Sports
Girls Softball: Panthers Fall to Horsemen
Pleasantville Panthers suffer 12-5 defeat at home to league-rival Sleepy Hollow Horsemen.
Thursday’s 12-5 victory in favor of Sleepy Hollow over league-rival and hosts Pleasantville didn’t appear that out of reach to start as Taylor Forte’s base hit cut the deficit 3-1 in the first.
Towards the end, however, effectiveness of the game's basics was the deciding factor for a win or loss.
“We did good base-running today,” Sleepy Hollow Head Coach Tony Milewski.
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Two more Horsemen runs provoked Panther Pitcher Nicole Gagliara’s two RBI single in the inning’s bottom half for the 5-3 difference.
Forte’s second spark brought in Christina Dibenedetto for the 7-4 deficit entering the fifth after two more runs from the, 9-8, visitors – a commonality throughout the afternoon.
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The Panther’s struggled to overcome the Horsemen’s next five runs for the 12-4 deficit entering the bottom of the seventh where Forte proved vital a third time for the host’s fifth run of the afternoon off Alicia Marino’s base hit for the eventual 12-5 final despite the Horsemens' two quick outs to eliminate any other Panther chances to comeback.
Struggles all-around and the Horsemen's stellar play proved to be too much for the Panthers.
“They ran at us today,” Head Coach Gina Perino said.
Infield and outfield mistakes including missed catches, communication, and being in position at the right time prevented the Class C opponent from playing up to their full potential.
“It really cost us,” she said.
The Panthers have one more chance at their league rival 4:30 p.m. Friday to best their regular season record to 12-8 before next week’s sectional tournament.
Three games remain on the Horsemen’s schedule–all at home–including Saturday’s 11 a.m. home matchup with Valhalla before concluding with Croton-Harmon on Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Jamie Bucci gave up four hits for the Horsemen, walking four, to go along with five strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
Gagliara walked four, struck out two and gave up five hits, also in seven innings pitched for the Panthers who are guaranteed to finish the regular season over .500 a major improvement from their 3-5 start at the beginning of the season.
