PLATTSBURGH — Some say 13 is an unlucky number, but not for Crown Point.
“It’s a Ross thing” with the number 13 on the back was seen on shirts. Players wore bands with the number on it as well.
It was to honor the memory of Jeffrey Ross, who passed away after a prolonged battle with Leukemia before the season began for the Panthers. It became a rallying cry.
Crown Point didn’t just want to repeat as Section VII Class D champions, but the team wanted to win it for him.
Mission accomplished.
“It means the world to me today, because we’re playing for my uncle,” Kaitlin Ross said. “We said before the game that we were going to win this tournament, and we had no problem carrying it out. That means a lot to me.
“We miss him a lot, and it’s been a struggle getting through this season without him, but we made it happen for him.”
The junior pitcher continued a strong campaign as not only did she command from the mound, but she started the scoring early too.
Ross drove in the game’s first run with a single, followed by an RBI triple in the third to break a 1-1 tie.
When asked, she couldn’t help but smile talking about her enjoyment of hitting.
“I definitely have a lot more fun hitting than I do pitching, because I’m a lot less stressed,” she said. “With pitching, half the time I get off the base and I have to go right back out to pitching, and I’m hot and tired,
“When I’m batting I’m just having fun. Pitching It’s like a little more mental work.”
But, as the Panthers showed, they didn’t do it alone. Addison Hurlburt and Reagan Thomas had doubles, with Laurel Peters hitting an inside-the-park home run.
Hurlburt’s double, which scored two runs, would have gone for more bags if she had the opportunity. She took off from the batter’s box with the hit determined for extra bases.
“I don’t stop running until the coach tells me to stop,” Hurlburt said. “He has to yell pretty loud because I don’t stop. I want to keep going.”
Peter’s homer also plated two in the sixth inning to close out the scoring for the Panthers.
Hurlburt made mention of Jeff Ross, saying he was really special to the entire team.
“He came to every single game and he’s always cheering, even if he didn’t really know you,” she said. “He’s a good man.
“He’s (Coach Mike Ross’) son, and meant everything to Kaitlin. Kaitlin means a lot to us. We just wanted to play for him and get the job done.”
And it all comes back to 13. Kaitlin Ross said after the game that her uncle had the best seat in the house.
But what did it mean to the one wearing 13 (Ross) with an armband showing the number, as she also struck out 13 Eagle batters?
“I know he’s here and that was my sign,” Ross said. “I’ve been waiting for a sign every day since he passed. I feel like everybody’s gotten one but me, but this was mine.”
13 doesn’t sound that unlucky anymore, does it?
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Crown Point 7, Bolton 1
BCS;010;000;0;-;1;4;1
CP;102;205;x;-;7;10;3
Egloff and Navitsky. Ross and Munson. WP- Ross. LP- Navitsky. 2B- Hurlburt (CP), Thomas (CP). 3B- Ross (CP). HR- Peters (CP).