NEWBURGH, NY – It was a real dogfight on Sunday, June 1 as the Lady Bulldogs of Sullivan West squared off against the Highland Lady Huskies in the NYSPHSAA Section IX Class B softball finals.

To get to the brass-ring game, Sullivan West (7-2) convincingly defeated Ellenville in a homestand 6-1 on Thursday, May 29.

But on the first day of June, it all came crashing down as Highland (14-5), the second-ranked team, walloped Sullivan West (7-2), the top-seeded squad of varsity softball swatters, 11-1.

The Lady Huskies set the tone of the game early on, as they posted one run in the opening frame, two more in the second inning, added another in the fifth, and sent two more runners across the plate in the sixth, to take a 6-0 lead over Sullivan West.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Bulldogs scored their solo run of the outing by Meghan Kelly, a junior first baseman—only to watch Highland close out the game with five runs in the final inning.

Sullivan West’s sophomore hurler fanned five, while Highland’s senior pitcher Alexa Pavese sent a baker’s dozen Lady Bulldogs back to their seats, in a game during which Sullivan West didn’t help their cause by getting tagged with six errors.

“This season, our team exceeded all our expectations thanks to their hard work and dedication to their teammates,” said Anthony Durkin, coach of the Lady Bulldogs. He noted that for the “first time in many years,” they made it to the sectional finals, sweeping their division.

“This was a year to remember,” added Durkin, citing several memorable moments of the season: an early season league win over Chester to “set the tone”; a come-from-behind-victory over O’Neill, “pounding out 12 runs in 2 innings” in their second game against Chester; and defeating Ellenville twice, once during the regular season, and then again in the first round of the sectionals.