Before it even took the field, the Skaneateles softball team had an eventful week.
The Lakers found out last Monday that it could play in the Section III Class B tournament, regardless of its record, because the section had waived the rule that a team had to win 40 percent of its games in order to qualify, citing concerns that it could not make up all of the contests affected by bad weather this spring.
The Lakers lost its first game after that announcement, falling 10-2 to Christian Brothers Academy last Tuesday afternoon. . Breaking up a 1-1 tie, the Brothers netted three runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth, tacking on two runs in the sixth and four runs in the seventh to pull away from the Lakers.
Kyra Cottrill had three of the four Skaneateles hits off CBA pitcher Julia Boule, who earned 10 strikeouts. Cottrill also scored a run, as did Maddie Williams. For the Brothers, Catherine Burns was a single away from the cycle as she homered, tripled, doubled and got three RBIs. Bridget O’Hern also had three hits as Julia Sullivan and Maria Oliva each drove in two runs.
Skaneateles rebounded Thursday to beat Jordan-Elbridge 9-1, scoring four times in the first and fourth innings, with a second-inning run in between and Hannah Blowers setting a career mark by amassing 14 strikeouts in a complete-game pitching effort.
Elizabeth Williams had three RBIs, with Maeve Canty driving in a pair of runs. Cottrill, Ryley Pascal and Kathryn Lindgren had two hits apiece and combined to score seven of the nine Skaneateles runs. Kayla Ramsden also scored a run.
Then came a 3-0 defeat to Phoenix on Friday where the Lakers got another fine pitching effort from Hannah Blowers, who overcame 10 hits to limit the Firebirds to a run in the first inning and two more runs in the fifth.
Try as it could, though, Skaneateles could not convert any of its five hits to runs against Phoenix pitcher Cheyenne Wilson, who earned 10 strikeouts. Cottrill, Hannah Blowers, Sarah Blowers, Maddy Williams and Hannah Stone earned one hit apiece.
