NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Chris’ Girls Tuesday overcame a 14-3 deficit to earn a 22-17 win over Club Wyndham to reach the title round of the Pat Torchia Softball League.
Karen White went 3-for-3, scored three runs and went the distance in the circle as Chris’ Girls won the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament and earned a berth in Wednesday’s final against Ayrhill Farms.
Chris’ Girls will need to beat Ayrhill Farms on Wednesday to get to a winner-take-all final on Thursday at Disanti Field.
On Tuesday, Club Wyndham scored seven times in the second inning to take a 7-3 lead and built an 11-run advantage, thanks, in part, to a two-run double by Rachel Desautels and a two-run single from Laura O’Neil.
But Chris’ Girls used patience at the plate to whittle away at that lead.
They worked five walks and got a two-run single from Laura Feder in a six-run fifth inning to make it 14-9.
After White threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth, three more walks helped fuel a four-run rally for Chris’ Girls in the sixth as they got within a run.
Club Wyndham got its offense going again in the bottom of the sixth, when Kate Haring and Desautels each drove in a run to help their team pull ahead, 17-13.
Needing at least four runs to stay alive in their final at-bat, Chris’ Girls scored nine.
Again, free passes were a major factor. Club Wyndham, which went into the game without its two regular pitchers, used three pitchers in the top of the seventh, when Chris’ Girls walked eight times, including seven in a row at one point.
Club Wyndham got a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but White induced a fly ball to left for out No. 2 and ended the game with the night’s only strikeout.
Chris’ Girls and Ayrhill Farms will play at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Photos from this game to come.