JEFFERSON—Perry rose to the occasion in a must-win game at Jefferson as the Pirates needed only five innings to defeat the Falcons, 14-1.
The Pirates jumped on the Falcons for two runs in both the first and second innings, then added four in the third, two more in the fourth, and invoked the run rule with a four-run fifth.
“We saw some good pitching yesterday (against North), it helped us out today,” said Perry head coach Michelle Carino. “We hit very well, everybody hit, and we had a good day at the plate today.”
Morgan Winters hit a two-run homer in the first and then Arianna Rogers hit an RBI double in the second. Madeline Infalvi followed with an RBI single that pushed the Perry lead to 4-0.
Rosalyn Tharp started the Perry third with a solo home run over the left-field fence. Maddie Rupert added a sacrifice fly and Kendra Konrad reached on an error that allowed Perry’s seventh run to score. Infalvi added an RBI on an infield single.
Perry made it 10-0 with two more runs in the fourth.
Tharp worked a leadoff walk and moved to third on Winters’ double. Tharp scored on Thompson’s RBI double, and courtesy runner Mallory Martucci scored on Rupert’s ground out.
Jefferson avoided the shutout when Kennidie Rogers blasted a solo home run over the fence in right-center to start the Falcon fourth.
That’s as close as Jefferson would get as Perry added four more runs in the fourth.
Rogers reached on an error and scored on Elise Strahan’s RBI double, and Tharp drove in Strahan with an RBI single.
Winters followed with a single, and Martucci, who ran for Winters, scored on Sydney Collin’s two-run single.
“We stress line drives and say, ‘Hey, hit the ball hard, it’s going to take care of itself,’” Carino said. “That’s what we’ve been doing all year, and we’ve been hitting the ball well. When we’re working on all cylinders with hitting, pitching, and defense, we can play with anybody. We just have to have it all together on the same day.”
Winters finished the day 3-for-4 with a double and a home run, one run scored, and two RBI. She also went the distance in the circle where she allowed one run on five hits and struck out four.
Collins also went 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBI. Infalvi and Tharp both collected two hits for Perry.
Gabby Barress, Adrianna Brass, Marillia Matuz, Allison Hill, and Rogers each recorded hits for the Falcons.
Ada Sirrine takes the pitching loss after three innings of work, which included six earned runs on six hits and three walks.
Olivia Lewis pitched the final two innings, giving up three runs on six hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.
Perry hopes to ride this momentum to a deep postseason run.
“This game gives us some confidence,” Carino said. “It gives us confidence as we go to play the winner of Gilmour and Ravenna, and that’s going to be a tough game, no matter who we get. We’ve got to be ready for it, and today helped us out with that.”
The Pirates also kept alive their hopes of winning the Chagrin Valley Conference Lake Division title, although they’ll need some help.
Perry improved to 16-7 overall and 8-3 in league play. The Pirates trail first-place Edgewood by one game.
Before Perry closes out its conference slate against Lakeside on May 10, Edgewood hosts Madison on May 9. The Pirates need the Blue Streaks to win that game to earn a split with the Warriors, and possibly Madison.
“We have to wait and see what happens with the other teams,” Carino said. “We beat Madison twice but split with Jefferson, Edgewood, and Geneva, so we have to hope for some help.”
Perry visits Wickliffe on May 2 before hosting Lakeside next Friday to close out its conference schedule.
Jefferson will visit Madison on May 2 and then hosts Geneva on May 6.
