Pitchers duel might be an understatement for what transpired Saturday at Pearl River, when the Pirates' Mandy McCarthy faced off with Tappan Zee’s Paulina Gutkin.
The two traded not only scoreless but hitless innings until the seventh, when the first hit of the day decided the game. With two outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the seventh, Pearl River senior third baseman Amanda Hartigan ripped a single between the third baseman and shortstop to bring home Kristyn Neroda to give the Pirates the 1-0 win.
“I just knew I had to put the ball somewhere, so I choked up and putting on the ground was probably the best option, so that’s what I did,” Hartigan said. “I found a gap and got a hit.”
McCarthy finished the game pitching seven innings, giving up no hits, walking one and striking out 11.
“Mandy did amazing,” Hartigan said. “She’s a tough kid, so we know she’s going to work hard out there.”
Gutkin takes the loss pitching 6 2/3 innings, giving up one earned run on one hit, while walking two and striking out eight.
“Both pitchers pitched great. There wasn’t a lot of offense going on,” Pearl River Coach Mike Carlacci. “When you have two really good teams, that’s what you expect, a close game throughout, and it’s going to be the difference, that one play.”
Neroda led off the bottom of the seventh by drawing a walk. She stole second on the very next pitch.
“She’s fast, so we knew she was going to get to second and steal,” Hartigan said.
McCarthy helped herself out by sacrifice bunting Neroda to third. Two batters later, Hartigan stepped up and singled, giving the Pirates (8-0) the win.
Pearl River 1, Tappan Zee 0
Tappan Zee 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Pearl River 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1
WP: Mandy McCarthy (5-0); LP: Paulina Gutkin
