CENTRAL NEW YORK – With its early success bolstered by a 10-9 victory over Cazenovia on May 4, the Chittenango softball team sought to improve even further once the fields dried up.
Back in action last Wednesday afternoon, the Bears claimed its fifth consecutive victory, outscoring Altmar-Parish-Williamstown in a 13-6 decision.
Then Chittenango followed up on Thursday by routing Fulton 19-4 to make it six in a row, and five straight games where the Bears had scored double-digit runs.
Dealing with another close call in Friday’s rematch against APW, Chittenango did just enough to hold off the Rebeles 11-10 for its sixth in a row.
But it didn’t stop there as, on Saturday, the Bears blasted Skaneateles 14-2 to make it 8-0, the only side in Class A undefeated other than reigning sectional champion Jamesville-DeWitt.
To start its busy week, Cazenovia ran right into Marcellus last Monday afternoon and, hurt by nine errors, lost 22-2 to the Mustangs, not able to get on the board until the bottom of the fifth inning.
Helen Hausser and Georgia Newcomb drove in those runs, with Kylie Fenton picking up a single and double. For the Mustangs, Alyssa Hopper and Sam Wynne each got three RBIs, with Emma MacLachlan and Aubrey Fraher both finishing with two doubles and two RBIs.
But the Lakers turned it around in a hurry on Tuesday, defeating Canastota 11-5 largely on the basis of netting eight runs in the first three innings.
Flora Wilmot not only pitched and struck out 13 in her complete-game effort, she went four-for-five at the plate, smacking a home run and earning five RBIs. Mya Skeele, Kylie Burnett and Eva Gagnon also drove in runs., with Fenton and Abby Falso getting two hits apiece.
Cazenovia won again on Wednesday, ripping Phoenix 16-1 in five innings, the 13 hits including a home run by Skeele, the first of her varsity career.
All told, Skeele had four RBIs, with Wilmot driving in three runs while striking out eight and holding the Firebirds to two hits. Fenton and Maddie Waite earned three hits apiece as Waite scored three runs.
In a rematch with Phoenix on Friday afternoon, the Lakers again piled up runs, though not as many, on the way to a 12-3 victory.
Fenton, with a triple, single and three RBIs, paced the Cazenovia attack, with Wilmot and Falso both driving in two runs. Skeele pitched and struck out 10 Firebirds batters while allowing five hits.
