(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Times News is running a series of stories asking area coaches and athletic directors to remember their “Most Memorable” sporting event. Today’s Most Memorable moment comes from Pleasant Valley softball coach Steve Caffrey)

By TJ ENGLE

tengle@tnonline.com

Throughout his 28 seasons with the Pleasant Valley softball team, Steve Caffrey has seen numerous games won with a single swing of the bat.

There were also many instances where the veteran coach observed games being won on a spectacular defensive play.

But there haven’t been a lot of instances where Caffrey has witnessed both of those things happen during the late innings of the same game.

That’s what makes a game that took place May 23, 2014 so special to Caffrey, and was his choice as the “Most Memorable” softball game in his nearly three decades as the Bears’ coach.

In that game, Madison Shaneberger and Jordan Meckes provided the late-inning heroics for Pleasant Valley in a District 11 Class 4A quarterfinal game against Freedom.

“That game was the most memorable one for sure,” Caffrey said. “It was definitely the most exciting one as well.”

It was six years ago this month that the No. 2 seeded Bears took on the No. 7 seeded Patriots in Brodheadsville.

The way the game started was far from memorable for Caffrey and the Bears’ faithful, however, as Freedom built a 4-1 lead.

But in the bottom of the sixth inning, Shaneberger changed that when she stepped into the batter’s box against Patriots’ pitcher Sheyla Peterson.

“Throughout the season, Madison liked to take the first pitch when she was batting,” Caffrey explained.

“I remember saying, ‘A lot of times the best pitch to hit is the first pitch.’ But she almost always continued to take that first pitch. A lot of times when it would be a good pitch that she took for a strike, I would just shake my head and smile at her.”

But this time - with the Bears’ season on the line - Shaneberger switched things up.

With teammates Kiersten Griesback, Jordan Meckes and Brittney Bonser all on base, Shaneberger jumped on the first pitch she saw and smashed a grand slam home run to put PV ahead.

“It was kind of neat,” Caffrey said. “We often talked about it, and I still kid with her about it when I see her. We both like to joke about her finally swinging at that first pitch after years of not doing it.

“For her to do it in that situation in a playoff game makes it so memorable.”

But the game wasn’t over yet.

In the top of the seventh inning, Freedom tried to rally against Bears’ hurler Tracey Deubler. The Patriots were able to put runners on second and third with one out.

That’s when Meckes made her memorable contribution.

With the Bears’ third baseman playing in, Freedom’s Megan Brown hit a scorcher that appeared to be heading into left field, but the quick Meckes laid herself out for a spectacular diving catch.

But, Meckes wasn’t quite done with just preventing a hit, as Caffrey explained what happened next.

“There was a line drive hit to our shortstop, who then made a diving catch going toward third base, and she just had enough time to scramble along the ground and touch the bag after catching the ball. She was on the ground tagging the bag - that was Jordan Meckes.

“It just happened so quick. I was like, ‘That was a double play, right?’ and my assistant coach was like, ‘Yeah, the game is over.’ It ended up being my 300th win as a coach as well.”

The 5-4 win also avenged a 10-0 loss to the Patriots in the season opener.

“You don’t really see that too often,” Caffrey said about the dramatic offensive and defensive plays his team made that day. “It was all within one inning of play. To get the big hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, and then come back with the big defensive play in the top of the seventh ... that’s something I’ll never forget.”

“As a coach who has been around the game of softball a long time, there aren’t too many instances when I can remember that happening - maybe no other times at all - especially in a game that was as important as that one was.”

While that dramatic victory stands above the rest on Caffrey’s list of memorable wins, there were a couple of others that came close.

The 2011 District 11 Class 4A playoff game where Pleasant Valley edged Northampton for a 1-0 victory is second on his memorable list, while the 8-6 triumph over Pocono Mountain East in the 2011 Mountain Valley Conference championship game follows in third place.