MORICHES – For all of its rich history, the Liverpool softball team still has not won a New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship.
Yet the mere fact that the 2022 edition of the Warriors got so close to that top prize last Saturday at Moriches Athletic Complex on Long Island – only a few outs away – was remarkable given all the youth on the roster, and especially considering where things stood a mere nine days earlier.
That was when Liverpool, one strike from elimination, staged its memorable come-from-behind, 4-3, nine-inning win over Baldwinsville in the Section III final on followed, less than 48 hours later by a 10-4 romp over Saratoga Springs in the regional final.
Now the Warriors were on Long Island, where it would face local power Massapequa in Saturday morning’s state semifinal.
Here, just like against Saratoga, the big stage, and the big stakes, did not faze Liverpool one bit as it led all the way and put away the Chiefs 5-1.
A pair of first-inning runs set the game’s tone, and though Massapequa answered with a run in the bottom of the first, Warriors pitcher Cassie Wiggins allowed nothing more the rest of the way.
Over the next four innings, it remained 2-1, Wiggins getting help from Julia Wike in the third when she executed a rundown on the Chiefs’ Ryan Starr between second and third base, keeping Massapequa from tying it.
Then, in the top of the sixth, Wiggins ignited the decisive rally with a single. Pinch-runner Olivia Coleman reached second, then scored when Lauren Ragonese singled.
Once Ragonese reached second base, it was Lily Stevens’ turn to deliver a run-scoring hit that made it 4-1, and Tristen LaForte brought Stevens around with her run-scoring single.
Closing it out, Wiggins overcame eight Chiefs hits, only walking one while striking out five.
A few hours later, it was the state final, Liverpool against a Monroe-Woodbury side that had to make its own big comeback just to get here – and did so again at the Warriors’ expense, the Crusaders taking the state championship by a score of 4-2.
Having rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Lancaster 4-3 in the other state semifinal, M-W didn’t flinch when Wiggins, with two out in the top of the first, drilled a solo home run to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead.
Crusaders pitching ace Brianna Roberts went through the next four innings without surrendering a run, but Wiggins matched her, keeping the game 1-0.
Just like it did against Massapequa, the Warriors made a move in the top of the sixth, Ava Falvo reaching base with her second hit of the game and Wike driving her home with a single.
Now carrying a 2-0 advantage, Liverpool went to the bottom of the sixth, a mere six outs from the state championship summit – but it would never get there.
Roberts singled to lead off and Kelsey O’Brien walked. A sacrifice bunt put the tying runs in scoring position, but Wiggins coaxed a flyout from Anna Paravati.
Olivia Shippee’s grounder led to an infield hit, scoring a run, and Gabriella Schaefer delivered the key blow, a two-run double that, combined with a throwing error and another error on Amanda Palmer’s grounder, scored another run.
Roberts retired Liverpool in order in the seventh to end it, having only given up four hits and earned six strikeouts. Wiggins had only given up two hits prior to the sixth-inning Crusaders rally.
The Warriors still accomplished so much, and know that it only graduates three players – Juila Wike, Maya Mills and Olivia Coleman. Everyone else could come back in 2023 to try and help Liverpool make another memorable run.
