Whether the Fayetteville-Manlius baseball team would carry major momentum into the closing stages of the regular season hinged, to some degree, on Friday’s game against West Genesee, an opponent with a similar record and outlook.
It helped, of course, to have pitching ace Zach Tucker in top form, and that translated into a 5-1 victory over the Wildcats.
Tucker, squared off with WG’s Matt Naton, matched zeroes until the bottom of the third inning, when F-M got to Naton for a pair of runs. A single run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth offered the insurance as Dave Nuzzo and Tom Flynn each had two hits and two RBIs.
Given plenty of support, Tucker didn’t waste it, holding the Wildcats to three hits, all singles, and amassing 14 strikeouts.
The week began well for the Hornets (8-3, 6-2 league) as, in a trip to Oswego last Monday afternoon, two big rallies made the difference in a 9-4 win over the Buccaneers.
They were tied, 1-1, when F-M broke out for four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Oswego pulled back within 5-4 an inning later, but the Hornets used another four-run outburst in the top of the seventh to pull clear.
Overall, the Hornets had 14 hits, three each from Mike Hoalcraft and Jack McClure, while Nate Olson’s pair of hits led to two RBIs. Mike Monashefsky hit a solo home run as Flynn and J.P. Quinn also drove in runs. Alex Godleski struck out seven in his complete-game pitching effort.
A rematch followed two days later, and F-M, playing at home, made it even more lopsided, bashing Oswego 14-2. A four-run first inning got the Hornets in front, and then it put the Bucs away with nine runs in the bottom of the second.
Mike Perry’s home run highlighted a 15-hit effort as he also tripled and finished with two RBIs. Hoalcraft doubled, scored twice and drove in three runs, while Monashefsky and Nuzzo each had two RBIs. McClure, given all kinds of run support, pitched six innings and cruised to the win as he earned seven strikeouts.
In softball, F-M took a tough 3-2 loss to Oswego last Monday afternoon. A first-inning run briefly put the Hornets in front, but the Buccaneers inched ahead with single runs in the second and third frames.
As it turned out, Oswego’s sixth-inning tally made the difference as F-M pulled within one in the bottom of the seventh, but watched Bucs pitcher Emily Kolenda record the final out. Madeline Gerbig, who pitched a complete game for the Hornets, also drove in a run as Alex Lunderman added a double and RBI.
The frustration continued in Wednesday’s game at West Genesee, a 5-3 defeat where F-M staked itself to a 3-1 lead by the third inning. Patricia Miller had an RBI as Anna Porter, Alex Lunderman and Elizabeth Lunderman each scored.
Still, WG moved in front by scoring four times in the bottom of the third. Gerbig shut out the Wildcats from there, but the Hornets were unable to get anything more against pitchers Morgan Nichols and Kaleigh Churchill.
F-M played Saturday in a tournament at Thousand Islands, losing a 6-5, eight-inning decision to the host Vikings, but beating Syracuse West 8-0.
Against Thousand Islands, the Hornets twice rallied, from 3-0 and 4-3 deficits, scoring twice in the top of the seventh to grab a 5-4 lead. But the Vikings tied it in the bottom of the seventh and won it an inning later, overcoming Miller’s double and three RBIs.
The Hornets fared better against Syracuse West, leading 6-0 by the third inning and getting a six-hit shutout from pitcher Brittany Hill, who struck out 10. Sam Guillaume emerged as a threat at the plate with three hits, including a triple, and four RBIs.
