Troy High's Carissa Kramer slides into second base with a two-run double Monday afternoon against Catholic Central at Troy High School. The senior outfielder finished with three RBI and scored two runs as the Flying Horses defeated the Crusaders 13-0 to take sole possession of first place in the Big 10 Conference. (All photos by Tom Killips - The Record).

Freshman pitcher Julie Brinkman held the Crusaders to one hit in a complete game shutout performance. Kramer, however, got the Troy carousel spinning in the third inning when she smartly moved from first to third on Katie Heyward's sacrifice bunt and came flying home when Catholic Central's Kylie Benoit tried to nail her out at third but the throw sailed high.

"We just wanted to get ahead and get on top early," Kramer said. "We were ready for this all day and we just wanted to get a ‘W’."
Troy (5-0, 11-2) remained undefeated atop the Big 10 standings as Catholic Central (4-1, 5-3) stands one game behind the Flying Horses.

Troy senior catcher Emily Jones watches as a pitch sails high in Monday's game against Catholic Central. Jones drove in cousin Shannon Jones on an RBI groundout and after being hit by a pitch in the fourth, let out a crazy yelp much to the delight of her teammates. She stayed in the game and appeared to be just fine.

Brinkman delivers to the plate in Monday's game. She allowed a mere three baserunners and only one advanced as far as second base. A freshman, Brinkman pitched the Flying Horses to a 2-1 victory over Lansingburgh in the Uncle Sam Tournament on Saturday (Troy beat CCHS in the opening round). Along with sophomore Liz Belleville, the Flying Horses have a young but especailly talented starting rotation.

"(Brinkman) is doing so well," Kramer said. "They’re both settling down and they’re awesome. They’ve pitched really well and we’re all behind them, ready to field anything."

Senior shortstop Shannon Jones watches the ball sail into right field for a single in the fifth inning. Jones finished with three hits and three runs scored. She ran all the way around the bases on a single that skipped past Catholic Central center fielder Stephanie Bouchard for a three-base error to cap a nine-run fifth inning for the Flying Horses.

Just as Kramer did in the third inning, Jones went from first to third in the fourth inning. She was running on the pitch when Gabby Daniels grounded to short, so she rounded the base as Hannah Kutny made her throw to first - and Jones peeled out to take the extra base. It paid off as Emily Jones grounded to short on the next play, plating Shannon Jones for Troy's second run.

It's nothing new for Troy, as the Flying Horses' technical mastery and dedication to fundamentals is the reason why the team has won three straight Big 10 titles. Whether it's taking an extra 60 feet here and there or hitting the cutoff man, the Flying Horses rarely let teams score on mistakes.

Sectionals start up in just over three weeks and this is the kind of softball the Flying Horses need to play to hang with the Class AA teams from the Suburban Council. Casey Halloran, Troy's first-year head coach, knows all about that as the former Columbia High star has continued Troy's commitment to the fundamentals.

"That is something that I’ve been really, really big on," Halloran said, "is paying attention to what is in front of you. After you see where the ball is, you have to pay attention and look at me and if I think you can come, you have to get there."

Catholic Central sophomore Maddie Coneys winds up during Monday's game. Coneys pitched a perfect game against Schenectady in her varsity debut on April 27 and looked pretty good through the first few innings on Monday and finished with five strikeouts in four-plus innings of work.

Coneys aimed on the inside half of the plate but Troy adjusted the second time through the order, creeping closer to the front and inside edge of the batter's box. Three Troy hitters took one for the team and all three came around to score, which was Coneys' undoing in the fifth inning.

Be sure to check out the hard copy of Tuesday's edition for the full story, a box score and all of the local roundup from Monday's slate of high school games.

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In other high school news from Monday...
Albany Academy defeated Lansingburgh 8-6, handing the Knights their first Colonial Council baseball loss of the season.
Justin Brock doubled and singled for the Cadets (4-6, 4-6), who scored all eight of their runs in the first three innings, including five in the third.
Frank Castiglione doubled twice for Lansingburgh (8-1, 12-2) and Jake Shaw doubled, singled and drove in three runs.
The Knights scored four runs in the seventh, but were foiled by Nick Cardona’s game-saving catch.

Ryan Chamberlain finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and Matt Krogh added a two-run home run for Troy in a 12-3 Big 10 victory over the Bishop Gibbons.
Ryan Clements added three singles and an RBI for Troy (5-4, 6-6).

In softball news, Schuylerville edged Hoosic Valley 1-0 as Katie Gallagher struck out 20 hitters in an 8-inning complete game and also had three hits as the Black Horses (6-1, 11-1) outlasted the Indians (4-4, 6-7) in the Wasaren League contest.
The Horses loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth on singles by Brittany Thivierge and Gallagher and a one-out, all-safe fielder’s choice.
Thivierge, who also had three hits, scored the winning run on an field hit behind the mound by Meagan McEachron.
Carlee Chapko scattered 10 hits in a complete game for the Indians.

Brandi Warner hit a triple and drove in four runs for Tamarac (4-4, 5-7) as the Bengals committed seven errors in the final inning but still defeated Cambridge 9-7.