Pearl River Softball Faces Fast Turnaround

Pearl River senior shortstop Gemma Mahoney had a simple message for her teammates before the eighth inning of Saturday's Section 1 Class A championship game against Eastchester.

"I want another game with you girls," Mahoney said.

She got it when Amanda Hartigan came in to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Pirates a 2-1 victory, their fourth consecutive section title and a berth in the state playoffs.

What Mahoney hadn't realized in her excitement was just how tight of a turnaround that game is going to be. Pearl River (23-1) will play Section 9 winner Port Jervis 3 p.m. Monday at Minisink Valley High School in the first round of the NYSPHSAA tournament. That makes for a very busy few days for many of the Pirates with Pearl River's Senior Prom set for tonight.

"We have a game Monday?" Mahoney exclaimed. "We have prom."

Not that the enthusiastic Mahoney was going to complain.

"I have this cut on my knee and I'm wearing a short dress," Mahoney said. "My softball wound. But it's worth it."

Senior pitcher Katie O'Flynn agreed.

"It is kind of rough because we do have prom tomorrow," O'Flynn said after the game. "It's probably going to be an early night for us, but that's all right for me. It's so worth it."

"It'll be tough, but we're a tough team," Pearl River coach Mike Carlacci said. "We don't make excuses. It is what it is. We will come out and play hard Monday and let the better team win."

If Pearl River wins Monday, the Pirates would be the home team for the quarterfinals against Section 4 champ Elmira Free Academy Wednesday. The game would be played at Nanuet. The semifinals and finals will be played June 11 at the Adirondack Sports Complex.