When the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool softball teams went head-to-head for the first time this spring on Monday at the Gillette Road complex, they did so in similar frames of mind.
The Northstars, who sat at no. 7 in the first state Class AA rankings of the season, were in top form, even when its schedule was curtailed a bit by rains that wiped out April 20 games against South Glens Falls and Ballston Spa.
But then C-NS tripped up last Thursday in a 7-3 defeat to Oneida, the state’s no. 10-ranked Class B team, who twice fell behind early, only to make up that ground in a hurry.
A run in the first and two runs in the third had the Northstars in front 3-1 as Giana Wameling got two hits and scored twice, but from there Indians pitcher Kyra Sholtzhauer kept C-NS off the board.
Meanwhile, Oneida got to Northstars ace Ariana Corasaniti for four runs in the bottom of the third to go in front, adding two insurance runs in the fifth. Lauren Skibitski and Emily Marshall each had two RBIs to lead the Indians.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, back from a 2-2 trip to Myrtle Beach, found itself at no. 20 in those same state AA rankings, but then suffered a setback last Monday as it lost, 15-9, to Fayetteville-Manlius.
Not since 2007 had the Hornets beaten Liverpool – when Kendall Bright, the current F-M coach, was still a player, and in the three games they played a season ago, the Warriors scored 38 runs to F-M’s three.
But with an eight-run second inning in this game, the Hornets established an early 10-1 margin. Fighting back, the Warriors closed within 10-8 after six innings, only to have F-M get away again with five runs in the top of the seventh as Paige Murphy and Maya McKenzie both hit home runs, combining for five RBIs as Sophie Woodridge drove in four runs.
Liverpool lost despite getting 17 hits, with Sophia D’Arcangelis going four-for-four as Helen Nash and Emma Terzini each had three hits. Helen and Alicia Nash each drove in three runs as Olivia Peta added an RBI.
Further proof of the climb the Warriors still faced ahead of them was last Wednesday’s visit from Baldwinsville, who like the Warriors had spent the spring break at Myrtle Beach fine-tuning its game.
And it was the Bees defeating the Warriors 8-4, the game going back and forth until the top of the fourth when B’ville broke out of a 3-3 tie with a four-run rally that counted as the winning margin.
Kayla Young singled, doubled and drove in three runs to lead the Bees. Madison Ascioti and Kaycee Hawk each had two hits, Ascioti scoring three runs as Hawk doubled, tripled and had an RBI. Mattison Phinney and Emma Johnson also drove in runs.
Taylor Tripodi pitched for B’ville, limiting Liverpool to one run after the third inning and recording nine strikeouts to negate allowing six hits and five walks. For the Warriors, Alicia Nash hit a home run, Peta got two hits and Makayla Sweeting scored twice.
Liverpool then lost 9-5 to defending sectional Class A champion Jamesville-DeWitt on Thursday, with Shayna Myshrall hitting two home runs and getting six RBIs for the Red Rams as a five-run third inning proved too much for the Warriors to overcome.
Alicia Nash went deep, too, but only drove in two runs, with Haley Miles earning two hits as she and Helen Nash got one RBI apiece.
Weather forced the postponement of the Northstar Elite Tournament C-NS was set to host on Saturday and Sunday. Liverpool was also set to take part in that tournament.
