By Andy Walter

MIDDLETOWN — It had taken Sussex Central High six innings to put up its first two runs.

But, when the Golden Knights came to bat in the seventh, John Wells kept telling them they needed more.

Centerfielder Makenna Messina was thinking about that when she went up to the plate.

“When I got up to bat, I said to myself, ‘We need to get insurance runs,” said the senior. “So I hit the ball as hard as I could and hoped for the best.”

Messina’s hard-hit grounder ended up reaching the outfield for a single that scored McKenna Boyle from second. And while the hit didn’t seem like too big a deal at the time, it ended up giving third-seeded Sussex Central its 3-2 victory over No. 2 Appoquinimink in the DIAA state semifinals on Wednesday afternoon.

Boyle’s run put the Golden Knights (18-3) ahead 3-0 going into the bottom of the seventh. The way that Madge Layfield was pitching, that seemed like a safe advantage.

Down to their last out, though, the Jaguars’ Alexia Fitzgerald smacked a two-run home run to get Appo within a run. Layfield, though, got a strikeout to end the game and a moment later her teammates were mobbing her in the infield.

Central will make its second-straight trip to the state finals when it faces top-seeded Caravel on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the University of Delaware. With most of the same players back this year, the Knights made it their mission to get another shot at the title.

“It feels amazing to get back there,” said Layfield, who pitched a three-hitter. “We’re all just really excited. We’ve evolved, we’ve learned from what we did last year. And we’re ready to go back.

“It was really hard to get over,” she said about last year’s 1-0, 11-inning loss to Caravel. “But, as soon as we lost, we took off like two weeks and then we started practicing.”

For much of Wednesday’s semifinal showdown, it didn’t seem like either squad would find a way to put up a run. Both Layfield and Appo’s Savannah Laird were all but unhittable.

The two righthanders combined for 27 strikeouts — 15 by Layfield and 12 by Laird. Layfield’s total included the 500th strikeout of her two-year career.

Going into the sixth, the only hit in the contest was a bunt single by the Jaguars (18-3).

But Messina changed everything when she drilled the first pitch in the sixth over the leftfield fence for a homer give the Golden Knights both their first hit and a 1-0 lead.

“I was looking for a first-pitch strike and, when I saw it, I took the opportunity and hit it as hard as I could,” said Messina, whose homer was her first of the season. “I was ready once I got in the box, set and locked in.”

Two outs later, Mya Jones and Takyla Davis hit back-to-back doubles and Central had its 2-0 lead.

In the seventh, Boyle walked and was bunted to second by Catherine Hassler to set up Messina’s RBI single. Messina had two of the Knights’ four hits in the contest.

As for Layfield, coach John Wells said the youngster is just getting back to the top of her game now.

The sophomore and her family have been dealing with her mother’s serious illness. The situation limited how much time Layfield could spend working on her pitching at times.

“I told her two weeks ago, I said ‘You’re hitting your peak at the right time,’” said Wells. “This is the Madge you saw last year.”

Now the Knights will see if they can win one more game and bring Central its fourth state title and first since 2008. The Knights know it won’t be easy.
Caravel (17-1), which beat Laurel, 13-3, in its semifinal game, is unbeaten against Delaware teams this season.

“No matter who we play in the finals, we’re going to go after it — work as hard as we can and do whatever we can — to win,” said Messina. “It’s always been lingering in the back of our minds. We really want it this year.”

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at 302-741-8227 or walter@iniusa.org.
Follow on Twitter @DSNSports.