Second place in the Western League is still well within reach for the Palisades High softball team, which is currently tied for the second spot after junior left fielder Lily Lack’s walk-off double gave the Dolphins a 2-1 win over Hamilton at home last Thursday.
PaliHi (11-6 overall) and Hamilton are both 7-3 in league with two games remaining. The Dolphins hosted University on Tuesday and play at University this afternoon, while Hamilton plays its final two games against Westchester. Venice (10-0) has clinched the league title.
Against the Yankees last Thursday, pitching carried virtually the entire game, with senior center fielder Amber Flores providing the only offense through the first six innings with a third-inning solo home run, her second and the team’s second of the season.
Junior Courtney Carswell earned the win with a complete-game effort, hurling seven stellar innings. She allowed just five hits, walking four and striking out seven.
“Courtney pitched an incredible game,” head coach Manuel Flores said. “She really kept their hitters off balance. She’s developed a lot as a pitcher, and she controlled the game. We needed this one.”
In the bottom of the seventh, the first two PaliHi hitters were retired before senior catcher Shannon Dunn hit a two-out double to keep the inning alive. Lack, who had been 0-for-3, then pulled a shot down the left-field line to bring home Dunn with the running run.
If PaliHi and Hamilton end up tied in the standings, Hamilton could end up being awarded the tiebreak because of net runs scored in the teams’ two head-to-head meetings (Hamilton won the first game, 5-2).
The Western League playoff seeding meeting will be held tomorrow afternoon. It is unlikely the Dolphins will earn a bye, meaning their first playoff game would be on Tuesday.
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