WHITE PLAINS- The journey to defend the section title for the White Plains Tigers Softball team will continue after a thrilling 3-2 extra-inning victory on Wednesday evening over the Roy C. Ketcham Storm.

In what was an evenly matched game between two softball powerhouses, White Plains emerged with the victory after the Tigers center fielder Olivia Doria placed a hit between the legs of R.C. Ketcham’s shortstop to allow the Tigers pitcher Alexis Tighe to score from third base in the bottom of the eighth inning.

“We had the energy and we had the focus,” says Tigers head coach Chris Rowan about the game.

R.C. Ketcham, the 5-seed in the section playoffs and 13-5 entering the game, got on the board with a run in the first inning. This was quickly matched by White Plains, the 4-seed in the section playoffs and 16-3 entering the game, through an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning from Tigers shortstop and team captain Ava Ritterman.

White Plains took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to an RBI double from second baseman and team captain Neela Older that scored pinch runner Valentina Valenzuela from second base. White Plains held the lead until the top of the seventh inning, when the Storm plated a run via a sacrifice fly to the center fielder Doria, which tied the game at 2 runs apiece. White Plains failed to score in the bottom of the 7th inning, which sent the Tigers and the Storm to extra innings.

R.C. Ketcham failed to score in the top of the eighth inning, which sent White Plains up to bat needing just one run to win the game and move onto the Section Semifinals. Tighe set the table for Doria by reaching first on a single to right field, then advancing to second on a fielder’s choice ground ball hit by Ritterman, and third on another fielder’s choice ground ball hit by Tigers left fielder Noelle Quinones. On the next pitch, Doria hit a ground ball that went between the legs of R.C. Ketcham’s shortstop, which allowed Tighe to score the winning run.

Tighe, who was named the League 1-A Pitcher of the Year this season, threw a gem of a game for the Tigers, pitching all eight innings with 9 strikeouts, 3 walks, 5 hits and 2 runs, only one of which was earned. Tighe stranded 7 Storm runners on base during the game.

Ritterman also was named the League 1-A Player of the Year, and finished Wednesday’s game 1-for-4 with an RBI. Ritterman ended the game with a .607 batting average, 37 hits in 61 at bats, and 30 RBIs for her season totals.

Ritterman, Tighe and Older all were elected to the All-Section softball team, and Quinones and outfielder Madison Steptoe were All-Section honorable mention.

If there is any pressure that comes with defending the section championship, the Tigers didn’t show it, as they played smoothly with no errors during the game. Their dugout was loud during every inning and didn’t waver, showing their enthusiasm for the game and their determination and dedication to winning. It also shows their close relationship as a team, especially when every player was cheered on during their at-bat and when the team came to embrace Tighe and Doria after scoring the game-winning run.

“Our returnees and our captains did their part of making sure the rookies all catch up to the team’s standards,” Rowan said after the game. “Everybody brings different characteristics [to the team] … they do a heck of a job bonding and being together.”

The Tigers will now move on to face the tournament’s top overall seed, the North Rockland Red Raiders, on Friday evening at North Rockland High School in Thiells, N.Y. The Red Raiders finished the season with a 17-3 record and defeated White Plains 6-5 in their only regular season meeting.

“The next opponent we have will be really tough, so we have to make sure we execute,” Rowan said. If White Plains is to beat North Rockland, they’ll move onto the Section One Softball Championship on June 3, which will be held at North Rockland High School. Last year, White Plains defeated R.C. Ketcham in the Section-title game 11-1. The Tigers advanced to the state championship playoffs, where they were defeated by Shenendehowa High School in the first round, 2-1.