A new era for Solvay softball team commenced last week.
With long-time stalwarts like Jackie Gardner and Chelsie Delperuto gone from the side that narrowly lost each of the last two state Class B title games, the Bearcats knew that some new faces would have to step up in some spots in order for the run to continue.
Of course, some faces remain familiar, including pitcher Lauren Nichols, and they helped the Bearcats open last Wednesday with a 12-0 shutout over Jordan-Elbridge. Nichols, who pitched quite well last spring when Gardner needed a rest, held the Eagles to two hits and piled up a career-best 18 strikeouts.
At the plate, Solvay was consistent, scoring in every inning except the third, capped by a five-run rally in the fourth as it finished with 16 hits. Nichols had a home run, triple, single and three RBIs, with Ashley Bosco and Hope Riviera drove in two runs apiece. Sam Farruggio, Delana Thomas and Taylor Preble each had one RBI.
Far more impressive, though, was what Solvay did on Friday afternoon, visiting its neighbors from West Genesee and defeating the Wildcats 5-2.
A two-run first inning pushed the Bearcats out in front, and it doubled the margin to 4-0 in the top of the third before WG got both of its runs off Nichols in that frame, with Emily Winton and Katie Drogo each earning an RBI.
Nichols blanked the Wildcats the rest of the way, finishing with 10 strikeouts and only walking two. Between them, Drogo, Winton and Mya Case earned seven of WG’s eight hits, while Solvay saw Farrugio double and drive in two runs as Nichols, Riviera and Maya Martineau each got an RBI. Nichols earned three hits and Thomas added two hits.
WG had its season opener against Baldwinsville on Wednesday afternoon, and it proved a close one – but the Wildcats lost, 6-5, to the Bees.
The Wildcats had eight hits, two each by Katie Drogo and Emily Winton, who also drove in runs as Winton scored twice. Deanna Shackleton pitched a complete game, but B’ville tagged her for 12 hits as Kaycee Hawk led the Bees with three hits. Gabby Hahn and Emma Bernet both drove in two runs.
While it was just as close on Thursday afternoon, WG rallied for a big 9-8 win over Cicero-North Syracuse, surviving a back-and-forth contest to hand the Northstars its first defeat after it had gone 3-0 in games at Myrtle Beach late in March.
Starting fast, WG led, 4-0, thorugh two innings, but C-NS notched five runs in the third to go in front. Unfazed, the Wildcats staged its own four-run rally in the fifth to grab an 8-5 advantage and looked safe – only to have the Northstars rise up and score three times in the top of the seventh.
Again, poise was shown as WG put across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, having seen Case get four hits and score four runs as Shannon Churchill added three hits. Shackleton and Elle Lazore each earned a pair of RBIs, with Winton, Amanda Prell and Olivia Davioli joining Case and Churchill with single RBIs.
J-E, who would beat Skaneateles 7-3 on Friday to get its first win of the season, opened last Tuesday against Union Springs and lost to the Wolves by a 12-0 margin, with Union Springs doing all of its damage in three separate innings, scoring three times in the first and four more times in the bottom of the third before putting together a five-run fifth inning.
The Eagles had just one hit against Wolves pitcher Grace Van Horn, who struck out 11 in four innings, and three hits overall, one each from Mia Arms, Megan Bard and Morgan Schneider. Lizzy Baker pitched for the Eagles, earning four strikeouts.
Solvay would meet Westhill early this week after the Warriors opened last Friday with a 19-4 win over Cazenovia, a game where it scored in each of the six innings and saw Katie Lobello smack a home run as part of a four-hit effort that included five RBIs.
Melissa Newcomb scored three times and joined Tess Hogan, each of them driving in two runs. Fallon Kinney, Nicole Moriarty and Gabriella Wicker had one RBI apiece as Lobello, also doing the pitching duties, struck out four and held the Lakers to four hits, though she amassed eight walks.
