By Kim J. Harmon

The first time Bus #22 and The Quiet Company met as also the last game of the regular season and so the memory of Bus #22’s 7-6 win – earned with a two-out hit in the bottom of the seventh inning – was still quite fresh in everyone’s mind.

But while The Quiet Company wanted to avenge that loss in the worst way – going to great lengths to fire themselves up with music and little creative ditties – Bus #22 was not to be denied its undefeated season and captured the Junior Division softball championship, 9-7, on Monday night at Treadwell Park.

“They played so well as a team,” said coach Marsha Moskowitz. “I think the girls could have been nervous (before the game), but we had to show them that we were relaxed and I think that helped a lot.”

It had to help, because The Quiet Company – which suffered only two losses during the regular season – jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an infield grounder with runners on first and third and a ringing single to center.

Bus #22 got those two runs back – and two more – to take a 4-2 lead into the top of the fourth.

“We had wanted to score first, get a lead, and hold them,” said coach Moskowitz, “but the key was patience.”

In the top of the fourth, though, The Quiet Company tied the score with a pair of hard singles. But a pop fly caught by Gina Bloshuk was quickly turned into a double play with a throw back to first, ending the threat.

“We had a good defensive game,” said coach Moskowitz.

In the bottom of the frame, Bus #22 scores a couple runs on a stolen base and a bases-loaded walk. Bus #22 added one more run in the fifth and took a 7-4 lead into the top of the sixth.

In the top of the sixth, with The Quiet Company down by three, Kayla Koschel started a rally with a grounder to second base that drives in a run. Koschel also beat the throw at first, promptly stole second, and then scored on a double. Then a steal of third and, after ball four on the next batter and a lapse of attention in the field, of home tied the score at 7-7.

In the bottom of the frame, though, and with runners on second and third, Karli Beitel ripped a single up the middle to give Bus #22 a 9-7 lead.

Bloshuk, who had pitched the first inning and then returned to the mound after a brilliant relief performance by Ashley Gabor, nailed down The Quiet Company 1-2-3 (grounder to third, strikeout, grounder to first) to hand Bus #22 the Junior Division championship and a sparkling 13-0 record.

“This is a great bunch of girls,” said coach Moskowitz, “and they played as a team.”

Other members of Bus #22 included Courtney Sullivan, Sara Regensburger, Melissa Paytner, Michele Rastelli, Hilary Moskowitz, Catrina Morgan, Katie Midlik, and Ashley Christiano.

In a playoff to determine third and fourth place, Executive Landscaping defeated Lexington Gardens, 20-17.

Executive, which finished 10-3 on the year, got excellent performances from a number of players like Valerie Nezvesky (4-for-5, four RBI, five stolen bases and four innings of shutout pitching with six strikeouts), Kellie Datin (4-for-4, 3 RBI), Danielle LaFrancesca (two singles, double, two RBI), Ali Legros (bases-loaded triple, two singles, six RBI, four runs scored), Celeste Villafano (three putouts, two hits, two RBI), and Jenn Agius (one run scored, assist).

For Lexington Gardens, Lisa Alberico had three hits and made a solid defensive play at second. Bria Innaurato, Bailie Saltzman, Nicole McGrath, Jennifer Greenwood, and Nicole Cunningham led a Lexington on a rally back from a 7-0 deficit to an 8-7 lead.