Even as the top seed, and even as the defending Section III Class AA champions, the Liverpool softball team nearly got knocked out in its first playoff action.
The Warriors trailed much of Saturday’s AA quarterfinal against no. 8 seed Fayetteville-Manlius before getting its offense together and, combined with Tiffany Sampere’s pitching, eliminated the Hornets 5-3.
Cicero-North Syracuse, the no. 3 seed, also trailed in its AA quarterfinal against no. 6 seed Central Square – and also came back, earning a 5-1 victory over the Red Hawks.
In Liverpool’s case, the early crisis was a bit surprising in that, through two previous meetings with F-M, the Hornets had not been able to get a run off Sampere.
But that changed in the top of the first inning. Aided by some defensive mistakes, F-M plated three runs, all of them unearned, and if Liverpool had any complacency, it ended right there.
The Warriors had plenty of time to recover, though, and got to Hornets pitcher Amy Bright for single runs in the second and third innings to close within 3-2.
Then, in the bottom of the fifth, Liverpool burst out in front. As many times before, Abby Romano got it started, earning a single and stolen base, then racing home with the tying run as Emily Dumas singled, her second RBI of the afternoon.
Then Sampere delivered the go-ahead double to score pinch-runner Stephanie Van Dusen, and she would come home, too, for her second run of the game.
And once she got past that rough first inning, Sampere blanked F-M again, finishing with 11 strikeouts against four hits and four walks allowed.
Just as Liverpool was finishing off F-M, CNS was getting started at the Gillette Road complex against Central Square, a game that would also have suspense most of the way.
Neither side scored until the third inning. Central Square hit first, Morgan Ross scoring the run, but CNS countered with a run of its own off Red Hawks pitcher Mackenzie Sherlock.
In the bottom of the fourth, CNS inched ahead, 2-1, then used three runs in the fifth to get clear for Sarah Salamone, who held Central Square to four hits while striking out seven.
Sydney O’Hara had three of the Northstars’ nine hits, scoring twice and earning a pair of RBIs. Brittany Paul and Lindsay Flanagan also drove in runs, while Amy Van Hoven produced a pair of hits.
Both of the Class AA semifinals will take place at Hopkins Road Park. At 5 p.m., Liverpool faces no. 4 seed West Genesee, followed by CNS clashing with no. 2 seed Oswego. The winners go to Gillete for Saturday’s championship game at 2:30.