SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - Even though the ball isn't traveling 100 mph in slow-pitch softball, the pitcher is still the most important player on the field.
So when Garafolo Holding Corp's regular pitcher was away on vacation for the Lewisboro Women’s Softball League's championship game on Monday, Aug. 3, the team had to turn to an unlikely replacement.
"I've never pitched in a game before," said Meghan O'Leary.
The lack of experience didn't show.
"I was just trying to get it over the plate for the other team to hit. They did, and my team backed me up," said the winning pitcher after GHC's 13-5 championship victory.
O'Leary was tested immediately. After recording a strikeout to open the game, she made a kick save on Wendy O'Connell's comebacker, recovered the ball and threw to first for the second out. Danielle Auteri then snared Laura Statuti's low liner in the hole to end the inning.
GHC wasted little time getting on the board. Causa beat out a routine grounder, and O'Leary's fly ball dropped into sunny left field. With two runners on and nobody out, Jess Van Galen ripped a single to left to drive in the game's first run. Auteri then hit a line drive to short that was turned into an out before the inning ended on a fly ball to center and a groundout.
CMDR threatened in the second. Terri Nadeau reached on a fly ball that resulted in an error, and walks to Doreen Schmidt and Maria Basset loaded the bases with two outs. But Annie Conway flew out to center, stranding all three runners.
The one-run game didn't stay that way for long.
Alyssa Calo got things started by beating out a grounder deep in the hole at short.
"I'm not a power hitter, so anything I hit, I rely on my speed," she said.
The hits kept coming. Trish Ward, Sara Ackerman, Angie Loffa, Angela Martin and Causa all followed with singles.
"All we want is little hits," said Causa.
The rally produced a 4-0 lead.
O'Leary's drive to left led to another error, and although GHC hit into a 6-5-4 double play, it still plated another run for a 5-0 advantage. Auteri followed with another single, capping a six-run inning.
CMDR refused to fold. Three walks loaded the bases with one out, giving Theresa Pepe a chance to deliver.
She lined a single up the middle to put CMDR on the board. Another walk made it 6-2 before O'Leary settled back in.
"I really just had to bear down and focus," she said.
With the defense back in play, Sara Ackerman made a shoestring catch on Schmidt's sinking liner. CMDR eventually pushed across two more runs, but another defensive gem ended the threat when what appeared to be a single to left turned into a force out at second. Causa quickly fired the ball to Taylor Michaels, who made the play.
"That was amazing," said O'Leary. "I couldn't have asked for better."
GHC answered again.
A leadoff triple by the second baseman nearly started another big inning. Elyssa Michaels followed with a bloop single, and line drives by Trish Ward and Ackerman scored a run while putting two more runners aboard.
Loffa then smoked a ball to short that was turned into an out before Angela Martin reached on a soft infield hit back to the pitcher. Ropes by Causa and O'Leary extended the lead to 11-4, something that didn't surprise manager Elyssa Michaels.
"There's quite a few former college players on this team who are very talented," she said.
With the title within reach, GHC needed just one more out.
"I thought, hit it to me, because I got this," said Ackerman.
She made the catch to end the game, allowing the celebration to begin.
"It's amazing," Auteri concluded.
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