Somehow, the Cazenovia softball team had remained undefeated longer than any other Onondaga High School League side this spring, and it finally got them a spot in the state Class B rankings last week, taking the no. 25 spot.
And if anyone perhaps doubted that a special season was unfolding for the Lakers, they were silenced Thursday at Chittenango, where a stirring late-game comeback helped Cazenovia beat the Bears 8-6 for its 10th win in a row.
The two sides traded second-inning runs before Chittenango scored twice in the third to go in front 3-1, only to have the Lakers net three runs in the top of the fourth to take its first lead.
Trailing 4-3, the Bears got back even in the bottom of the fourth and followed up with a two-run rally in the fifth. Savannah Penoyer, with three hits and two RBIs, led Chittenango as Sydney Pellman, Avery Salce, Lilly Callahan and Jenna Osborne also drove in runs.
It went to the top of the seventh with Cazenovia trailing 6-4, but three outs from its first defeat of the season, the Lakers broke out for four runs off Bears pitcher Sarah Lanphear, and made that lead stick when Samantha Morgan got the final three outs.
Not only did Morgan pitch two scoreless innings in relief of Elora Wilmot, she also had a double and three RBIs. Mackenzie Waite went five-for-five as she and Autumn Paddock both drove in two runs. Kylie Fenton went four-for-four, scoring twice, while Helen Hausser had two hits and two runs scored, Wilmot adding an RBI.
Back on Monday, the Lakers roared past Altmar-Parish-Williamstown 19-2 to make it eight wins in a row, wasting little time as it batted around twice in the first inning and recorded 12 runs.
More runs would follow as Fenton went four-for-four to pace a 16-hit attack, matching Hannah Matteson as they both got three RBIs, Matteson doubling twice.
Wilmot pitched and got the win, also joining Morgan and Maddie Young in getting a double and two RBIs apiece. Paddock also drove in two runs. Hausser, Mackenzie Waite and Maddie Waite each scored twice.
At Mexico two days later, Cazenovia went for nine in a row, and didn’t have any difficulty getting it as it put away the Tigers 14-2.
With five runs in the first inning and three more in the top of the second, the Lakers again flourished at the plate and took advantage of Mexico’s poor defense as it committed seven errors overall.
Aside from pitching a complete game, Morgan went three-for-four, scoring three times and driving in two runs. Matteson also scored three runs as she, along with Hausser, Paddock and Fenton, had one RBI apiece. Wilmot, Kylie Burnett and Mackenzie Waite each scored twice.
Earlier In the week, Chittenango struggled against defending sectional Class B champion Christian Brothers Academy, taking a 14-3 defeat to the Brothers.
Helped by Cassidy Kelly’s pair of RBIs and Savannah Penoyer’s two hits, Chittenango was tied, 3-3, through three innings, but saw CBA score twice in the fourth and nine more times in the ensuing two frames to get away, led by Vicoria Hall and Julia DelPino, who both went three-for-four and combined for seven RBIs.
