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STAC SOFTBALL: HAWKS TOP CV, M-E TO WIN FIRST STAC TITLE (2022-05-14)

Southern Tier Sports Report
CHENANGO — The Corning softball team has accomplished a lot over the years.

The one thing the Hawks hadn’t done is win a STAC Championship. That all changed on Saturday as they beat Chenango Valley in the semifinals, 10-6 and then topped Maine-Endwell 6-2 in the final.

Saturday will be a day to remember for Corning as they won two games, captured the STAC title and go home to Corning for Senior Prom.

For the Hawks it was special to get the win, especially against a Maine-Endwell team that handed Corning its only loss earlier this year.

“I’m really excited for them,” Corning coach Mike Johnston Jr. said. “Just from a standpoint that Maine-Endwell got the bye, we would have to play a semifinal game to get the finals. We got down 3-0 in the first game (against Chenango Valley) and our kids battled back and picked each other up and got a good win. A solid effort from four pitchers on the mound, each of them did their part.

“To come out, and our only loss of the year was to Maine-Endwell and arguably one of the best pitchers in Section 4 in Olivia Lewis. I’m just really happy for our kids, great effort on the mount from Peyton Sullivan in the final and then Jill Austin came in and cleaned things up. Timely hitting, now our kids get to go and top the day off with their senior prom. There can be some distractions with that going on, but our kids were so focused on that.”

For Corning, the division title was the first goal this year, and Saturday was the second goal.

“Our first STAC Championship, so goal number two accomplished,” Johnston Jr. said.

In the semifinals against Chenango Valley the Hawks had nine hits on their way to the win.

After Chenango Valley struck first with three runs in the top of the first inning, the Hawks had two in the bottom of the first and four in the second to go up 6-3 and they never looked back.

Kelsey Booker had a home run for Corning, along with a double, three hits, six RBI and a run scored in the victory.

Olivia Keegan and Kellie Zoerb each had two hits. Keegan had a double and an RBI and Zoerb scored three runs.

Ellie DeRosa had a double, an RBI and three runs scored and Atalyia Rijo had a hit and scored two runs in the game.

Sophia Polzella scored a run for the Hawks.

Sullivan started for the Hawks and Austin came in and worked five innings, striking out five. Daphne Sherman struck out one in 1 1/3 innings and Anya Beres got two outs, without allowing any hits or walks.

In the final Sullivan went five innings, striking out eight and allowing five hits and two runs, one earned and Austin worked two innings, allowing one hit and no runs, with two strikeouts.

Polzella hit a home run int he second game and had two hits, four RBI and a pair of runs scored.

Rijo had three hits, with a double, and a run scored and Molly Moylan had a double and scored a run.

Zoerb, DeRosa, Booker and Sullivan all had hits for the Hawks in the game. DeRosa had an RBI and a run scored and Booker scored a run.

Keegan had an RBI in the game for the Hawks.

For Corning these games will help prepare them for sectionals.

“The biggest thing is we just played in the last two or three days, we have played some really good pitchers,” Johnston Jr. said. “Wellsville (in a non-league game earlier in the week) is No. 3 in Class B and Maine-Endwell is No. 2 in Class A. Seeing good pitchers on the mound is good because that’s who you will see in sectionals and if you are lucky enough to go beyond.”
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