Familiarity, in this case, caused trouble for the Cazenovia softball team, and the ultimate end of its Section III Class B championship dreams.
Having made it all the way to the finals a season ago, the no. 3 seed Lakers, with everyone back from that 2010 squad, had similar ambitions this spring. But Solvay, the no. 6 seed, put a halt to them in a dramatic 5-4 decision in the Class B quarterfinals on May 28.
Solvay had needed nine innings just to get out of the opening round against Ilion in a 1-0 decision. However, it knew Cazenovia well from two regular-season meetings, which were split.
The Bearcats scored in the first inning, only to have Cazenovia tie it in the second. From there, the two sides were quiet for a while, Nicole Chiarello matching Julie Gardner pitch for pitch as it stayed 1-1 into the late stages.
In the top of the sixth, Solvay appeared to seize control with a three-run rally. However, the Lakers responded with three runs of its own, tying it 4-4.
Moving to the seventh, the Bearcats inched back in front. Cazenovia then loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh – but with the tying and winning runs within scoring position, it could not get the hit it needed to prevail.
In defeat, Melanie Arehart had three hits, while Taylor Malmsheimer and Kara Stalder landed two hits apiece. Malmsheimer, Arehart, Korena Fenton and Meaghan Kurucz each had one RBI. Gardner led Solvay with a double and two RBIs as Cazenovia’s season ended with a 13-6 mark.
