Shen softball stunts late Colonie rally to win Class AAA championship
MALTA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- What a difference a month makes.
Back on April 21, the Colonie softball team marched into Clifton Park and dominated Shenendehowa, 10-1. Thursday's rematch went a bit differently.
In a battle for the Class AAA championship, Shen starting pitcher Ava Klementzos, who allowed seven runs in the first meeting, kept the high-powered Wolf Pack bats in check this time around. The sophomore tossed a complete game, guiding Shen to a 2-1 victory and the program's second section title in the last three years.
"We put Ava in some jams, 'cause we were working around [Katie] Parisi and [Adrianna} Laraway, who really hurt us the last time we played," said Shenendehowa head coach Chris Farquharson. "Putting those kids on put a lot of pressure on Ava. Even in the rain, she held her composure, threw her strikes and trusted her defense; it was great to see."
Klementzos' trust in her defense was put to the test in the seventh inning when Colonie started a two-out rally. After a Morgan Ellerbrock single, the Wolf Pack leadoff hitter reached second base on a pass ball. She was then brought in on a base hit from Jadeyn Barbero, finally putting Colonie on the scoreboard.
Klementzos then issued back-to-back walks to Parisi and Laraway, which loaded the bases. With nowhere to put Colonie's five-hitter, Sydney Cataldo, Klementzos would have to challenge her and rely on the Shen defense to make a play. That's exactly what they did.
Cataldo hit a screaming line drive to third, which was snared by Emelya Pardo - the finishing touch on a flawless defensive effort from Shen, and a gutsy complete game from its starting pitcher.
"I just really trusted my team and my defense," said Klementzos. "They make all the plays behind me. I knew they had my back, and they did. And we won."
The Shen offense did just enough against Laraway, who started in the circle for Colonie. Quinn Farquharson pushed across the team's first run in the fifth inning with a double that plated Izzy Mueller.
Shen manufactured what proved to be a huge insurance run in the top of the seventh. Following a leadoff double from Grace Parseghian, Farquharson moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt, setting up Avery Lundin, who drove in Parseghian with a sacrifice fly.
"I'm happy we scratched a few runs together," said Chris Farquharson. "And we didn't give up. We had that confidence and belief in each other throughout the entire game."
This was Klementzos' second complete game of sectionals after shutting out third-seeded Shaker in the semifinals. She's recorded more strikeouts in this tournament (15) than she's given up hits (9).
Pardo and catcher Maya Oehlschlaeger both had multi-hit days at the plate. Pardo went 2-4, while Oehlschlaeger went 2-2 with a walk.
Colonie was paced offensively by Ellerbrock, who tallied three of the team's five hits and scored the only run. Parisi didn't see many pitches to hit; she was walked in all four of her at-bats.
Despite taking the loss, Laraway put together another strong performance in the circle. She too went the distance and did so on a very efficient 80 pitches, as opposed to Klementzos' 129.
Colonie, which was ranked No. 1 in the state for Class AAA, has now suffered season-ending defeats to Shen in a sectional championship game two of the last three seasons. The Wolf Pack conclude the 2025 campaign with a 17-4 record.
Shen (18-2) advances to the state tournament, where it will take on the Section 1 champion in a regional game at North Rockland High School on Saturday, June 7 at 11:00 a.m.