Whitesboro, Camden were defeated in regional softball playoffs

MALTA – The 2024 softball season came to an end Saturday for the Tri-Valley League’s Whitesboro Warriors and Camden Blue Devils as the Section III Class AA and Class A champions were defeated in regional play at Luther Forest Field.

Playing state quarterfinal games against the respective Section II champions, Camden was defeated 6-4 by Ichabod Crane and Whitesboro was defeated 10-2 by Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.

Five of the six Section III softball class champions were defeated in regionals over the weekend, with only Class B Marcellus advancing to the state semifinals on Long Island.

More:New York State Softball Playoff Schedule and Results

CLASS AA: Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 10, Whitesboro 2

Section II Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake scored three runs in the first inning Saturday and never trailed en route to a 10-2 regional playoff victory over Section III Class AA champion Whitesboro.

Ava Yahoudy hit a two-run single and was thrown out at second base to end the first inning that started with a third strike.

“That’s not how we wanted it to go,” Whitesboro coach Aaron Cirasuolo said. “We didn’t start the way we wanted, but we battled like we have all year.”

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake added a run in the second inning. Whitesboro closed to within 4-1, and the Spartans scored four times in the bottom of the sixth to extend a 6-2 margin.

Whitesboro (17-4) scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. Sophia Temple led off the fourth with a single and scored on a two-out hit by Addison Cook; Temple led off the second run with a ground ball after Casey Clausen’s leadoff triple in the sixth.

Cook struck out nine batters and retired nine batters in one stretch.

Cianna Benamati singled, tripled and scored three runs for Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (19-2). Addisyn Knapik also had a triple among the Spartans’ nine hits, Lily Haluska doubled and Carli Ewing and Grace Adone each scored twice.

Burnt Hill-Ballston Lake heads to Long Island for the Final Four, which includes 2023 Section VI champion Clarence and 2022 Class A finalist Vestal from Section IV.

CLASS A: Ichabod Crane 6, Camden 4

The winner of New York’s last two Class B championships took a big step toward this year’s Class A crown when Section II Ichabod Crane held off the Camden Blue Devils for a 6-4 victory Saturday in the regional playoffs.

Ichabod Crane’s unbeaten Riders (24-0) scored five runs in the fourth inning of what had been a scoreless game. Camden (20-3) came right back with three in the top of the fifth, but couldn’t catch up.

“They didn’t hit us hard,” Camden coach Jed Musch said. “They hit balls off the handle and they hit balls off the end of the club and they sank. They just found spots.”

Up 6-3 in the seventh inning, the Blue Devils sent the top of their lineup to the plate. Second baseman Meredith Garafalo grounded out to rob Brooke Musch of a possible hit before Camryn Shenk singled. Shenk stole second with two outs and scored on a single by Kendall Musch, bringing the tying run to the plate. Avery Prievo flied out to center field to end the game.

Pitcher Layla Killino struck out four batters and limited Ichabod Crane to seven hits. The six runs scored Saturday marked the eighth time in 24 games this season the Riders have scored fewer than 10; Ichabod Crane averages 12.1 runs per game.

Shenk had three hits, scored two runs and drove in two for Camden, which beat Ichabod Crane 10-7. Brooke Musch added two hits and a run and Amber Shenk singled and doubled; Amber Shenk led off the sixth inning with a double and was stranded at third base.

“We had a great season,” said Jed Musch, whose team pulled through and won its first Section III title. “These games were just the icing on the cake.”

Four of Ichabod Crane’s seven hits came in the fourth inning, when eight consecutive Riders reached base on an error and a walk mixed with fielder’s choices. Ava Heffner went hitless but scored two runs.

Ichabod Crane plays Section IX Marlboro in a Class A semifinal rematch of last year’s B championship game. Marlboro was the B champion in 2016 and Ichabod Crane won in 2018.