IAC SOFTBALL: NEWARK VALLEY RALLIES PAST DRYDEN (2019-04-04)

Tioga County Sports Report
NEWARK VALLEY — Cassidy Hoffmier shut down Dryden over the final three innings and helped herself at the plate as Newark Valley rallied for a 10-8 victory in IAC Division 3 action here Thursday.

The Cardinal pitcher retired nine of the last 10 batters as NV improved to 2-1 in divisional play. The lone base-runner was thrown out attempting to steal second by Marissa Berghorn, ending the game.

“Great game today,” said NV head coach Jason Monte. “We rallied from three down in the fourth inning to tie the game and added two more in the fifth to pull ahead. 

“Cassidy Hoffmier pitched the complete game and held Dryden to three hitless innings to end the game.”

With NV trailing, 8-5, April Simmons, Berghorn and Hoffmier delivered consecutive singles and each of them scored to tie the game in the fourth.

Allie Wandell doubled and scored, and Berghorn singled and scored in the fifth to give the Valley a 10-8 advantage.

Simmons and Berghorn singled and scored on the first of two Hoffmier doubles in the first inning for a 2-0 lead, but the Purple Lions took advantage of NV’s struggles in the second. Two walks and two errors to start the inning would highlight a six-run surge.

NV would narrow the gap to 6-5 in its half of the inning on doubles by Sarah Mertson, Berghorn and Hoffmier, and a base hit from Simmons.

Two singles, a walk and an error put Dryden back in front in the fourth, 8-5.

Hoffmier gave up five earned runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out five. She also went 4-for-4 at the plate, driving in four runs and scoring one.

Burghorn was 4-for-4 also, scoring four runs and driving in two more.

Simmons went 2-for-4 and scored three runs. Wandell was 2-for-5 with a double and a run, Mertson had a hit and a run, and Emma Graves and Staci Greene contributed one hit apiece.

“We were in a similar situation against Dryden last year and ended up losing so this was definitely a confidence-building game for our team, especially rallying back after having a bad second inning,” Monte said.

Newark Valley hosts division-leading Waverly (4-0) at 4:30 p.m. today.