Forget the gloomy skies that hung over Central New York – this Monday was as bright as possible, at least for Cicero-North Syracuse’s varsity softball and baseball teams.
The softball Northstars rose up and stunned defending Section III Class AA champion Liverpool 2-0 at the Gillette Road complex, while the C-NS baseball side ventured to Camillus and, with big run production in the late going, gave West Genesee its first defeat of the season by a 10-2 margin.
Without question, the C-NS softball side had undergone its roughest start in years. It entered the Liverpool game with a 4-8 mark, though six of those defeats came in non-league games against tough competition, including back-to-back losses to Shenendehowa (5-1) and Averill Park (15-1) the previous weekend.
Meanwhile, Liverpool had held the no. 1 state Class AA ranking, and started the season 8-0 before a defeat to Bethlehem two days before encountering the Northstars. Even with this game at Gillette, the Warriors expected to prevail in its first game against C-NS since last year’s Section III Class AA final.
But it soon was apparent that Northstars pitcher Megan Tully was in top form. The right-hander held Liverpool’s potent lineup to four hits, one each from Jenna Wike, Erika Sadowski, Dominique LaRose and Gina Meyers, and Tully finished with nine strikeouts.
Just as importantly, C-NS played well on the defensive side, overcoming some early-season struggles by not committing a single error despite the chilly, damp conditions.
Peyton Bellrose was fairly stingy, too, the Warriors’ ace keeping the game 0-0 for a while. But in the bottom of the fourth, C-NS moved out in front with a run, and added another run in the sixth, more than enough for Tully to protect as she finished off a complete-game shutout.
Paige Critella had two of the Northstars’ six hits, including a double, and finished with an RBI. Brandi Feeney drove in the other run as Critella and Victoria Dunn both scored, Dunn joining Tully and Meghan Boycyk in the hit column.
Meanwhile, at West Genesee, the C-NS baseball side was attempting to stop the Wildcats’ season-opening seven-game win streak, sending its left-handed ace, Steven Theetge, to the mound to oppose WG right-hander Ryan Greco.
Though not as dominant as in his first start (both 1-0 shutouts over Syracuse and Baldiwnsville), Theetge showed his toughness by stranding two WG runners in the second, third and fourth innings, keeping the game 0-0 as Greco also started well.
In the top of the fifth, C-NS broke through. A walk and sacrifice bunt led to no. 9 hitter Connor Stanton’s RBI single that brought home Dylan Frawley. Then, after a stolent base, A.J. Nesci’s single scored Stanton, and a botched pick-off attempt led to a third run.
The two sides then traded runs over the next inning and a half, but with the score 4-2 in the top of the seventh, C-NS teed off on Wildcats reliever Nick Davis, batting around and getting six runs, two of them streaking home on Frawley’s single.
Stanton added two more RBIs to give him three for the day, while Nesci also drove in two runs and Jake McArdell managed an RBI. Theetge again tossed a complete game, surrendering six hits and two walks, but again reaching double digits in the strikeout column, fanning 10.
