Coming off a defeat to East Syracuse-Minoa last Monday afternoon, the Christian Brothers Academy softball team was in trouble again when it visited Oswego two days later.
But like so many other times this season, the Brothers pulled off some late-game magic, making an improbable seventh-inning comeback to stun the Buccaneers 10-9.
When these same teams had met April 21, CBA had won, 4-3, when Hannah Morris, playing in centerfield, made a running catch and plowed into the fence, keeping the ball in her glove for the final out.
Here, though, the Brothers’ situation was much more stressful. Thanks to three-run rallies in the fourth and fifth innings, Oswego grabbed a 9-4 lead, and entering the top of the seventh, it still had that comfortable advantage.
Just in time, though, CBA got to Bucs pitcher Mariah Galletta, who had relieved Hannah Gorman in the fifth. During the top of the seventh inning, the Brothers batted around and collected six runs to move out in front, and then watched Julia Boule record the final outs.
Bridget O’Hern, with two hits and four RBIs, led CBA’s comeback, while Boule drove in three runs. Claire Pierret’s pair of hits led to two RBIs as Annie Carhart added an RBI. Sydney Wind and Gabby Damico each scored twice.
That magic didn’t carry over, though, as CBA lost, 7-5, to Fulton, and this time it was the Brothers on the wrong end of seventh-inning magic created by the Red Raiders, who scored twice in the top of the seventh to break a 5-5 tie and held on. O’Hern earned a pair of RBI’s.
But in the rematch with Fulton on Saturday, CBA made another comeback for another one-run victory on Saturday to win 6-5. Trailing 5-1 at one point, the Brothers used three runs in the top of the fourth to get close, tied it with a run in the seventh and then used a run in the eighth to win it.
While Boule and O’Hern split the pitching duties, Damico’s double led to a pair of RBIs. O’Hern and Carhart both earned a pair of hits, with Claire Pierret and Kaitlyn Wendl driving in runs and Boule scoring twice.
Bishop Grimes had its share of drama, falling to Cato-Meridian 6-5. Against the Blue Devils, the Cobras trailed, 1-0, when Cato struck for five runs off Brianna Squier in the top of the fifth, the damage down by the bat of Megan Krieger, who finished with four RBIs.
Somehow, Grimes almost rallied, getting four runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh before the comeback fell just short, Kaylee Steiner earning three RBIs and Kendall Mancuso adding two hits and two runs scored as Juliana Martin contributed an RBI.
But Grimes won a one-run decision over Port Byron 10-9 on Wednesday. With a potent lineup, the Cobras raced out to a 10-4 lead through five innings, and needed all of it as the Panthers got two runs in the sixth inning and three runs in the seventh to nearly catch up.
Mancuso, Danielle Erwin and Liz Wolaver each finished with two RBIs, with Alissa Warner banging out three hits. Squier added a pair of hits as, for Port Byron, Maria Morgenthaler had a home run, double, two walks, three runs scored and three RBIs.
On Friday, Grimes had a lot more fun, smashing Skaneateles 17-3 by scoring in each of the first five innings, including a seven-run second. Steiner hit a home run and finished with five RBIs, while Jordan Vaught and Juliana Martin each drove in three runs. Mancuso doubled twice as she and Squier both got a pair of RBIs.
