Kirkby Keeps Coop in Sectionals Tournament
By WRILEY NELSON
COOPERSTOWN
The Cooperstown Central School softball team put up a balanced performance in an exciting extra-inning win over Thousand Islands on Thursday, May 25 to advance to the Section III Class C semifinals. Each member of the lineup held their own against an intimidating Thousand Islands pitcher and senior Dani Seamon recorded an impressive full game in the circle, but it was senior Savannah Kirkby who stole the show.
The Hawkeyes scored three runs in the second inning after Kirkby doubled and sophomore Brenna Seamon was hit by a pitch. Both scored after sophomore Emmy Lippitt smashed a hit into center field and doubled on a fielding error. Sophomore Grace Sperry batted in Lippitt.
Thousand Islands scored twice in the fourth on a walk and fielder’s choice after Seamon hurt her ankle pitching. The Vikings went scoreless in the next two innings. Kirkby caught a bunt in the top of the fifth, beginning a textbook double play with two runners on base and one out. Seamon struck out three back-to-back in the sixth. With two outs, Thousand Islands scored twice to take the lead in the top of the seventh off a single, two walks, a passed ball and another single.
In the bottom of the seventh, CCS junior Tori France hit a single but was tagged out as a fielder’s choice allowed Seamon to reach first. In a brief time out, a Thousand Islands official was overheard telling an injured player to “cry after we win,” to much indignation in the Cooperstown stands. Down 4-3 with two outs, the Hawkeyes needed a run to continue the season. Seamon stole second with Kirkby at bat. Kirkby slammed a single deep into right field, bringing in the game-tying run at the last possible moment.
Neither team scored in the eighth. Seamon walked the first batter in the top of the ninth, but a strong Cooperstown fielding performance stranded the runner on third. France struck out in the bottom of the ninth. Sophomore Katie Crippen took a dead ball to the ankle but managed to hit a double. She advanced to third on Dani Seamon’s ground out. With two outs, Kirkby returned to the plate, stared down the pitcher, and knocked a ground ball up the middle to bring Crippen home. The large Cooperstown audience lost its head.
“It was truly a whole-team effort,” Kirkby said after the game. “We were hitting all around. It was very nice to have such a big community turnout to support us.”
“The [Thousand Islands] pitcher is very impressive,” Cooperstown coach Bud Lippitt said, referring to Delaney Wiley’s highly-controlled nine-inning performance. “Even from this far away, we’ve heard about her all season.”
Wiley took the loss after striking out 13 batters and scoring two runs.
“We’re very fortunate to have such a balanced hitting lineup,” Lippitt continued. “When the top half can’t quite make it, the bottom half can. Our eighth and ninth batters [Lippitt and Sperry] made some incredible hits tonight.”
The three-seeded Hawkeyes (15-2) will face two-seeded Sandy Creek in the semifinals on Saturday, May 27. The Comets (17-2) beat Westmoreland on May 25.
Dani Seamon finished the game with 17 strikeouts. Asked for a comment, she merely pointed to Kirkby.
“MVP,” she said, “that’s all.”
