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Columbia pitcher Jess Patterson throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Columbia pitcher Jess Patterson throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard swings for the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard swings for the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Columbia's Alexis O'Brien tags Ballston Spa's Paige Davis out at third base during the Class AA softball final at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Columbia's Alexis O'Brien tags Ballston Spa's Paige Davis out at third base during the Class AA softball final at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Columbia's Alexis O'Brien tags Ballston Spa's Paige Davis out at third base during the Class AA softball final at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Columbia's Alexis O'Brien tags Ballston Spa's Paige Davis out at third base during the Class AA softball final at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa's Grace Thompson jumps up in the air after getting the last out at third to win the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessBallston Spa's Grace Thompson jumps up in the air after getting the last out at third to win the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y.
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Ballston Spa players celebrate after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Ballston Spa players celebrate after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard, left, gets a hug from Caroline Srokowski after the team won the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessBallston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard, left, gets a hug from Caroline Srokowski after the team won the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta
... more
Ballston Spa players celebrate after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Ballston Spa players celebrate after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa head coach Amanda Fifield is interviewed by the media after her team won the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessBallston Spa head coach Amanda Fifield is interviewed by the media after her team won the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori
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Teammates throw ice water on Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessTeammates throw ice water on Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van
... more
Teammates throw ice water on Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessTeammates throw ice water on Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van
... more
Ballston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard is interviewed by the media after her team won the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessBallston Spa pitcher Sarah Pritchard is interviewed by the media after her team won the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van
... more
Ballston Spa players celebrate after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Ballston Spa players celebrate after winning the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa catcher Grace Bayly catches the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Ballston Spa catcher Grace Bayly catches the ball during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Columbia's Alexis O'Brien tags Ballston Spa's Megan McMahon out at second base during the Class AA softball final at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessColumbia's Alexis O'Brien tags Ballston Spa's Megan McMahon out at second base during the Class AA softball final at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times
... more
Columbia's Madison Hogan swings for the ball during the Class AA softball final against Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Columbia's Madison Hogan swings for the ball during the Class AA softball final against Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Ballston Spa third baseman Grace Thompson throws the ball to Megan McMahon for the out at first during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
lessBallston Spa third baseman Grace Thompson throws the ball to Megan McMahon for the out at first during the Class AA softball final against Columbia at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in
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Spectators watch the class AA softball final between Columbia and Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Spectators watch the class AA softball final between Columbia and Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Columbia pitcher Jess Patterson throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Columbia pitcher Jess Patterson throws the ball during the Class AA softball final against Ballston Spa at the Luther Forest Complex on Wednesday, May 29, 2018 in Malta N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Error helps champ to title
Malta
Since the beginning of the season, the Ballston Spa softball team has found some way to make things happen, including in the Section II Tournament.
With the help of solid defense and Ana Gold scoring the eventual game-winning run on an error in the fifth inning, the No. 2 seed Scotties captured their second Section II Class AA title in three years with a 2-1 victory over No. 6 seed Columbia at Luther Forest Complex on Tuesday.
The Scotties (20-3) took the sectional title in 2016 by defeating Shenendehowa, then came up short to Shaker in last year's championship game. Sixth-year varsity coach Amanda Fifield believed this was a chance for her seniors to win another title.
"It's a great feeling to come back out here to get another (sectional) win two years later," Fifield said. "It was kind of a flashback to when we beat Shen. We took it hard last year. I felt like this year we had unfinished business, especially going into the sectionals. We had been here before and knew we could win it."
Earlier this season, Ballston Spa defeated Columbia. Senior Sarah Pritchard, who has been Ballston Spa's go-to pitcher all season, was again tested by Columbia (17-5) throughout the game as she allowed nine hits while striking out five. Though, it was the defense from senior third baseman Grace Thompson, senior center fielder Jillian Nitchman and sophomore right fielder Paige Davis that kept the Columbia runners stranded.
"I couldn't have done it without my team," Pritchard said. "It was sunny and it was really hard to see. I also wasn't doing too well offensively, but my team had my back."
Columbia (17-5) came out aggressively in the first inning with a single from Meghan Dougherty and a double off the fence from Taylor O'Brien. However, Thompson's fielding with an out at home and another out at first prevented the Blue Devils from scoring.
The Scotties took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Thompson doubled off the left-field fence to score Megan McMahon.
The Blue Devils eventually tied the game with one out in the fifth inning when Dougherty, who led off with another single, scored on Thompson's error. Ballston Spa came back in the bottom of the inning when Gold singled, stole second, then scored on an error.
Columbia continued to pressure Ballston Spa even through the last inning with a pair of runners in scoring position before Thompson recorded the last out.
O'Brien finished the game with a double and two singles, while Dougherty had three singles for Columbia. Jess Patterson struck out seven and gave up four hits through four innings before Maddie Burns finished the last two innings with five strikeouts.
"It is difficult to leave bases loaded, but you cannot take anything away from Ballston Spa. They made the defensive plays to get out of jams," Columbia coach Chris Ciccone said. "We weren't going to back off from anybody. We have a very young team, but they are fearless. We are going to play hard every inning; we are going to play hard every out. As much as we tried to match up, we got All-Starred."
Ballston Spa (20-3), which has won 16 straight games since losing to Saratoga Springs on April 20, meets Cicero-North Syracuse in Friday's opening round of the New York State Tournament.
"Our limits are endless," Fifield said. "We are capable of anything. It's all about unity and having each other's back. These girls have passion for the game. The game makes them happy. When they play for that with no other purpose, good things happen. They are like a sisterhood and they figure out a way to make things happen."
Tony Podlaski is a freelance writer.
https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Error-helps-champ-to-title-12952720.php
