The Christian Brothers Academy softball team had a strong start to the week last Monday afternoon, handling Cazenovia 15-5. Already with a 2-0 edge, the Brothers broke it open with eight runs in the top of the third, eventually building a 12-0 margin before the Lakers got all of its runs in the sixth inning.

Julia Griffith hit a home run for CBA as she produced three RBIs. Bridget O’Hern and Victoria Hall had three hits apiece, O’Hern scoring three times as she, along with Abigail Benware and Catherine Burns, drove in one run apiece. Maria Oliva contributed a pair of RBIs.

Then CBA put a scare into state Class B no. 4-ranked Solvay on Wednesday, though it lost, 10-7, to the Bearcats. It was 10-2 when, starting in the sixth inning, the Brothers chipped away at the deficit, eventually scoring five runs in the last two frames off Solvay pitching ace Lauren Nichols.

Burns and O’Hern both tagged home runs and combined for three RBIs,, with Julia Sullivan getting three hits and an RBI. Maria Oliva and Victoria Hall also drove in runs. Solvay scored all of its runs in the third and fourth innings as Caitlin McCann got three RBIs and Nichols drove in a pair of runs.

Bishop Grimes held on to beat Pulaski 11-9 last Monday afternoon. The Cobras erased a 3-1 deficit with four runs in the second inning, adding two runs in the fourth and four in the sixth to gain an 11-5 edge before the Blue Devils made it interesting with its own four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh.

Grimes pitcher Brianna Squier did get the final out, though, and rewarded her teammates’ good work at the plate. Kendall Mancuso went three-for-four, tripling and scoring four times while earning four RBIs as Kenna Kelley hit a home run and had three RBIs. McKenna Squier drove in a run. Sarah Falgiatano and Emma Purce each scored twice.

In another close contest on Tuesday, Grimes edged Tully 3-2. Twice, the Cobras gave up one-run leads, with the Black Knights answering in the third and fifth innings before Grimes went ahead for good in the bottom of the fifth.

McKenna Squier and Marissa Curtis each had two hits and scored a run. Mancuso also earned two hits, with Alyssa Cavallo scoring a run.

A wild 9-7 defeat to Cato-Meridian followed on Friday, with Grimes scoring three times in the first inning, only to give up that lead and then, down 5-3, rally in the top of the sixth with four runs  – a number the Blue Devils matched in the bottom of the sixth to grab the lead for good.

Mancuso tripled, doubled and drove in three runs for the Cobras, with McKenna Squier adding a double, single and two RBIs. Brianna Squier, who pitched the whole way, added an RBI, as did Purce as Donja Griffin led Cato with three hits, three runs scored and three RBIs.