PLATTSBURGH — For advancing in the Class B playoffs, the number four seed Peru and third-seeded Saranac will face the top two seeds, Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake, respectively.
The Nighthawks, with a free-swinging offense, tallied 25 runs against the fifth-seeded AuSable Valley. It’s a good time to be heating up as they will run into Plattsburgh, who’s had solid pitching of late from Calli Fitzwater.
The Chiefs needed extra innings to get past the feisty sixth-seeded Eagles of Beekmantown. Their bats will need to get going as they travel to face second-seed Saranac Lake, which went undefeated at home during the regular season.
Both games are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. today.
PERU 25
AUSABLE VALLEY 6
PERU — The Nighthawks jumped in front to stay with seven runs in the first inning.
Lauren Prescott led Peru’s 25-hit attack with four hits, while Rachel Madore, Gabby Cunningham and Sierra Geppner added three each.
Winning pitcher Zoey Malcolm, Zoey Snider, Elly Cunningham and Kylee Lehman all added two hits apiece for Peru.
“Tonight we had the bats working from the start of the game until the end,” Peru coach Amie Marshall said. “Rachel Madore played outstanding defense for us at second base making some key outs when AuSable Valley was trying to rally.
“Tonight’s win was a great team effort. AuSable Valley had some great hits and battled the whole game.”
Sara Richards accounted for a home run and two singles for the Patriots, and both Annika LaMountain and Haley Hickey added two hits apiece.
—
Peru 25, AuSable Valley 6
AuSable Valley 121 010 1 — 6 9 3
Peru 713 608 x — 25 25 2
Hickey and Richards. Malcolm and Geppner. WP- Malcolm. LP- Hickey. 2B- LaMountain (AVCS), Madore (PCS), Cunningham (PCS), 2B- Geppner (PCS), 3B- Hickey (AVCS), Bailey (AVCS). HR- Richards (AVCS).
SARANAC 3
BEEKMANTOWN 2 (8)
SARANAC — The Chiefs forced extra innings with a run in the bottom of the seventh and scored one in the eighth to prevail.
“After an unearned run in the seventh to tie the game, we were able to load the bases on walks in the eighth and score on a passed ball,” Saranac coach Sam Campbell said. “It was a tough way to win or lose a game with so much on the line.
“It was a nail biter all the way.”
Winning pitcher Hailee Liberty allowed five hits, hit two batters, walked four and struck out eight in going the distance.
Losing pitcher Laci LaPier, who also went the route in taking the tough loss, surrendered three hits, hit two and walked six.
“I have to credit my team for staying focused through a hard game,” Campbell said. “Beekmantown deserves a lot of credit as well, playing as hard as they did after losing to us the day before and having as many games as they did this week.
“Beekmantown came in really focused and were a much better team than the day before.”
—
Saranac 3, Beekmantown 2 (8)
Beekmantown 000 110 00 — 2 5 1
Saranac 000 100 11 — 3 3 3
LaPier and Dutil. H. Liberty and Benjamin. WP- H. Liberty. LP- LaPier.