Corning didn’t win in the dominant fashion that has defined its season, but the Hawks displayed the defining characteristics that have led to a No. 1 ranking in New York.
Several stellar defensive plays, a complete game from senior ace Matti Johnston, and timely power off the bat of Sophie Schoonover lifted Corning to a 4-2 win over Section 9 runner-up Newburgh Free Academy in a New York State Public High School Athletic Association softball subregional Tuesday, June 2 at Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton.
Schoonover’s opposite-field homer to right field capped a three-run fifth inning for Corning after the Hawks took their turn at the plate facing a 2-1 deficit.
“It’s super exciting,” Schoonover said of the win. “Obviously we expect that of ourselves, to keep winning and keep grinding.
“That was a great game. They’re a great team, and we really came out to play. We always are. We’re ready.”
With Emilia Clark having warmed up on a day Johnston wasn’t at her sharpest, Johnston closed out the victory with two scoreless innings.
Johnston allowed 6 hits while striking out 6 and walking 3.
“She’ll be the first one to tell you she didn’t have her best stuff today,” said Corning head coach Mike Johnston Jr., who is Matti’s uncle. “But she trusted in her teammates, that they were going to get it done, and she made four or five lineouts right back to the pitcher’s mound, fielding her position, that were huge outs for us.”
Day of web gems from the Hawks
Among the defensive highlights for Corning:
“We work hard every single day,” Schoonover said when asked about the defense. “There’s no doubt we should be making those plays and Matti trusts us behind her, so we just do our best to make sure she’s being as efficient as possible.”
DeRosa said she was just doing what she could to help her team. Of the catch against the fence, she said, “I didn’t know the fence was there, I’m going to be honest. I think that’s why I did fall over because I did run into it. … I really wasn’t thinking about anything else. I was like, ‘I need to catch this ball.’ I knew there were runners on base.”
Offensive adjustments paid off big
Smith, a freshman, tripled in her first at-bat and scored the game’s first run when the throw to third on the play got away.
She followed with a hard single in her second at-bat. Her teammates struck out a combined seven times over the first four innings against Samantha Williams.
“You learn sometimes from your youngest players,” Mike Johnston said. “Emilia Smith was hitting rockets. I said to them, ‘What’s she doing?’ So they all made the same adjustment. It’s not rocket science sometimes.”
That adjustment was to step up in the batter’s box. In the next inning, DeRosa singled home Katie Grover before Schoonover slugged her clutch homer over the right-field fence.
“I made an adjustment from my first two at-bats,” Schoonover said. “I didn’t have a great first two. And then I made an adjustment because Emilia was killing it in the front of the box.
“I made that adjustment, came to the front, saw my first pitch, and just took it to oppo. Couldn’t have done it without my team on base.”
Smith and Mia Madden both went 2-for-3. Mike Johnston also pointed to a sacrifice bunt from Bella Beres, who pinch-hit in the middle of Keira Brass’ at-bat, as a key play. It set up DeRosa’s tying RBI.
Brass went 1-for-1.
Parker Mullarkey drove in both runs for Newburgh (11-11).
Up next
Corning (18-0) will play either Section 6’s Lancaster or Section 5’s Rush-Henrietta in the regional final at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at Gates-Chili High School in the Rochester area.
The Hawks are ranked No. 1 in Class AAA by the New York State Sports Writers and Coaches Organization for Girls Sports. They are seeking a third consecutive trip to the state final four. Corning won the title two years ago.
“Really proud of our kids. They kept battling,” Mike Johnston said of Tuesday’s triumph.
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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Defense, clutch homer lift Corning in Class AAA softball subregional
Reporting by Andrew Legare, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
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