Ridgewood makes complete turnaround against Bureau Valley

MANLIUS - The Bureau Valley softball team was a play or two away from defeating Ridgewood, the defending Class 1A State champion, in a 1-0 loss Tuesday in eight innings.

Two days later, it was a whole different story when the same two teams met at Manlius.

The Storm (10-9) managed just two hits while committing eight errors in the field and proved no match for the Spartans, falling 11-1 Thursday by the 10-run rule in six innings.

“It was confusing,” BV coach Dave Shepard said. “On Tuesday, we go eight innings, got beat 1-0. We talked the next day in practice about the little adjustments we should and could have made to win that game. And we all had the intentions of doing it tonight and for whatever reason that girl (Ridgewood pitcher Courtney Thomas) had our number and we couldn’t put the bat on the ball.

“I think we had three balls on the left side of second base. As I look at the scoreboard, still trying to think what happened. We had eight errors, only two earned runs. Errors kill.”

Storm starter Carly Reglin. who was tagged with a loss with just one of the eight runs charged to her earned, said it was a tough day.

“After we’d make one (error), we’d hang our heads and that’s something you can’t do,” she said.

Reglin was able to keep it close at 2-0 until the Spartans broke it open with six runs in the fifth inning. She scattered seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts before giving way to Mallary Maubach with two outs in the fifth.

Ridgewood added two more in the sixth to go up 11-1.

Danni Benavidez, who singled and scored in the fifth inning, and Kadyn Haage had the only hits for the Storm.

Thomas allowed just the two hits with three walks while fanning seven.

Mackenzie Peck had three hits, including two doubles with two RBIs to lead the Spartans (11-6). Emma Poppy had two hits and a RBI and Thomas doubled.