As it turned out, the best thing for the Baldwinsville softball team was to wait for a week to get back on the field after it had stunned defending state Class AA champion Cicero-North Syracuse on April 2.
Instead of rushing into further game action, the Bees continued to fine-tune, mostly in the gym, and by the time it returned outside for last Wednesday’s game against Fayetteville-Manlius, things were sharper, especially at the start, as B’ville beat the Hornets 8-3.
The Bees jumped on F-M pitcher Megan Bright for four runs in the bottom of the first inning, and added three more runs in the third. Elizabeth Johns, with three hits, led the charge, while Kyra Hunsinger doubled twice and Serena Capsello added a pair of hits.
Staked to that 7-0 lead, pitcher Emma Bernet worked five shutout innings and only allowed two hits. Jenna Shelton relieved Bernet in the sixth, but gave up three runs, forcing C-NS pitching hero Keeanna Wolcik to work a scoreless seventh to get the save.
But things would get tougher for B’ville on Friday, as it faced the area’s other top Class AA power, Liverpool, who managed to pick up former C-NS coaching great Kerry Bennett as an assistant this spring and had just romped past Auburn 18-2 in its opener the day before.
And Liverpool continued that good work in this game, prevailing 10-0 as the Bees got just three hits off Warriors pitching ace Peyton Bellrose.
Wolick never gave up a big rally, but Liverpool got to her with runs in each of the first five innings, including a home run from Bellrose, who earned a pair of hits, as did Taylor Charles, Alicia Hansen, Jenna Wike and Ericka Sadowski.
B’ville has games this week against Central Square and Syracuse East before hitting the April school break, and will resume local action April 29 when it faces Auburn.
