In recent years, the Jamesville-DeWitt and East Syracuse-Minoa softball teams have grown familiar with each other since the Spartans entered the OHSL Freedom division.

So it only figured that the two sides opened the 2011 season against each other Wednesday at Lyndon Field, where the host Red Rams squeaked past the Spartans 2-1.

Given the chilly conditions, it wasn’t too surprising that runs would be sparse. J-D went ahead 1-0 in the first inning and, after ESM tied it in the top of the third (Nikki Cassella earning the RBI after Haley Wodarczyk tripled), the Rams went back ahead in the bottom of that frame.

From there, two J-D pitchers, Meghan Engstrom and Kerri Keeler, combined to blank the Spartans. Engstrom went four innings for the win and Engstrom tossed three shutout innings, the pair combining for 12 strikeouts against three walks and four hits allowed.

ESM’s Julie Maselli pitched a complete game, but took the loss. Rachel Honis and Mary Young drove in J-D’s runs as Ashley Thompson had a triple of her own.