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Dellow Delivers

Westfield Star Hits Clutch 2-Run HR to send Wolverines Past T’Birds

By Christian Storms 5 min read

MAYVILLE -- Big-time players deliver in big time moments.

The two-time Post-Journal/OBSERVER Player of the Year, Westfield senior Haleigh Dellow, is about as big time as it gets and the George Mason University Division I softball commit showed exactly that on Monday night.

With the score tied at 2-2 in the top of the seventh between Chautauqua Lake and Westfield -- the top teams in Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 West -- Dellow stepped up to the plate with two outs and Keara Kincaid on first base. Going head to head with Canisius College Division I commit Olivia Herrington, Dellow got the best of her, smashing a hard-hit ball down the left-field line which she legged out an inside-the-park home run to give the Wolverines the 4-2 lead that stood for the victory.

"I was just focused on hitting the ball and just trying to get a run in," Dellow said. "Just trying to get Keara home from first and just keep my head in that game. Knowing it's going to be a marathon and not just one pitch, not just one hit, it's going to be the whole game."

In one of the most anticipated matchups of the season, a battle between two elite pitchers, both teams would have to make the most of the opportunities given to them. One way that would be done is by some crafty baserunning and Westfield (13-1, 8-0) was the first to take advantage of that.

In the top of the third inning, Dellow led off with her second single of the game and was promptly sacrificed on a bunt by Eva Gnadzinski all the way to third base. Mackenzie Schumaker then walked and took second on defensive indifference with Dellow just 60 feet away from home. However, with confusion in the field, Dellow darted home on a throw back to the mound to take the 1-0 lead.

Visibly frustrated after Dellow swiped home, Madyson Burgess made it worse for the Thunderbirds when she knocked a single to right field to bring home Schumaker for the 2-0 lead.

"Herrington is an animal out there, she's really tough," Westfield head coach Shawn Gnadzinski said about being aggressive on the basepaths. "We know we're going to have our hands full with her and we've got to take advantage and push the issue sometimes trying to take an extra base."

Chautauqua Lake (7-2, 7-1) managed to get back in the game and of course it started with Herrington breaking Dellow's perfect game with a single to right field. Herrington then swiped second before Jenna Waters worked a walk, putting the first two Thunderbirds on the basepaths.

The Thunderbirds then took advantage of smart baserunning when Cayzlee Johnson hit a ball to first base that was bobbled and led to a collision, which allowed for both Herrington and Waters to rush home to tie the game at 2-2.

"They're absolute gamers," Chautauqua Lake head coach Sue Teets said about Herrington and Dellow leading their teams. "They have that competitive spirit and Jenna and Olivia were over here as captains saying 'we're not out of this game, we're going to win this game.' Both Dellow and Herrington are gamers."

Both teams later flirted with runners in scoring position, even with Chautauqua Lake getting Johnson as far as third base with Jillian Miller right behind her on second. However, the pressure didn't faze Dellow who picked up two more of her eventual 14 strikeouts to get out of the inning.

Heading into the seventh, Dellow was fourth in line to hit, so Westfield needed just one runner to get aboard for star senior to get a chance in the clutch. Kincaid put a ball in play to shortstop and a throw in the dirt at first allowed her to get aboard. After a pop-up, Dellow approached with two outs and hit a screamer down the line that she turned into a home run.

"7-8-9 are coming up and I'm saying if one of them can get on Haleigh comes up and let's see what happens," Gnadzinski said about the top of the seventh. "You see how Haleigh does it, she's a unicorn, she is going to come up in big moments. Boy she hit that hard and it just got by that left fielder and it worked out for us."

Herrington finished the inning after Dellow's homer with her 11th strikeout of the contest, but trailed 4-2.

"She's an amazing pitcher and I always know that whenever we play them it's going to be a battle," Dellow said about Herrington and the Thunderbirds. "You just have to go on the mound mentally strong that your team's behind you and that you can do this the whole game and every pitch you have to be focused."

Chautauqua Lake had its top of the lineup due in the bottom of the seventh, but groundouts by Sydney Williams and Herrington put the comeback in jeopardy. Waters reached base for the third time via walk, but it just led to another Dellow strikeout that gave the Wolverines the 4-2 win.

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