CENTRAL NEW YORK – All of the area’s high school baseball teams were glad to get to spring break following a week where numerous games had to get postponed by cold or wet weather.
Before it all deteriorated, Bishop Ludden went to Marcellus last Monday afternoon and got a six-inning gem from pitcher Jimmy Westers on the way to defeating the Mustangs 5-0.
In his time on the mound, Westers held Marcellus to three hits (one each by Gavin Foy, Elijah Eaton and Chris Loveless) only walking one while recording five strikeouts before Nick Brady worked the last inning in relief.
A first-inning run off Foy was all Ludden needed, but it broke clear with three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth. Each time Joe Dunham was in the middle of it, piling up four RBIs as Brady doubled and drove in the other run. Parker Pichoske had two hits and scored twice.
When Marcellus played Thursday on the all-weather turf at Cazenovia it made a stunning late-game comeback to tie the game 10-10 before darkness fell.
Up 2-1 early, the Mustangs surrendered five runs in the fourth and four in the fifth, only to turn it all around by scoring eight times in the top of the sixth.
Henry Chapman got a pair of RBIs and Loveless scored twice, with single RBIs going to Foy, Kyler Kolm, Gavin Mumford and Nick Snyder. Tyler Mattison also scored a pair of runs.
Ludden would take on Syracuse City Friday afternoon with Dunham on the mound and the senior ace was again dominat on the mound to help the Gaelic Knights prevail 5-1.
Only allowing two hits in 6 2/3 innings, Dunham amassed 15 strikeouts. He was also the only Ludden players to get two hits at the plate as his side scored twice in the first inning but needed three runs in the top of the seventh to pull clear, the key blow Luke Ruddy’s two-run double. Dunham, Westers and Nick Brady had one RBI apiece.
Earlier in the week Solvay followed up its impressive April 4 win at Skaneateles by putting up even more runs against visiting Sandy Creek while defeating the Comets 14-2.
Batting around in the bottom of the first, the Bearcats plated eight runs to all but decide matters. Sawyer Stewart ended up with three RBIs, while Jacob Bigelow, Cameron Cappetta, Max Overend and Chris Cappetta drove in two runs apiece. Stewart also struck out nine in his four innings on the mound before Bigeow closed it out.
It was Overend’s turn on the mound last Wednesday when Solvay faced Homer at Gutchess Park and he delivered a complete-game gem shutting out the Trojans 4-0.
Unfazed by the chilly conditions, Overend limited Homer to two hits and struck out 12 without a walk. Meanwhile, the Bearcats went in front with two runs in the top of the first, adding single runs in the fourth and fifth innings as Aaron Trendell had two hits and an RBI, Sam Sardo also driving in a run. Cameron Cappetta contributed two hits.
Back on Monday afternoon, Westhill faced Homer and made it three wins in a row by putting away the Trojans 4-1.
A three-run first inning was all that pitcher Peter Stroman needed. Tossing a complete game, Stroman overcame seven hits by constantly escaping possible trouble and recording 12 strikeouts.
Eric Holstein and Kellen Pens combined for four of the Warriors’ six hits. Pens also drove in a run as Holstein scored an insurance run in the fifth. Collin White and Jonathan Murphy also earned RBIs.
Jordan-Elbridge made it two wins in as many games by taking out Pulaski 13-3. Emerson Derby and Kenny Gilfus had two hits apiece, with five different Eagles – Gilfus, Shannon Ahern, Ryan Hornell, David Dominick and Nick Loperfido – scoring two runs. Gage Davey added a triple as Emerson Brunelle doubled.
