Somers Defeats Fox Lane and Croton Harmon

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Somers Stays Undefeated with 5-0 Win over Croton-Harmon

On Friday May 1, Somers put their undefeated record on the line at Primrose versus Croton Harmon, and the Tuskers didn't wait to get down to it. After Emily Boyle struck out the side, the bottom of the inning had the Tuskers playing their standard small and big ball game. Julia Peanamanda walked, Gianna Peanamanda moved her over with a ground out, and in the three spot, it was big business as usual.

"Katie Cole is Katie Cole," said Coach Theresa Ricci, and a run scoring triple set the tone for a 5-0 victory.

Not done, Caitlin Fitts drove in Cole with a fly ball, and Boyle added a pair of donuts over the next two innings. Onto to the third, Cole joined the small ball party. After Gianna Peanamanda slapped an infield single down third and stole second, Cole followed suit. The shortstop's ground out to first advanced the runner and Fitts then tallied her second sacrifice fly.

3-0, Somers went with a pitching change. Ricci wanted to give Mia DIChiaro a few innings, but the reliever took a moment to settle in. Admitting to being a little nervous, DiChiaro was wild in walking the first batter.

Soon enough, she found the strike zone and having Cole behind her contained any anxiety when the ball scooted up the middle. "I was thinking Katie is going to get it," said DiChiaro, and the force at second was good for out number one.

A pop out to Cole was next but another walk and two wild pitches still left work to do. Runners on second and third, and DiChiaro pulled the trigger. The senior threw an off speed pitch, and the strikeout swinging drew praise. "When Mia is focused, she is lights out," boasted Ricci.

A little more breathing room was not forthcoming, though, and DiChiaro opened again with a walk in the fifth. The defense not resting, Keira Griggs charged a dribbler up the third base line and fired to first for the out. On the other hand, a single to right still left the pitcher in a first and third jam. Nonetheless, DiChiaro fielded her own popup and got a fly out to center to end the threat.

The jam undone, the reliever was rewarded with some insurance. Courtesy of three walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch, Somers went to the sixth with a 5-0 lead. In response, all Croton-Harmon had was a lot of bench noise.

Distracting for sure, DiChiaro gathered herself. "I just took a step back and regrouped," she said.

The final six outs achieved, Ricci praised her pitcher's silencer. "Mia did a great job channeling herself and keeping focused," the coach concluded.

Somers Has Mercy on Fox Lane

On Saturday April 11, Somers traveled to Fox Lane, and while Tuskers just beat the Foxes 2-1, a different mindset was required, according to Emily Boyle. “We came in thinking that we need to play our game,” said the starting pitcher, and the shift didn’t take long to reveal.

The elephants scored four runs in the first, and only one Fox Lane hit on the day, Somers went onto to an easy 14-1 mercy rule victory.

Still, the start didn’t have a lot of sting. After Julia Peanamanda struck out, her sister Gianna Peanamanda and Katie Cole both reached on infield hits.

Runners on the corners, Cole stole second, and Peanamanda scored on a wild pitch. Two more walks kept the runners moving, and Keira Griggs’ single to right hit the accelerator.

Good for four in total. Boyle was quick to introduce herself. Around the horn, Cole, Griggs and Alyssa Pirraglia fielded a ground ball each and kept Caitlin Fitts busy at first.

Onto the second, Julia Peanamanda made contact this time and didn’t play lefty slapstick. The sophomore went deep to right, cruised into third and that left her sister to go small ball.

A ground ball to second brought in the run, and Somers got a bonus with an E4. Gianna Peanamanda on first, Cole used her wheels again for another infield hit, and the Tuskers added two more on a Boyle single, a Griggs walk and a wild pitch.

7-0, the delay didn’t derail Boyle. She struck out the side, and a double digit lead was next. Cole’s little pop dropped in the infield for an 8-0 lead, and Boyle went a little further with a two run bloop to right.

Three ground ball outs, including a diving stop by Pirraglia, and a shortened no hitter was on deck. But first Somers had mercy in mind, and Cole signed the sympathy card.

After three hits to the infield, the shortstop unloaded. Launching a line drive to deep left, she explained her preference for going opposite. “I get a lot of outside pitches,” said the junior.

Two more runs in, Fitts drove in the final run with a single, and Boyle needed only six more outs. She struck out the side in the fourth, but was undone by a grounder to short in the fifth. A diving stop in the hole, Cole had no play.

Unfortunately a dropped ball in the outfield also spoiled the shutout, but no blip can break this team’s bond, according to Pirraglia. “How long we’ve known each other,” the second baseman concluded, “it feels like a family.”

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