All of the area’s high school softball teams had to endure a painful wait as cold weather and snow lingered into April, keeping them from even getting out to the diamonds to practice, much less have games.
Not until last Monday did it clear up enough for some game action, and East Syracuse Minoa had to go to the all-weather surface at Onondaga Community College to face Fulton.
But that didn’t seem to bother the Spartans, who unloaded in a 19-9 victory over the Red Raiders, setting the tone in the first inning when Shaina Brilbeck, with two on, drove them all in with an inside-the-park home run.
As part of a six-run second inning, Brilbeck struck again with a two-run single that made it 9-1. Franchesca Polcaro, already with three hits on the day, added a two-run home run of her own in the fifth inning, followed by Brilbeck’s sixth RBI on a single.
Six more runs followed in the sixth inning as Gillianne McCarthy (who had three hits), Aubrie Williams and Gianna Quonce each finished with a pair of RBIs. Tori Malbone and Natalie Quonce also drove in runs as Quonce matched McCarthy’s three-hit output.
In sharp contrast, Bishop Grimes was overwhelmed in its first game of the season, a 16-1 defeat to Onondaga.
Brianna Bowles drove in the Cobras’ lone run as McKenna Squier had her team’s only hit against Tigers pitcher Carly Smith, who struck out 12. Larissa Fitzgibbons led OCS at the plate with four hits.
Moving to Tuesday, while other games got postponed, Christian Brothers Academy played its opener against Homer and blanked the Trojans 12-0. Julia Boule and Maddy Tallman held Homer to three hits, combining for 13 strikeouts.
Tallman and Bridget O’Hern both got three hits by themselves, O’Hern scoring three times and earning a pair of RBIs. Boule also drove in two runs as Catherine Burns, Julia Griffith and Abby Benware had one RBI apiece.
ESM was back in action Saturday, but lost, 11-0, to Baldwinsville, who got a home run, double and three RBIs from Kayla Young, who also pitched five shutout innings. Polcaro, Brilbeck, McCarthy and Natalie Quonce had the Spartans’ lone hits.
This followed the opener for Fayetteville-Manlius, a 14-7 defeat to Oswego where the Buccaneers netted 12 runs in the first two innings, more than the Hornets could overcome.
Still, Sarah Vaccaro came up with a double, single and two RBIs as she and Isabella Bastian both scored two runs. Sophie Woodridge also drove in a run as Joan Carroll gave Oswego two doubles and five RBIs.
