Having spent a week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, getting in a full slate of games, the Cazenovia baseball team hoped that work translated into better results against tough OHSL Liberty division foes.
Before league play resumed, though, the Lakers had to first confront Oneida last Monday afternoon, and it proved rough as the Indians prevailed by a 19-5 margin.
Cazenovia actually scored the game’s first run, but Oneida countered with two in the bottom of the first and just kept hitting, especially in a six-run third inning and nine-run outburst in the fifth, though some of it was aided by the Lakers committing four errors.
In defeat, Eric Ketcham had two RBIs, while Dan Hammond picked up three hits. Evan Begley got two hits as Ben Nichols contributed an RBI. Oneida featured James Dick, who had four hits and three RBIs, and Vin Leibl, who drove in four runs as Jordan Barlow, Ryan Chevier and Tanner Williams got two RBIs apiece.
Chittenango, who had gone through a fair share of struggles through the early part of its schedule, was 1-5 going into last Monday’s game against Jordan-Elbridge, but doubled that win total by topping the Eagles 3-1.
Devon Spaulding pitched quite well for the Bears, holding J-E to five hits and striking out four, yet still trailed 1-0 before Chittenango got to Eagles pitcher Dan Kuenhle for all of its runs in the fourth inning. Spaulding drove in one of those runs, with Tom Valentine and Tim Ryder also earning RBIs.
Then Cazenovia took its shot at J-E, but lost, 7-3, to the Eagles, who netted four runs in the first inning off Begley, the Lakers’ starting pitcher. Begley would last six innings, giving up two more runs in the bottom of the third after Cazenovia got on the board earlier that inning.
Despite issuing a series of walks (three to Nichols, two to Judson Spaulding), three J-E pitchers – Jordan Osborn, Zach Fabrize and Carson Ashby – held Cazenovia to two hits, one each by Begley and Hammond. Osborn singled, doubled and scored twice to lead the Eagles at the plate.
On Saturday, Cazenovia could not get on the board in a 4-0 defeat to Pulaski. Blue Devils pitcher Tom Brodeur gave up just three hits, one each by Matt Regan, Anthony Vecchiarelli and Josh Bauder.
Regan pitched well for the Lakers, but was hurt by five errors as Pulaski, only up 1-0 going into the sixth inning, scored a run in that frame and two more in the seventh. Cazenovia’s record fell to 2-8 overall.
Also playing on Saturday, Chittenango also got shut out, a 14-0 defeat to Canastota, though much of that margin came from the Raiders piling up nine runs in the sixth and seventh innings long after it had taken the lead.
Mike Culkin got two hits for the Bears (2-7), but the only other hit went to Tom Rooney, a double, and he was left stranded as Canastota pitcher Sam DiGeorge struck out 10 in his five-inning starting stint. Ethan O’Connell doubled twice for the Raiders as he and Ian Torkleson got three RBIs apiece.
