La Salle Advances to State Title Game with Victory Over Chariho

PROVIDENCE − Sami Sell showcased impressive focus despite a 40-minute rain delay on Sunday, as she made an immediate impact when the Division I softball winner’s bracket final against Chariho resumed. The La Salle catcher launched a three-run home run to left-center, leading the Rams to their fourth consecutive state title appearance with a 7-3 victory at Rhode Island College.

La Salle found themselves trailing 2-1 in the fourth inning when the game was halted due to the weather. After a brief intermission, the Rams returned to the field, and Sell was poised to make her mark. With two runners on base and one out, she connected with a pitch from Chariho's Adriana Jeannenot, sending the ball soaring over the outfield fence into the trees. “I knew what I was looking for, where my head had to be,” Sell commented. “I was just saying, ‘Hip to ball.’ That’s my swing.”

Prior to the rain delay, Ella DelPonte had added an RBI single, but the Chargers had struggled with two dropped fly balls in the outfield. During the break, the Rams used the downtime to regroup, even holding an impromptu dance party in the dugout to stay loose, which helped Sell maintain her composure for the pivotal moment. La Salle coach Hailey Vigneau expressed her confidence in Sell, stating, “I have so much faith in Sami whenever she’s up at the plate or behind the plate catching for me.”

In the sixth inning, La Salle extended their lead thanks to a solo homer from Nikki Pallotta and a two-run blast from Elle Kershaw. Although the Chargers managed a single in the seventh, they could not capitalize further. Vigneau emphasized the team's focus, saying, “We can’t look too far into the game – our minds will go elsewhere. We just stay one pitch at a time.”

Chariho, who has only one loss this season, will now face the North Kingstown-Prout winner in an elimination match, needing three consecutive wins to secure their first championship. La Salle, meanwhile, aims to avenge their two previous losses to the Chargers this season as they gear up for the title match. “We knew how to beat them,” Sell reflected. “We knew why we hadn’t won before. We were going to go out and we were going to execute.”