Trailing 4-0, Perry scored the next nine runs to defeat host Geneva on Tuesday, 9-4.
With the win, the Pirates clinched their fourth straight Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division title and extended their league winning streak to 47 straight games.
“We are driven by a very strong senior class this year,” Perry coach Joe Medlen said. “They came into our program from Day 1 wanting to set the bar and standard high for Perry softball and they have done just that. They’re great softball players but even better students. I like to say Person first, Athlete second, and they bought into everything I was selling to them as freshmen. What actually makes me proud is a majority of them played JV their freshmen year and we’re undefeated, so I knew we would back full nicely and they have done a fantastic job for our program and school district.”
The Pirates improved to 17-6 overall and 12-0 in league play with two games remaining. Their season sweep of Geneva secured the league title but it didn’t come easily.
Geneva (10-9, 9-2) led 4-0 before the Pirates rallied for five runs in the top of the sixth and four more in the seventh.
“I texted the girls today and told them I know Geneva is going to battle us and they did,” Medlen said. “We were very flat and finally woke up. We continued to just stay within ourselves and play our game and did not tighten up. This team does not give up and will battle until the last out.”
Ava Strahan led the Pirates with three hits while Angela Vicini and Elle Infalvi both recorded a pair. Vicini and Olivia Moon both knocked in two runs for the Pirates, who outhit the Eagles, 13-5.
“These types of wins are what define this team,” Medlen said. “Down but never out and we honestly trust and believe in each other from the scorekeeper to the coaches to the players. We communicate throughout the game a lot and try to stay as calm as possible for the girls.”
Moon went the distance for Perry. She allowed two runs on five hits and struck out eight.
The Pirates travel to Hawken on Thursday.
“We have a ton of respect for our opponents day in and day out and no matter who we play and believe that’s a key to our success,” Medlen said. “We play our game and if a team defeats us at our game that’s fine. We never lose. We win or we learn.”
