The hope for the Liverpool softball team was that it could make strong opening statements against both of its neighbors and rivals before the annual spring break trek to Myrtle Beach – but only half the task got accomplished.
Rains wiped out last Tuesday’s showdown between the Warriors and Cicero-North Syracuse, which got moved to April 24. But it did dry up in time for last Wednesday’s trip to Baldwinsville, where Liverpool inaugurated league play with a 6-0 shutout of the Bees.
Having won a wild 8-7 decision over Fayetteville-Manlius earlier in the week, B’ville thought it carried some momentum into the game, but that vanished when Liverpool tagged Bees pitcher Kayla Young for three runs in the first inning and two more runs in the top of the second.
Ashley Teixeira led that early surge, eventually netting three hits, including a double, plus two RBIs. Olivia Hayden and Delanie Alberici each got two hits, with Alberici and Dana Egan driving in single runs as Alicia Nash scored twice.
Jenna Wike also had an RBI and pitched superbly, too, limiting B’ville to four hits and one walk while striking out five. She also got an extra insurance run when the Warriors scored again in the top of the seventh.
C-NS did not get on the field until Thursday afternoon, against Central Square, another top Class AA contender, but the wait did little to affect the Northstars, who used a pair of timely rallies and solid pitching from Gabriella Corasaniti to beat the Redhawks 5-1.
In the top of the second inning, C-NS broke through for three runs against Central Square pitcher Abby House. The Redhawks answered with a run in the bottom of the second, but that was all it could manage against Corasaniti, who gave up just four hits and got error-free defense behind her.
Even with a 3-1 lead, the Northstars weren’t content, adding two runs in the sixth inning for insurance. Julianna Vassallo, Janelle Walters, Victoria Dunn and Ally Ciafratta earned hits for C-NS, with Walters doubling and Dunn getting credit for an RBI.
When Liverpool made its annual trek to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and started with a loud statement from Wike, who threw her first varsity no-hitter in a 9-0 victory over Cavalry Day (Georgia).
Wike did not allow a walk or hit, with Cavalry Day only reaching base through a pair of Liverpool errors. Striking out seven, Wike also singled, walked twice and scored two runs at the plate, earning an RBI as Alberici, Teixeira and Madison Murabito also drove in runs and Alberici scored twice. Liverpool scored runs in each of the first five innings.
