Here was an opportunity, within a three-day span, for the Solvay softball team to make an even louder statement in the wake of its 5-4, eight-inning defeat to Oneida on April 21, which was the first loss to any Section III foe in four years.
However, wet weather postponed a rematch last Tuesday between the Bearcats and Indians, so Solvay had to content itself by maintaining neighborhood bragging rights.
In the first part of that equation, Solvay met Marcellus last Monday afternoon and ripped the Mustangs 15-1, gaining control of a close game with three runs in the third and fifth innings before erupting for eight runs in the top of the seventh.
Solvay accumulated 12 hits and took advantage of six Marcellus errors. Ashley Bosco, Lauren Nichols, Aleah Yaizzo, Nadea Davis and Sam Farruggio notched two hits apiece, with Bosco tripling and driving in two runs as the other four each got one RBI, as did Althea Davies.
A fourth-inning triple by Sydney Lewis brought Jayme Lema home with the lone Marcellus run in the fifth, but otherwise Nichols blanked the Mustangs, only giving up two hits and two walks while amassing 14 strikeouts.
Following the Oneida rainout, Solvay turned its attention to a rematch with the same Westhill side it beat nine days earlier. This time, on home grass, the Bearcats trailed twice, only to break through in the late stages to top the Warriors 7-2.
A second-inning run put Westhill up 1-0, and though Solvay pulled even two innings later, the Warriors went back in front in the top of the fifth as Dori Klein and Melissa Newcomb got credit for RBIs, with Katie Lobello getting two hits and scoring a run and Tess Hogan also scoring a run.
None of this would last, though. Newcomb contained the Bearcats lineup until the bottom of the fifth, when it scored twice to gain the lead for good, finally getting some breathing space with a four-run outburst in the sixth.
Nichols still managed 14 strikeouts despite allowing four hits and five walks, but helped her own cause with a home run and three RBIs. Bosco’s pair of doubles and single helped her also drive in three runs as Yaizzo added an RBI. Maya Martineau banged out three hits and scored twice, with Farruggio adding two hits.
Making it three wins in four days, Solvay topped Christian Brothers Academy 5-1 on Thursday, with Nichols throwing a one-hitter that included 11 strikeouts. All of the Bearcats’ runs were scored in the first two innings as Caitlin McCann doubled twice and earned two RBIs. Nichols, Bosco and Delana Thomas drove in one run apiece.
Westhill had played last Monday afternoon, against the Syracuse City team, and a mid-game outburst made the difference for the Warriors as it prevailed by a 7-3 margin.
Syracuse enjoyed a 1-0 lead until the top of the fourth, when Westhill got to pitcher Adonia Wade for a trio of runs, and then scored twice an inning later for a 5-1 lead that the Warriors would protect the rest of the way.
Katie Lobello pitched a complete game, striking out five to overcome eight hits and two walks. Lobello also notched a pair of hits at the plate as Tess Hogan went three-for-four and Melissa Newcomb got two hits and three runs scored. Leah Diefendorf scored twice as Nicole Moriarty earned a pair of RBIs.
After the loss to Westhill, Marcellus rebounded by shutting out Skaneateles 4-0 on Wednesday, with Laura Finn tossing a one-hitter that included 13 strikeouts. A trio of first-inning runs proved enough as Alyssa Cook scored two runs and Emily Welch added an RBI.
Then, in two games at the Mudville complex on Saturday, the Mustangs emerged with a split, falling 4-2 to Elmira Notre Dame, but prevailing 10-4 over Cattaraugus/Little Valley to move back to the .500 mark at 6-6.
The latter contest saw Marcellus score seven runs in the fourth inning to pull in front of Cattaraugus/Little Valley as Lema got three RBIs, with Lewis and McKenna Donegan driving in two runs apiece. Finn and Cook each got a pair of hits.
Then the Warriors piled up runs in Friday’s 18-7 win over Bishop Ludden, scoring in every single inning as Newcomb tripled, doubled, singled and earned four RBIs. Lobello and Nicole Moriarty each drove in three runs as Diefendorf walked four times to go with a hit and scored five runs. The Gaelic Knights did get four hits from Bridget Brogan and two RBIs from Meghan Wilkinson.
Just as impressive was Saturday’s 2-1 win over New Hartford where Westhill scored a run in the top of the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and held on the rest of the way, improving to 5-4 on the season.
Back on Wednesday afternoon, Ludden routed Cato-Meridian 24-4 by putting together a trio of big rallies. That included five-run outings in the first and third innings and tagging the Blue Devils for 11 more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Sara Hayes provided the most power, twice hitting home runs and finishing with six RBIs. Taylor Fink and Ally Weigand joined Hayes in earning three hits as both of them also drove in two runs, as did Emma Greenfield. Weigand scored five runs, with Brogan, Wilkinson and Rachel Martens earning one RBI apiece.
