A week of struggling to score runs in Myrtle Beach left the Westhill baseball team with the knowledge that it would have to change its production level, or face real trouble down the road.
At least the Warriors were able to do something about it in last Monday’s trip to Skaneateles, getting on the board at the start and cruising to an 8-3 victory over the Lakers.
Westhill relieved the pressure with three runs in the top of the first inning. That lead grew to 6-0 before Skaneateles got on the board in the bottom of the third, but the Lakers were never able to generate the big rally it needed.
Brad Canavan led the Warriors with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Mike Burton and Ryan Roland also drove in runs, while Joe Sweeny pitched four innings to earn the win, holding Sknaeateles to three hits and striking out four as Sam Walsh and Bobby Antonacci saw relief duty.
Marcellus resumed OHSL Liberty division play last Monday, when it went to Jordan-Elbridge and led from start to finish as it beat the Eagles 7-2.
A run in the first inning, plus three runs in the second, gave the Mustangs a quick 4-0 edge. It got to 7-0 in the sixth before J-E was able to score a run as Mike Hastings went 6 2/3 innings, striking out five before Matt Gooden recorded the final out.
Liam Barry produced three hits, including a double, as he joined Adam Molinari and Colin Smith with one RBI apiece. Bryan Carroll scored a pair of runs, with Smith, Hastings and Greg Curtin managing two hits apiece. On J-E’s side, Ryan Cooper took the loss as Zach Pangaro managed three hits, with Austin Barrigar and George Richardson getting two hits apiece.
Solvay had little trouble in last Monday’s visit to Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, taking advantage of the Rebels’ 11 errors to roll to a 14-3 victory.
Leading 8-0 after three innings, the Bearcats scored at least twice in five different frames, helped by all of that poor APW defense. Sal Dahlin doubled and scored three times, while Davis Kippen, Sammy Kippen, Josh Rutkowski and Mike Yiazzo each scored twice.
Between them, Rutkowski (who pitched four innings) and Dahlin (who tossed three innings) limited the Rebels to three hits and combined for seven strikeouts.
Bishop Ludden’s early-season struggles continued with a 15-2 defeat to CBA, where an early 1-0 lead vanished when the Brothers scored five runs in the top of the second off Zack Walser, and a six-run sixth inning would follow.
Robbie Wiegan’s double drove in one of the Gaelic Knights’ runs, while Kyle Hawk managed the other RBI. Walser and Tim Rooney scored the runs. Nick Capozzi and Tom Benz each had three hits for CBA, Capozzi adding three RBIs.
None of these teams played again until Friday, when Westhill smashed past Hannibal 19-2, scoring at least two runs in each of the first six innings and picking up 14 hits to Hannibal’s two.
Galen Hayes, Steven Bailey and Jesse Chester led Westhill with three RBIs apiece. Brian O’Mara scored three times as Jeff Lobello and Bobby Antonacci each drove in two runs. After Burton started, Walsh, O’Mara and Connor Tackley tossed four innings of no-hit relief.
Ludden also got back on the field and rolled to a 9-1 victory over Fulton, taking charge with a five-run second inning and adding three runs in the fourth. Walser, Weigan, Matt Hosek and Chris Matchuk each had two RBIs, with Walser (the winning pitcher), Ian Quinn and Conlan McGuire combining to hold the Red Raiders to seven hits.
But the Gaelic Knights lost 8-1 in a rematch with CBA a day later, surrendering all of the Brothers’ runs in the first four innings before Walser drove in his team’s lone run in the seventh. Bianchi took the loss as CBA’s Webb Little went three-for-three with a home run and three RBIs.
