With April nearing its conclusion, the Solvay softball team wanted to make sure that it had as much confidence as possible, especially since the schedule wouldn’t allow for much time to work on things between games.

In last Monday’s visit to Westhill, the Bearcats, who were no. 4 in the first state Class B rankings of the season, benefited from timely hits and another reliable pitching effort from Lauren Nichols on the way to a 7-2 victory over the Warriors.

A pair of first-inning runs got Solvay in front, but it added three runs in the fifth innings and two more in the sixth, establishing a 7-0 lead. Caitlin McCann’s home run was the big blow as she earned three RBIs. Aleah Yaizzo had three hits as she, along with Delana Thomas and Maya Martineau each scored twice, Thomas driving in a run.

Meanwhile, Nichols maintained a shutout until the bottom of the sixth, when Westhill scored twice. Janea Ricks picked up an RBI as Tess Hogan and Katie Lobello scored those runs, but for the game Nichols only surrendered three hits and three walks, amassing 13 strikeouts.

It proved tougher for Solvay in Wednesday’s 10-7 victory over Christian Brothers Academy. All of the Bearcats’ runs came in the third and fourth innings as McCann doubled and drove in three runs, with Nichols adding two RBIs as Thomas, Althea Davies, Nadea Davis and Sam Farruggio had one RBI apiece.

Usually, a 10-2 lead was plenty safe with Nichols pitching, but she struggled in the sixth and seventh innings, giving up five total runs (Catherine Burns and Bridget O’Hern both hit home runs) before earning the final outs, having given up 11 hits while striking out nine.

It proved easier on Friday, when Nichols threw the fourth no-hitter of her varsity career in Solvay’s 12-0 shutout of Jordan-Elbridge. Other than a single walk to Bailey Van Gorden, Nichols was perfect, striking out a season-best total of 17.

Also, Nichols delivered four hits, three of them doubles, and scored three runs. Hope Rivera got two RBIs and Davies scored twice as she, along with Nichols, McCann, Thomas, Farruggio, Davies, Davis, Aleah Yaizzo and Maya Martineau all drove in runs as part of a 14-hit effort.

Westhill would play Wednesday at Hannibal and smash those other Warriors 19-0, doing most of the damage in an 11-run first inning and scoring six more times in the top of the third as pitchers Bella Lavigne and Ariel Cassidy combined on a one-hitter, striking out eight between them.

Lavigne also starred at the plate with a pair of doubles that led to three RBIs. Lobello, Cassidy, Sara Galante, Gabriella Wicker, Katie MacBain and Rachel Daniul earned two RBIs apiece as Lobello had three hits and three runs scored.

And the Warriors stayed hot on Friday, mashing Marcellus 16-1 in a game where the Mustangs actually scored the initial run in the top of the second, but then Westhill put up eight runs in the bottom of the second and kept going from there.

Janea Ricks, with four RBIs, led a 13-hit attack where Lobello got three hits and three RBIs. Tess Hogan doubled twice as she, along with Wicker and MacBain, drove in two runs apiece. Cassidy and Daniul also had RBIs.

Against its neighbors from Bishop Ludden on Saturday afternoon, Westhill won again, beating the Gaelic Knights 8-4 by scoring runs in each of the first five innings, capped by a three-run third that overcame a 4-3 deficit and put the Warriors ahead for good.

Lobello hit a home run as she and Hogan got two RBIs apiece. Wicker topped them both, driving in three runs as Lavigne added an RBI. Ally Royal drove in two of Ludden’s runs as Nicole Noreault got two hits and Amelia Lamendola earned an RBI.

To start its week, Marcellus met Altmar-Parish-Williamstown and took a 6-2 defeat, the game fairly close until the Rebels got to Mustang pitchers Isabel Rodolico and Trisha Curtin for two runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Both of the Marcellus runs came in the bottom of the sixth, with McKenna Donegan tripling home Curtin and Emily Welch. Otherwise, APW pitcher Helaina Hale contained the Mustangs, holding them to three hits overall. Taylor Matlock led the Rebels with a home run, single and two RBIs.

On Wednesday, the Mustangs blanked Phoenix 1-0, with Rodolico limiting the Firebirds to five hits in her complete-game shutout. For its part, Marcellus only had three hits, but two of them were by Alyssa Cook, who scored the game’s lone run in the top of the third. Caroline Trytek had the other hit.

Long before it faced Solvay, J-E led Chittenango last Monday afternoon, but lost, 12-4, to the Bears. A two-run fourth inning briefly put the Eagles in front before Chittenango answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth and got away with six runs two innings later.

Still managing nine hits, J-E saw Gabriella Bard earn three of those hits, while Annie Altwarg got two hits and two runs scored. Elizabeth Baker and Emily Bard also scored runs as Megan Whalen earned an RBI.  Trisha Whaley (three hits, two RBIs), Morgan Shoemaker (two doubles) and Shayla Muncy (three RBIs) paced the Bears.

Two days later, J-E fell to Cazenovia 7-1, while on Thursday, Ludden returned to action and beat Onondaga 15-5, overcoming an early 3-2 deficit with three runs in the second and third innings, plus six runs in the fourth.

Ally Weigand was unstoppable at the plate, driving in a career-best seven runs through five hits – a triple, two doubles and two singles. Not to be left out, Taylor Fink doubled twice, singled three times, scored five runs and earned four RBIs.