Once it returned from its late-March trip to Myrtle Beach, the Baldwinsville softball team had to face cold reality.
Or, to put it more accurately, the Bees faced cold temperatures. That, plus snow and rain, sidelined B’ville for nearly two weeks before it finally was able to start its CNY Counties League slate last Wednesday afternoon against West Genesee.
The layoff didn’t hurt the Bees too much, though, as it fought to a 6-5 victory over the Wildcats, accumulating 12 hits but unable to put across the winning run until the bottom of the seventh inning.
Kaycee Hawk, with three hits, led the attack. Emma Bernet singled, doubled and drove in two runs, with Gabby Hahn adding a pair of RBIs as Jordan Barbato drove in a single run. Allie Hotchkiss, Brooke Carlisle and Madison Ascioti scored one run apiece.
Bernet also started in the pitcher’s circle, going 2 2/3 innings and striking out five. Keeanna Wolcik went the rest of the way, though, and in her 4 1/3 innings recorded six strikeouts to overcome allowing six hits and four runs.
It was far less tense on Thursday afternoon, when B’ville put away Fayetteville-Manlius 13-1 by showing patience against Hornets pitcher Sarah Vaccaro, coaxing seven walks to go with 10 hits from nine different players.
Only Wolcik managed two hits, getting a pair of RBIs as Hotchkiss, Barbato and Jordan Young drove in one run apiece. Hotchkiss scored three runs as Ascioti and Hawk each scored twice. Bernet pitched and struck out 13 F-M batters in her five innings of work, only giving up two hits before Jenna Kocik went the rest of the way in relief.
B’ville would host defending Section III Class AA champion Liverpool Tuesday afternoon, just the start of a tough week that would include a Thursday visit to Cicero-North Syracuse and a Saturday game at Jamesville-DeWitt.
