Division I softball: Coventry takes title with extra-inning win over Cumberland

09:09 PM EDT on Saturday, June 6, 2009

BY CAROLYN THORNTON
Journal Sports Writer

PROVIDENCE – Their coach predicted a close game. He predicted it wouldn't be decided until the latter innings. He also felt his players had it in them to claim a state title. But would they be able to do it with just one game against a team that had been equally hot in the playoffs?

The members of Chris Daigneault's Coventry softball team proved all of their coaches' predictions to be true. They also made sure that one game was all they'd need, as the Oakers claimed the program's first Division I fast-pitch title by edging Cumberland, 4-3, in nine innings at the Amica Insurance Rhode Island Interscholastic League Softball Championships, Saturday at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex.

"I really can't believe it," said junior Elise Fortier, who hurled Coventry to the win and also contributed an RBI double in the ninth. "It feels great to win it for [seniors Alycia Broccoli, Kelly Nix and Katy MacAndrew]. I really couldn't ask for anything more for my teammates."

"Every time we play that team it's unbelievable, and [Cumberland's] Beth Paul pitched phenomenal," added Daigneault, who is in his seventh year as Coventry's head coach. "My hat's off to her. She pitched unbelievable. But we finally put the ball in play and put a little pressure on their defense and really things happened because of that. I think my team played well defensively the whole game to stay in it. They played with nerves, but they played awesome."

Cumberland - which would have forced the teams to play an "if game" if it had won yesterday, since it would have been only Coventry's first loss in the double-elimination tournament - took a 1-0 lead in the third when Kelsey Cahill drew a walk, advanced to second on Lyndsey Martins' hard infield hit back to the mound and then scored on Paul's line drive up the middle.

Facing two outs and a 1-and-1 count in the top of the sixth, Coventry junior Katelyn Carroll cleared the 200-foot fence in left field to tie the score.

"Coming in as a freshman, it's all I ever wanted was to be here, to play at RIC. It's just awesome. The feeling is indescribable," said Carroll, the Oakers' shortstop. "I just knew I couldn't go into the playoff finals and not get a hit, so I pretty much bore down and tried to make some contact. I wasn't really expecting that. It felt really good, so I knew right when I hit it that it was gone."

That's the way the score would stay until the top of the ninth when Coventry rallied for three runs.

Starting the extra inning with Chelsie Pitarossi on second base, according to the international tiebreaker rule, the Oakers moved her over to third with a sacrifice bunt by Halyee McHale.

After an overthrow to first on a grounder by Carroll allowed Pitarossi to score and Gianna Palermo reached safely with a fielder's choice, Fortier delivered a double to left that plated Carroll.

MacAndrew, who was pinch running for Palermo, then scored on a bunt single by Ashley Olson to make it 4-1.

Cumberland, which battled its way through the losers' bracket to earn its first title appearance in eight years, created its own havoc in the bottom half of the frame. Finishing with nine hits on the day, the Clippers got two runs back -- on Ashley Noke’s RBI single to left and Kelsey Cahill’s RBI single to right -- and had runners on first and third with one out.

But Oakers second baseman Hannah Cole caught a hard liner by Casey McDonald and doubled off the runner on first to end the inning, giving Coventry only the second fast-pitch title since it switched its program from slow-pitch in 1996. (The Oakers also won the 2000 Division II crown.)

"It's honestly nervewracking, but I love the pressure," said Carroll. "It's awesome. I trust my defense 100 percent, and with Elise on the mound, that gives us that extra boost of confidence. We have great defense that makes the big plays, and it's awesome."

Coventry 000 001 003 – 4 4 2

Cumberland 001 000 002 – 3 9 4

Elise Fortier and Ashley Olson; Bethany Paul and Kristen Peffer.