CHESTERLAND—Shaylynn Rogaski’s RBI single in the eighth inning led West Geauga to a walk-off 5-4 win over visiting Jefferson on Friday.
Tied 4-4, Rogaski stepped into the box with two outs and delivered the game-winning hit for the Wolverines.
“She is a wily veteran,” said West Geauga coach Mark Percassi of Rogaski. “She is a senior who has played a ton of ball. I’d want a handful of players up in that situation, but I wouldn’t want anyone else but her up in that situation. I had full faith in her to finish it, and she did. I just felt it.”
The game was scoreless through four innings before Jefferson struck in the fifth. Olivia Lewis singled with one out and scored on an Alaina Barress RBI double. Marillia Matuz then doubled in Barress for a 2-0 lead.
Jefferson tacked on two more in the seventh.
Kennidie Rogers launched a solo home run to right, and Barress doubled again and scored on an Allison Hill single to make it 4-0.
Despite the deficit, West Geauga refused to fold.
“We just said, ‘Let’s go for (the win)’,” Percassi said. “Dayana (Malone) started it off with a home run, and they say hitting is contagious. It started the engines, got things going, and it was the big setup to get the train rolling.”
Malone’s solo shot kicked off five straight hits. Ava Borz followed with an RBI double, then Rogaski added an RBI double to make it 4-3.
Lely Percassi tied it with a line drive to center, scoring Rogaski and forcing extras.
Allie Arrigo led off the eighth with a single, and pinch runner Sydney Gallagher stole second. Borz worked a two-out walk, bringing Rogaski back to the plate.
“It was nerve-racking,” she said of the at-bat. “I was scared going up to bat, but I saw the first pitch and I was excited.”
Rogaski came through, punching a single to left center as Gallagher crossed the plate for the win.
The win came just two days after Jefferson beat West Geauga 5-1, adding extra emotion to the comeback.
“It was a 2-1 game in the sixth, and then (Jefferson) added a couple of runs, and then it was 5-1. When they started hitting the ball, I started thinking the exact same thing,” Percassi said. “We stayed in there, and I give Lely a ton of credit for as tough as she pitched in those jams. We hung in there, so for them to come back like that and give it a heck of an effort is a hat’s off to my girls. That’s a great team over there.”
West Geauga was able to show its mettle thanks to an independent schedule, opening the door to play tough competition that breeds moments like a walk-off, come-from-behind win.
“We knew we needed to be challenged, and we’ve taken our lumps, but it’s allowed us to see our weaknesses so we can get better,” Percassi said. “We won at a high rate last year, and I felt like we weren’t learning a lot, and when we got into tough games, we didn’t have answers. But now we’re learning with opportunities to get better. Today was a great example of that.”
Rogaski led the offense, going 4-for-5 with two RBI, including the game-winner. Malone went 3-for-5 with a homer and an RBI. Ava Borz was 2-for-4 with an RBI double, and Percassi chipped in a hit and an RBI while pitching all eight innings, allowing one earned run on nine hits with one walk and four punchouts.
Jefferson head coach Nick Price echoed a mindset similar to that of Coach Percassi.
“My goal is to be around .500,” he said. “If they go above that, then they earned it, but when it comes playoff time, there isn’t any kind of game we haven’t been in. They’re going to be mentally ready and tough. We’ll see the benefits when the time comes.”
Jefferson has suffered another stinging loss, but the Falcons will look to stay together and keep their heads high.
“These games bring us closer together, and these close games are when we have to band together the most,” Rogers said. “Every game we get closer, and that’s one of our biggest strengths.”
Barress led the Falcons at the plate as she finished 3-for-4 with an RBI. Matuz and Hill each went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Rogers was 1-for-4 with a solo home run.
Olivia Lewis pitched 7 ⅔ innings, allowing four runs on 15 hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Jefferson visits Madison on April 21, while West Geauga hosts South on April 22.
