In a match delayed and interrupted by rain, Milford managed to come from behind from 2-1 early in the game against a hard-hitting New Jersey squad to punch their ticket to the championship round of the Junior League Softball Eastern Regional Championship. Unlike their previous game, nothing about this was certain until Milford was able to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning for a walk-off victory. The run would come courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Bre Hall, scoring Ilanny Felix-Abad on a short fly ball to left field with one out in the inning. Felix-Abad was advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and then stole third base to set up Hall’s heroics.
It was Felix-Abad who made a crucial defensive play in the top of the 7th, who made this a win situation, instead of a come from behind situation. With a New Jersey runner on first base and two outs, Jersey batter Bella Ferrigno ripped a shot down the right field line. A diving attempt by the Milford right fielder saw the ball glance off her glove. It would be Felix-Abad who tracked the ball down, running all the way from her second base position, who threw the ball to Hall in the middle of the infield to keep the go-ahead run at third base. Hall would pop the next batter up to Felix-Abad, setting up the fireworks for the bottom of the inning.
Milford will move on to Championship Tuesday thanks to emerging 3-0 from the winners bracket, where they will need to win one of two games to advance to the Junior League World Series in Kirkland, Washington.
