Tuxedo entered this game as the No. 4 seed while Tri-Valley was the No. 5 seed.
This was the Bears first time making the sectionals since 2007 and their first winning record since 2005.
Following two scoreless innings by both teams Tri-Valley got on the scoreboard first with one run in the top of the third off a single to left field by Mikayla Clearwater who promptly stole second and took third base on a ground ball out by Robyn Dymond. Angie DiToro then singled to center scoring Clearwater.
Tuxedo took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a walk to Kerri Burton, a fly ball single to right field by Danielle McNamara, a ground ball to short that Maddy Doyle beat out, Alison Toscano then beat out a throw from third, Jess Bach hit a fly ball to right which was dropped and a run also scored on a passed ball.
The four runs were all Tuxedo needed for the win but they put the game away with three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and three additional runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Bears added single run innings in the top of the fourth and the top of the seventh.
The single run in the fourth was on walks to Ashley Exner, Liz Hannold, Megan Bantin and Clearwater.
Winning pitcher Alison Toscano pitched a five hitter and went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and four RBI's.
Tuxedo's Cierra Malone went 3-for-4 and scoredd three runs while Danielle McNamara went 3-for-3 and scored two runs.
Tri-Valley's Mikayla Clearwater went 1-for-2 with one RBI and scored two runs. Angie DiToro had two hits and drove in one run.
Tri-Valley ends the season with a 11-8 record while Tuxedo upped their record to
12-5 and advanced to play No. 1 seed S.S. Seward yesterday at Florida.
Tuxedo coach Michelle Hines gave high praise for her pitcher Alison Toscano and added "my middle infield had some real nice plays and my center fielder had a couple of real nice catches."
Hines noted the young ball players on the Tri-Valley team noting "they are going to be very good contenders in the next couple of years."
Tri-Valley coach Mary Feusner who has been the Lady Bears head coach since 1980 in her analysis of this game said, "we were on base quite a bit but just couldn't get those runs in."
She added "we missed opportunities to get some runs and we had some untimely errors.
Feusner acknowledged that she is retiring this year from teaching which could also result in the end of her 37 years of coaching. She firmly stated when asked what she would be doing next year " I sincerely hope to be coaching, I really want to be coaching this crew, I'm very proud of them, I like them, they are coach-able, their good kids, I don't want to leave them and I will apply for the position but that is out of my hands for hiring and I don't know what they (the school board) will do."
Feusner has coached a total of 624 games and prior to being named head coach in 1980 she was the assistant coach under Fred Booker in 1978 and 1979.
Her best season was in 1986 when Tri-Valley won the Class D state championship in Binghamton against Tuckahoe and Afton and won the championship game in the bottom of the seventh.
Tonya Ackerley Martin was the winning pitcher and Heidi Blade Hewlett was the Bears catcher.
The Lady Bears present youth movement will now add depth to the 2015 team that presently consists of three eighth graders, one ninth grader and four sophomores which many opposing coaches and Tri-Valley spectators projecting will bring softball success in the next couple of years to Tri-Valley.
PHOTOS FROM SECTIONAL G AME PLAYED TUESDAY
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