Long playoff drought over for Quakers
MILLVILLE — Millville’s message for much of the season has been quite simple: Be a spark and good things will catch on like a wildfire.
The Quakers received a few sparks in a 3-2 win over Northwest in high school softball Thursday.
The win secured the Quakers (10-9) a trip to the District 4 Class A playoffs for the first time in 16 years.
“It’s a confidence booster,” Millville coach Miranda Pell said. “We have what it takes, but have to put the pieces together. … [They] just need to keep their heads up and keep playing great softball as we enter the postseason.”
With two outs in the ninth and the contest looking as if it would go double-digit innings, Olivia Savage — who was honored as the Quakers lone senior — made solid contact to left field. Rangers’ Maggie Miller nearly reeled the ball in on the run but had it fall out of her glove at the last second, allowing Savage to reach second. The Rangers (9-9) elected to intentionally walk cleanup hitter Carlee Charles for the second time before loading the bases on a four-pitch walk to Morgan DiFebo.
Alaina Reifendifer hit the first pitch she saw on the ground, forcing the Rangers’ infielders to make a heads-up play. The Rangers were unable to do so, allowing Savage and the Quakers to walk off with the win.
“We talked to the whole team and we told them ‘bat to the ball,” Savage said. “We weren’t looking for anything big, we just wanted to take it one hit at a time. I just feel we were able to string hits together.”
Getting runners aboard was easier said than done in a contest that saw a combined three walks — two intentional — 24 strikeouts and one extra-base hit. Errors proved to the offenses’ best friend, with eight of them committed and helping contribute to all five runs. They stranded a combined nine runners in scoring position, with each team leaving the bases loaded once.
The Quakers struck first in the fourth inning after an infield error sandwiched with singles by Savage and DiFebo. Reifendifer hit a sac-fly to right to score Savage. Aleigha Parnell and the Rangers avoided a deeper hole following an error, leaving the bases loaded on back-to-back strikeouts.
“She dug deep today. We’ve been working hard on keeping the balls down and keeping them off the edge of the plate,” Northwest coach Kevin Harvey said. “Today, she did that. They had to hit our pitches instead of pitches over the heart of the plate which has been giving us trouble.”
Charles kept pace, and ultimately outdid Parnell in the circle. The one-run deficit loomed larger due to the Rangers unable to catch up to Charles’ pitches. Northwest attempted to get the Quakers off-balance with bunts but scored both runs with clean swings.
Parnell helped her cause, singling the other way to right. She then advanced to second on a slow, high bouncer to short, taking third on a sleeping infield after the play was over. In an attempt to get her at third, the ball got away, allowing her to score and tie the game.
The Rangers then took the lead in the seventh. Charleigh Miner got hit near the elbow, stole second and third in consecutive at-bats, and scored on a passed ball.
Charles struck out 14, surpassing 100 for the season, and walked one.
“I was hitting my spots with my fastball,” Charles said. “Ashley and Liv were helping me calm down at times. … I was mostly aiming low and inside.”
The Rangers’ lead didn’t last long, though, with the Quakers tying it moments later. Stevens led the bottom of the seventh off with a single to left, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice to the second baseman, took third on a dropped ball and scored on an error — all within eight pitches.
Despite not coming away with the win, Harvey was pleased with how the team bounced back after an 11-1 loss to Bucktail on Wednesday. Just in time as the Rangers host Carbondale in the District 2 Class 2A playoffs on Monday.
“I hope they take that all-out effort and full heart effort because that’s what it will take to win,” he said. “That will be the biggest difference after not showing up against Bucktail.”
Northwest 000 001 100 — 2 4 5
Millville 000 100 101 — 3 7 3
Aleigha Parnell and Amanda Cheslaw. Carlee Charles and Ashley Stevens.
Top hitters: Northwest — Aleigha Parnell, 2-4, run. Millville — Stevens, 2-5, double, run; Olivia Savage, 2-5, 2 runs
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