning after the rain delay, Panthers outfielder Tess Olson cracked a long fly ball to center field that went for a home run to put Midland Park up 1-0.
Hasbrouck Heights tied the score in the fifth after loading the bases with nobody out, Marinelli hit into a fielders choice and Paige McGuire scampered home.
In the top of the seventh, Olsen crushed another ball to deep right field for Midland Park, but Aviators right fielder Amanda Gasparino was able to get back and make the catch. Hasbrouck Heights field has no fence. The Olson ball almost certainly would have been over a regulation fence.
Autumn Thorpe led off the Aviators seventh with her fourth walk of the game. She moved to third when Kimmy Halpin’s bunt was mishandled. Marinelli then chopped the first pitch into left field for the game winner.
