Coletto’s clutch hit caps Metea comeback vs. Montini

Everything came together perfectly in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday afternoon for Metea Valley.

But before Alyssa Coletto could deliver her game-winning hit against visiting Montini, the Mustangs also needed plenty of things to go their way in the sixth. And sure enough, trailing 5-1 in that sixth, Metea Valley (7-13) caught some breaks and managed to score four unearned runs to tie the game at 5-5 and set the stage for Coletto’s heroics.

Metea Valley defeated Montini 6-5 in Aurora.

The Broncos (19-5), who had a 13-game winning streak snapped with an extra-inning loss Friday, looked back on track after slugging catcher Alyssa Sclafani powered the visitors to a 5-1 lead. She singled home a run in the first, doubled and scored in the third and cleared the bases with a 3-run double in the top of the fifth.

But the resilient Mustangs took advantage of a pair of errors to tie the game with a 4-run rally that was capped off by Lori Obendorf’s two-out single up the middle that came on the ninth pitch of the at-bat against Montini starter Zoe Dannenberg.

“We had some really clutch at-bats and everyone was standing up in the dugout while we were doing our thing,” said Coletto, who was 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored to go with the game-winning hit that scored Alise Perna for the 6-5 win.

While the Broncos’ defense helped a little, Metea’s offense heated up at just the right time as Coletto’s RBI single in the sixth one-hopped the fence and Alex Caputo’s deep double to right center just did elude Montini outfielder Alex Dewey, who back in the third inning robbed Mary Przekwas of extra bases from a running catch.

With the score tied 5-5, Mustangs starter Jenna Hall (5-5) worked out a two-on, one-out jam in the top of the seventh, and then Metea went to work on offense in the bottom of the seventh.

Leadoff hitter Perna coaxed a walk out of Montini reliever Amy Bukovsky to open the bottom the seventh for the game’s first free pass. Przekwas then put down a great sacrifice bunt, but Perna was caught taking too big a turn off second base and was caught in a rundown before not only escaping but reaching third base safely with a headfirst slide on the play. Two walks later Coletto lined the first pitch to left field for her third hit of the day, and the Mustangs had an impressive win.

“The way we stayed mentally tough this game was fantastic,” Coletto said. “Coming out here after last night’s prom it was great to get a good ‘W.’ We stayed tough and we came back with our bats at the end.”

Sclafani expects Montini to grow from a tough loss.

“We work really hard and I think this loss will help us in the future,” she said.