Somers softball pours on the runs in playoff opener

SOMERS, N.Y. - On Thursday, May 22, Somers opened the sectionals at home against Carmel, and the threat of rain loomed above. 

But the visiting Rams had a lot more to worry about.

After Emily Boyle beat the rain and pitched an opening doughnut, the initial downfall of the day had Somers scoring nine runs in the first, and an easy 18-2 win followed.

The game did begin with a scare, though, and it wasn’t because Cam Mentos led off the game with an infield single. She hit a low liner off Boyle and reached first on the ricochet. 

Time called, Boyle shook the shot off, and three batters later, Julia Peanamanda set the table by leading off with a walk. She then stole second, and Katie Cole knocked in the first run of the day with a single to right.

Far from done, Katherine Papa walked, Caitlin Fitts reached on an infield hit, and Boyle cleared the bases with a double. 4-0, the next big blast came from Victoria Morel. 

After Kaleigh Conti singled in Boyle, Morel launched a triple, and six were in with one out. Alyssa Pirraglia followed with a strikeout so Somers simply went with a two out rally. Singles by Peanamanda, Cole, Papa and Fitts were good for three more, and worse for Carmel, they had to deal with the Somers defense.

A lead off walk to Alyssa Livulpi seemed like a good place to start until the ball strayed a bit from Papa on the first pitch. Livulpi took off, the Somers catcher quickly located, and the runner was out at second. 

A walk to Lily Madio kind of rubbed it in, but a sacrifice bunt did get a runner in scoring position. Then Somers had their only hiccup. Hanna Simon’s grounder to the right side had Fitts gobbling up the grounder, but Boyle did not cover.

The run came around and Simon was set up at second. Of course, the 9-1 lead was no bother, and next it was Cole with the larceny. She made a diving stop toward the second base hole, and with the speedy Morgan Hansen busting it to first, time was of the essence. So Cole threw from her knees, and Carmel could only tip their caps.

Now raining, Somers started the bottom of second without their umbrellas. Two quick outs, and the girls looked like they would go quietly. Not quite, Pirraglia put on her slicker, singled to left and three more runs were on the way. Peanamanda walked, Cole doubled, Papa singled and Fitts groundout to second made it 12-1.

Boyle wasn’t bothered by rain either.  Another shutout inning in the top of the third and Somers continued to add on. Only there wasn’t a lot of swinging. They drew seven walks, went up 16-1 and the rest was just waiting for Boyle to close the game out.