BORRAYO-LED YELLOW JACKETS STING WOODBRIDGE, 3-2, TO CLINCH STATE BERTH

Hirschy’s RBI single in fifth sends Osbourn Park to Thursday’s region softball final

By Matthew Proctor Times sTaff WriTer

It felt like a duel of grand masters in chess.

Osbourn Park ace Samantha Borrayo and Woodbridge counterpart Jericho Tate went back and forth in Tuesday’s Class 6 Region B semifinal in a match so tight it felt one slip up would be a devastating blow.

With a berth in the Class 6 state tournament on the line and the loser going home, the host Yellow Jackets broke a 2-2 tie on Cordia Hirschy’s clutch fifth inning single to win 3-2.

“I’m super proud of their effort, they played as a team tonight,” said Osbourn Park coach Patrick DeRosa. “They didn’t let a blunder in the middle of the game get into their heads. They finished the game strong. And that’s been the biggest thing, finish games, win as a team, make the heads up plays.”

Although Borrayo was dominant, striking out 10, her throwing error helped the Vikings score twice to tie the game in the fourth. But she recovered to close out a mostly flawless complete game two-hit outing.

“I just wanted to get ahead on each batter and just finish the pitch. If I got ahead, I wanted to keep it going and just stay strong,” said Borrayo, who is a junior like Tate.

Osbourn Park (19-3) advanced to Thursday’s region final (6 p.m.) where they will face the winner of Wednesday’s Colgan vs. John

Champe semifinal. Reigning region champ Woodbridge (17-6) saw its season and bid to go back to states end with a tough loss.

“We don’t set our sights on, ‘Let’s just have a good regular season and go from there,’” said DeRosa. “Our goal is win the conference, make it to the regional final, win the regional final and try to advance to states. It’s some- thing where we built a good program.”

While the loss stings, Woodbridge returns almost their entire lineup next season as their young roster featured just two seniors. Coach Nicole Belk can’t wait to see what’s in store.

“This season was a lot more of trying to mold the team together,” Belk said. “We’re a very heavy junior class. I’m only losing two players, one starter. So, our whole team is returning next year. It’s a matter of we took this year to mold and hopefully by next year we’ll be a good fit.”

OP is also young with just one senior. After winning the region in 2021, the Yellow Jackets have reloaded and look primed to contend for years with four freshman and two sophomores in the starting lineup. With both squads likely to be in the mix atop the region in the future, it would be no surprise to see a rematch next season.

“We got a bunch of new girls to the team this year and I’m excited that they’re a part of the success. Hopefully it carries on,” said DeRosa.

Foreshadowing what was to come for Woodbridge, Borrayo quickly disposed of the Vikings’ hitters in the top of the first. On a groundout and a pair of strikeouts, Borrayo pitched the first of six 1-2-3 innings. Woodbridge’s starter Tate countered Borrayo’s inning in the bottom of the first with three quick outs of her own. The second inning went the same way as both aces retired the side in order.

SOFTBALL, from page 9

Borrayo struck out the side in the third. Soon she got some run support.

With two away, OP forced the issue on the basepaths. After reaching on a fielder’s choice, Mia Gamble took second on a delayed steal and third on a passed ball, then Hayden Menefee walked and immediately stole second.

On a 1-1 pitch, Cordia Hirschy chopped a single up the middle to drive in Gamble for a 1-0 lead as Menefee went to third. Menifee scored on a wild pitch to give OP a 2-0 lead.

“I like to say we think small and then good things will come. We try not to get too antsy. When we get too antsy, we will start swinging at stuff that we shouldn’t swing at,” catcher Hirschy said.

Borrayo’s costly error allowed the Vikings to strike back in the fourth. After a leadoff single by Grace Clary, Bobbi Tate hit the ball back to Bor- rayo, who threw the ball into center field trying for an out at second. The ball rolled to the outfield wall allowing Clary to score and Tate to reach third. A batter later, Kylie Barbier’s sacrifice bunt tied the game at 2-2.

The Yellow Jackets got two runners abord with no outs in the bottom of the fourth, but didn’t score. Borrayo rebounded from her error by punching out the side in the fifth for the second time of the night.

“She likes to throw it hard when she gets a little mad. My finger might turn a little purple sometimes, but it’s okay. She does a great job. She always bounces back. She brushes it off, and then she picks us up,” said Hirschy.

The Yellow Jackets scored the decisive run in the bottom of the fifth thanks to Hirschy. Gamble led off with a single, stole second and scored on Hirschy’s opposite field single to right to retake the lead 3-2.

“Cordia has been big for us. She’s a bit of our spark plug for us. She’s super energetic. She leads the team from behind the dish and helps calm Sam down at times. But just her performance tonight at bat was awesome,” DeRosa said.

Borrayo pitched another quick inning in the sixth, then Tate kept the Yellow Jackets scoreless to give Woodbridge one last chance in the seventh.

With two outs and the Vikings down to their last hope, Trinity Roth launched a pitch high and deep down the left field line, but it sliced and bounced off the wall a few feet into foul territory. A pitch later Borrayo forced a ground ball to third that Jenna Wilson delivered on time to first to give Osbourn Park the dramatic 3-2 win.

Said DeRosa, “The biggest thing is (Borrayo’s) hitting her spots. She didn’t walk anybody. That’s Sam’s biggest thing. She stays out of deep counts as much as possible, she throws strikes.”