Riders Shock Panthers & KO Defending Champs

The Caesar Rodney softball team pulled off the biggest upset of the 2016 DIAA State Tournament thus far, when they traveled to Polytech Saturday morning, and knocked off the defending state champs, 4-3. The Riders overcame a early 2 run deficit to advance to the second round of the state tournament.

The game couldn’t have started out any better for the Panthers, as they would get a RBI single from Amanda Waishes in the first that plated Whitney DeMora. They then pushed their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the second after Hayley Friess would blast a solo shot to left center. The champs then had a chance to put the game nearly out of reach, but they began to miss opportunities. They would leave the bases loaded with 1 out in the 3rd without plating a run. Then would work runners to 2nd and 3rd in the 4th but again couldn’t come through with the big hit. Then in the 5th, the Panthers would load the bases again with 1 out, but again, weren’t able to bring in a run.

The Riders took advantage. A couple errors would get runners on 1st and 2nd with no out in the Rosa’lynn Burton would then have a RBI single that scored Jordan Moseley, Polytech then had 2 more straight errors, which resulted in a pair of Riders runs as they would take the lead. They would head to the 7th still holding that 1 run lead, before Burton showed off her true value. Mirabella Klebart laid down the perfect bunt for the suicide squeeze, and Burton would fly down the line and slide under the tag. Polytech would stick with the play and turn 2 with runners trying to take extra bases, but the damage was done. 

Polytech was down their their final 2 outs before getting back to back singles to get runners on the corners. CR would then surrender a run to catch a Poly trying to steal 2nd. After a double would put the tying run in scoring position, Alyssa Ball would get the strike out to end the game.

CR advance to the state quarterfinals where they will face top seeded Caravel on Tuesday.