Wright Steals the Show as Wildcats Edge Rams, 6-5, in Extras

SCHENEVUS – In a varsity girls softball game that swung back and forth deep into extra innings, it was Brinlee Wright who finally brought it to an end — and she did it in a way rarely seen. 

After reaching base with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning, Wright took matters into her own hands. She stole second base on strike one, stole third on strike two of the next at-bat, and then moments later broke for home on ball one, sliding in safely with the winning run to lift Charlotte Valley/Schenevus to a thrilling 6-5 victory over South Kortright/Andes in a varsity softball matchup Weds., April 22 at Schenevus Central School. 

Wright finished 3-for-5 at the plate and was a constant presence on the bases, setting the tone for a CV/S Wildcats team that stayed aggressive throughout the afternoon. 

SK/A struck first in the top of the third inning. Neleh Brown delivered a two-run single to give the Rams an early 2-0 lead and apply pressure to the Wildcats. 

CV/S responded in the bottom of the fourth. Abby Vroman worked a lengthy at-bat before lining a single down the left-field line, bringing home two runs to tie the game at 2-2 and swing momentum back to the Wildcats. 

That momentum continued in the bottom of the fifth, when Wright came through again, driving in a run with a single to give CV/S its first lead at 3-2. The Wildcats added to that advantage in the sixth inning, plating two more runs to go ahead 5-2. 

But SK/A would not go quietly. 

The Rams mounted a rally in the top of the seventh inning, stringing together RBI singles to erase the deficit. Annalyse Haynes delivered the key hit of the rally, driving in the tying run to make it 5-5 and send the game into extra innings. 

While Wright delivered the game’s decisive moment on the bases, she was equally important in the circle. The right-hander went the distance, pitching all 9 innings. She allowed 5 runs, none of them earned, and struck out 12 batters. 

Wright broke the CV/S school record for career strikeouts with 516, according to WCDO Sports Director Nate Lull. She passed Jenna Lutz, who previously set the record in 2016. 

Brown was just as dominant for SK/A despite coming away with the loss. She struck out 19 batters over 8 and two-thirds innings, consistently keeping the Wildcats’ lineup off balance and giving the Rams a chance to steal the win on the road. 

In the end, CV/S created scoring chances when they mattered most. Powered by aggressive baserunning — the Wildcats finished with 12 stolen bases — CV/S outlasted SK/A in a tight contest that turned into a memorable extra-innings victory. 

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.