For all the action they will see in the weeks ahead, the Marcellus and Westhill softball teams might never have something as exciting as last Wednesday’s OHSL Liberty division opener against each other.
Twice, the Warriors gained comfortable leads. Each time, the Mustangs rallied, including a stunning seventh-inning surge that produced a 13-12 victory.
Things started to get wild in the top of the fourth inning. Trailing 3-2, Westhill scored four times in that frame, only to have Marcellus match that total in the bottom of the fourth and reclaim the lead, 7-6.
The Warriors then used single runs in the fifth and sixth to go back in front and, when it netted four runs in the top of the sixth to extend its advantage to 12-7, it looked safe – but it was not.
Batting around in the bottom of the seventh, the Mustangs kept working until it had scored six runs to win it. Sydney Lewis, Jayme Lema and Laura Finn led the comebacks, earning three hits apiece as Finn got four RBIs and Lema earned three RBIs.
All told, Marcellus had 19 hits, with everyone on the roster earning at least one hit. Westhill countered with 16 hits, including four from Tess Hogan and three each from Leah Diefendorf and Nicole Moriarty. Also, Moriarity drove in two runs as both sides struggled in the field with seven errors apiece.
Perhaps, in the wake of that game, a letdown was inevitable for Marcellus – but it was still jarring for the Mustangs to take a 3-1 defeat to the combined Syracuse City team on Thursday afternoon, shut out after Finn’s single scored Alyssa Cook in the top of the first inning. Finn and Lewis both finished with two hits.
Syracuse only got six hits off Finn as she struck out seven, but tied it, 1-1, in the second and used single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull it out.
Bishop Ludden had an eventful season opener against Weedsport. Thanks to a three-run sixth inning, the Gaelic Knights led, 7-5, going to the top of the seventh, but could not get those final three outs as the Warriors scored four times and held on to prevail 9-8.
Ally Weigand led Ludden by going four-for-four with a triple, three runs scored and two RBIs. Taylor Fink added two hits as she, along with Abbey Bombard, Rachel Martens, Meghan Wilkinson and Emma Greenfield each drove in one run. Jesslyn Files (triple, four RBIs) and Madison Patchin (double, three RBIs) did most of Weedsport’s damage at the plate.
Ludden defeated LaFayette 14-8, proving so consistent that, after getting shut out in the first inning, the Gaelic Knights crossed the plate at least once in each of the six frames that followed, leading 12-2 in the sixth before the Lancers staged a late comeback.
Martens and Sara Hayes each had four hits, with Weigand adding three hits as she and Hayes scored three runs apiece. Weigand also pitched most of the way, going six innings before Wilkinson closed it out.
