The Canastota softball team received quite two scares in back-to-back games, and could only win one of them.
First, in last Tuesday’s game against Waterville, the Raiders held on to beat the Indians 4-3. It looked like just another Raiders romp when Alicia Hibbard smacked a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.
Jessica Patterelli added a pair of doubles, one of them driving home two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-1.
Also pitching, Patterelli lost her cushion when Waterville scored twice in the top of the fifth. But she blanked the Indians over the last two frames to earn the win, finishing with 10 strikeouts against just five hits allowed.
Canastota would not be as fortunate on Thursday, when a late run helped push Sauquoit Valley past the Raiders 6-5.
This one went back and forth. Canastota erased a 3-1 deficit with three runs in the top of the third, only to see Sauquoit tie it in the bottom of that frame.
There it remained, through an exchange of sixth-inning runs. Finally, with the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Sauquoit notched the winning run.
In defeat, Valerie Baer emerged as a hitting threat for Canastota, earning a double and three RBIs as Alexis Havens also drove in a run. Hibbard and Patterelli doubled as Chelsea Schloop tripled on Sauquoit’s behalf.
Elsewhere in the Center State Conference, Hamilton pounded Richfield Springs 17-1, scoring in six of seven innings, capped by a six-run outburst in the top of the fourth.
Among the 20 hits, Katie Weeks stood out with two home runs, a double and single on her way to four RBIs as Jordan Peterson also went deep. Sara Whyatt tripled and Jenna Whyatt doubled as seventh-grade pitcher Rebecca Rogers impressed with a two-hitter and 10 strikeouts.
Morrisville-Eaton would jump all over West Canada Valley in a 12-4 decision, using five runs in the first inning and three runs in the top of the second to bolt to an 8-0 edge.
Sami Leamer pounded out two doubles and a single, finishing with four RBIs to lead the Warriors’ charge. Shelby Widger had two hits and two RBIs as pitcher Jen Horton earned 10 strikeouts in a four-hit, complete-game effort.
