SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - On Monday, July 20, the Lewisboro Recreational League playoffs got underway as 10-4 George took on Marshall Oil. Nancy Haggerty got the start in the circle, and while struggling to find the strike zone wasn't part of the game plan, Marshall Oil was happy to take advantage.
"You just had to wait her out to get on base," said Jessica Davidson.
Davidson's first-inning single showed Marshall wasn't relying solely on patience, but four walks later the visitors had built a 4-0 lead on their way to a convincing 13-5 victory.
Marshall struck first with a bloop single by Nicole Shaffer and an infield hit from Davidson. Haggerty then lost the strike zone. Around a groundout by Molly Vaughan, Emily Klotz, Maggie Leigey, Jessica DeVito and Pam Leibman all drew walks. Leading 3-0, Liz Klotz's groundout to first plated the fourth run of the inning.
In the circle, Leibman admitted she had a few playoff jitters to settle.
"I stretched and just stayed focused," she said.
The remedy worked as she retired the side on a strikeout, popout and groundout to preserve the four-run lead.
Haggerty's struggles continued in the second as she issued another walk before Shaffer lined an opposite-field single to right. Facing another jam, however, Haggerty regrouped. She struck out Davidson, and a line drive to short by Emily Klotz turned into an inning-ending double play when Hailey Davis was doubled off first base.
A pair of Marshall errors in the bottom of the second gave 10-4 George a chance to climb back into the game, but Leibman escaped the threat. According to third baseman Molly Vaughan, pressure situations bring out the best in her pitcher.
"She's always there mentally. She's in the zone," Vaughan said.
A groundout and a popout ended the inning.
In the third, Haggerty again struggled with her control. After Vaughan's line drive to short was ruled an infield hit, DeVito and Leibman walked to load the bases with one out. Liz Klotz executed perfectly, grounding out to first to extend the lead to 5-0.
Refusing to fold, Haggerty helped her own cause in the bottom half. After Anna Ciccone singled through the right side, Haggerty followed with a line drive up the middle to put the first two runners aboard.
Leibman, however, remained composed. Two popouts quickly shifted the advantage back to Marshall, but Denisa DoCabeco kept the inning alive with a single up the middle. Abby Begos then hit a drive to center that glanced off Davis' glove, allowing two runs to score.
Christine Hennings looked poised to keep the rally going when she hit a ground ball to short. Emily Klotz initially appeared ready to tag DoCabeco advancing to third, but instead wisely flipped to second for the force out to end the inning.
Leibman never lost her composure.
"She knows what to do," the pitcher said.
Marshall answered immediately in the top of the fourth, again aided by Haggerty's control issues. Three more walks loaded the bases before Vaughan lined a ball to second that was dropped. The fielder's choice brought home another run, making it 6-2.
With runners still on first and third, Leigey lined a single through the left side while keeping her approach simple.
"I'm just trying to have fun," said the right-center fielder.
Trailing 7-2, 10-4 George again threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Christine Hughes reached on an error and Haggerty walked. Anna Ciccone popped out, leaving Vaughan ready at third on Nancy Ciccone's ground ball.
"It's the hot corner. You never know what's going to happen. You've got to be on your toes, and you're always in the game," Vaughan said.
Marshall's offense never let up. Following two more walks, Davis, Shaffer and Davidson all delivered singles to stretch the lead to 9-2.
Although 10-4 George scored once in the sixth, Marshall put the game away with four more runs in the seventh. Two runs by 10-4 in the bottom of the inning were far from enough, and Vaughan remained confident about her team's postseason future.
"We're going all the way," she said.
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