Just like so many others, the Baldwinsville softball team had to travel a long way from Central New York in order to get things underway in 2015.
But while the baseball Bees were at the Disney World complex in Florida, the softball Bees found itself in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where it would get a full week of practice and games to prepare itself for CNY Counties League action.
It started last Monday in the most impressive way possible, with the Bees putting together a no-hitter from pitchers Keanna Wolcik and Emma Bernet in a 12-0 shutout over Mercyhurst Prep.
Wolcik worked five innings before Bernet closed it out, the pair managing to earn 14 strikeouts and not allowing a walk, with Mercyhurst only getting on base through a single Bees error.
At the plate, it took a bit longer to warm up, but B’ville scored once in the third inning and twice in the fifth before a nine-run sixth inning invoked the mercy rule.
Wolcik led here, too, earning four RBIs as Serena Capsello and Caroline May drove in two runs apiece and May scored three times. Brooke Carlisle joined May and Wolcik with three hits, with Carlisle, Mackenzie Carhart and Jillian Dunn getting one RBI apiece.
A doubleheader followed on Tuesday, B’ville taking a 6-5 defeat to Notre Dame Academy in the opener before it defeated Boardman (Ohio) 5-3.
Against Notre Dame Academy, the Bees erased a 1-0 deficit with a run in the fourth inning and two runs in the fifth to lead, 3-1. NDA pulled even, 3-3, in the sixth to set up a wild seventh inning where B’ville roared back in front, 5-3, only to give up three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Bernet doubled twice, added a single and produced three RBIs. Wolcik and Elizabeth Johns also had three-hit outings, with Sarah Lalla doubling, tripling, walking twice and scoring three runs. Bernet pitched, too, striking out three and surrendering 10 hits.
Facing Boardman, the Bees fared better as runs in the second, third and fifth innings produced a 5-0 advantage, something Boardman could not overcome despite a late rally.
Wolcik pitched this time, going the route and earning seven strikeouts while holding Boardman to six hits. She also got a single, double, RBI and run scored at the plate as Bernet and Capsello added RBIs of their own. May scored a run, joining Lalla, Johns and Capsello in that column.
In Wednesday’s action, B’ville lost, 8-4, to Point Pleasant (West Virginia), a game where Point Pleasant used four runs in the second inning to get in front and three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull away.
Trailing 8-2, the Bees did get a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, but the comeback fell short. Bernet and Wolcik combined for six strikeouts as they shared pitching duties, with Johns hitting a home run, scoring twice and earning two RBIs. Lalla also had an RBI.
Big games are on tap this week, too, as B’ville starts CNCYL play against West Genesee before clashing with powerful Cicero-North Syracuse on Thursday afternoon.
