There’s no chance that the Liverpool baseball team will surprise anyone in 2024.
A season ago, the Warriors, just 10-9 going into the post-season, swept its way to the Section III Class AA championship and got close to the state final four before getting stopped in a 6-5 defeat to Shenendehowa in the regional round.
Now up in Class AAA, Liverpool would begin its season at Falcon Park, the same place where it claimed a dramatic sectional quarterfinal against the Maroons that got its 2023 title run going.
Again, it was tight – and again, the Warriors prevailed in the late going, this time edging the Maroons by a score of 4-3.
Neither side scored until the bottom of the fourth inning, Auburn getting two runs off Nate Benjamin, but that 2-0 lead disappeared when Liverpool broke through with three runs in the top of the sixth off Grant Pinckney, who had relieved starter Owen Birchard.
Still, it wasn’t over. Another run in the top of the seventh was required since Auburn, trailing 4-2, got within one in the bottom of the seventh before Tyler Vivacqua was able to record the final out.
Remarkably, the Warriors won while getting just one hit – but it was a big one, Dylan Wiggins driving in three runs as Anderson Roden, Chris Baker and Cayden Nappaa joined Vivacqua in the run-scoring column.
Over in softball, Liverpool wants to get back on top of the section after surrendering that title to its neighbors from Baldwinsville in 2023.
But while the Bees started 3-0 on a trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the Warriors, in its opener against Section V’s Webster Schroeder, took a 6-0 defeat.
Mackenzie Frani pitched and took the loss, striking out six but giving up eight hits and two walks. Liverpool had just four hits at the plate, one each by Frani, Katia Flavin, Maya Mills and Emily Nestor.
While Liverpool got underway, Cicero-North Syracuse waited to get its turn, but is set to meet Liverpool Wednesday in between games against West Genesee and New Hartford.
The C-NS baseball team, now coached by Stephan Bailey, had its opener with Central Square postponed but, weather permitting, will play three times this week against Fulton, Utica Proctor and Rome Free Academy.
