CICERO - Despite the way it ended, the game wasn't at all representative of the Auburn softball team's 2008 season.
The Maroons fell 7-0 to No. 3 Cicero-North Syracuse in the Section III, Class AA quarterfinals at Gillette Road Middle School on Friday, but the team went home with little to hang their heads about.
“This doesn't take away from the whole season,” Auburn coach Bob Lee said. “Those girls played great all year long, and far exceeded every expectation I had for them at the beginning.”
The Northstars advance to play second-seeded Rome Free Academy in the semifinals Wednesday. Auburn, who was ranked sixth in the class, was unable to muster much offense against a flawless C-NS defense for the second time this season. The Northstars defeated the Maroons 4-0 April 21.
Cicero-North Syracuse mounted a manageable 4-0 lead heading into the sixth, but scored three more in the inning to put the game out of reach.
“The biggest difference between the two games was probably that sixth inning,” Lee said. “Other than that, it wasn't much of a difference at all. The first time we played them, we had one error and today, we had two. They hit the ball a little better - they had only six hits last time.”
The Northstars pounded eight hits off the Maroons, who allowed only two against Nottingham in the first round of the playoffs Wednesday. In return, Auburn earned just two hits and got four baserunners overall - not one of them advancing to second. Jamie Bruno belted a single in the seventh, and Brittney Babcock got one in the second. Northstars pitcher Erica Gigliotti pitched well enough to get the win in seven innings, but struck out just two. Babcock got the loss in her final high school game, but pitched well with two strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
“For us, this really wasn't that bad,” Lee said. “If you take out the last inning, we'd be down 4-0 and we still might have had a shot at it. The three runs in the last inning got us out of it.”
Lucia Meola blasted an RBI triple in the first to give the Northstars an early advantage. Meola and Jessica Phillips hit back-to-back two-out RBI singles in the third to stretch the lead and Meola added yet another RBI in the fifth to put her team up by four.
Cicero-North Syracuse has been a consistent thorn in Auburn's side, having booted the Maroons out of the playoffs twice in the last three seasons. Last year, Rome Free Academy beat the Maroons in the quarterfinals.
“That is the program that we're trying to get like,” Lee said of C-NS. “Since 1984, they've either won a league, a sectional and or a state championship in every year but '86, '91 and 2001. It's intimidating, and unfortunately it seems like every year but last year, when we advance in sectionals, we have to play them.”
Auburn finishes over .500 at 12-11, including defining wins over Oswego and West Genesee during the regular season. They will graduate Babcock and standout outfielders Shannon McCormick and Lauren Fedyshyn - who both made some terrific grabs in the loss.
“The bottom line is that this team played incredible all year long,” Lee said of his team. “The defense was great, and Brittney was a real go-getter, pitching every inning but one this season. I'm very proud of all of them. When I go home tonight, I'm still going to be smiling because, to get this far - I didn't expect it. They worked really hard to get here and they deserve all the credit.”
Northstars 7
Maroons 0
“This doesn't take away from the whole season,” Auburn coach Bob Lee said. “Those girls played great all year long, and far exceeded every expectation I had for them at the beginning.”
The Northstars advance to play second-seeded Rome Free Academy in the semifinals Wednesday. Auburn, who was ranked sixth in the class, was unable to muster much offense against a flawless C-NS defense for the second time this season. The Northstars defeated the Maroons 4-0 April 21.
Cicero-North Syracuse mounted a manageable 4-0 lead heading into the sixth, but scored three more in the inning to put the game out of reach.
“The biggest difference between the two games was probably that sixth inning,” Lee said. “Other than that, it wasn't much of a difference at all. The first time we played them, we had one error and today, we had two. They hit the ball a little better - they had only six hits last time.”
The Northstars pounded eight hits off the Maroons, who allowed only two against Nottingham in the first round of the playoffs Wednesday. In return, Auburn earned just two hits and got four baserunners overall - not one of them advancing to second. Jamie Bruno belted a single in the seventh, and Brittney Babcock got one in the second. Northstars pitcher Erica Gigliotti pitched well enough to get the win in seven innings, but struck out just two. Babcock got the loss in her final high school game, but pitched well with two strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
“For us, this really wasn't that bad,” Lee said. “If you take out the last inning, we'd be down 4-0 and we still might have had a shot at it. The three runs in the last inning got us out of it.”
Lucia Meola blasted an RBI triple in the first to give the Northstars an early advantage. Meola and Jessica Phillips hit back-to-back two-out RBI singles in the third to stretch the lead and Meola added yet another RBI in the fifth to put her team up by four.
Cicero-North Syracuse has been a consistent thorn in Auburn's side, having booted the Maroons out of the playoffs twice in the last three seasons. Last year, Rome Free Academy beat the Maroons in the quarterfinals.
“That is the program that we're trying to get like,” Lee said of C-NS. “Since 1984, they've either won a league, a sectional and or a state championship in every year but '86, '91 and 2001. It's intimidating, and unfortunately it seems like every year but last year, when we advance in sectionals, we have to play them.”
Auburn finishes over .500 at 12-11, including defining wins over Oswego and West Genesee during the regular season. They will graduate Babcock and standout outfielders Shannon McCormick and Lauren Fedyshyn - who both made some terrific grabs in the loss.
“The bottom line is that this team played incredible all year long,” Lee said of his team. “The defense was great, and Brittney was a real go-getter, pitching every inning but one this season. I'm very proud of all of them. When I go home tonight, I'm still going to be smiling because, to get this far - I didn't expect it. They worked really hard to get here and they deserve all the credit.”
Northstars 7
Maroons 0
