When the Marcellus softball team made its historic 2021 run to the Section III Class B championship, long-time powerhouse Cicero-North Syracuse handed the Mustangs one of its two defeats.
When these sides met again last Monday afternoon, the Northstars again looked to be headed for a win before a big comeback allowed Marcellus to pull out a 10-9 victory.
C-NS quickly went in front with three runs in the first inning off Aubrey Fraher. A three-run third inning followed, plus single tallies in the second, fourth and sixth. Aubrey Cole doubled twice and scored twice, while Riley Barrett went four-for-five and scored three runs. Tahlia Gerardi’s trio of singles led to three RBIs
All of this gave the Northstars a 9-6 lead, but the Mustangs pulled even in the bottom of the sixth, the key blow Emma MacLachlan’s two-run home run, before winning it in the seventh when Elaine Grattan drove home the decisive run.
Bella Mondello, with three RBIs, paced the Marcellus lineup. Bryn Goldsworthy drove in a pair of runs as Carly Hopper added an RBI. Grattan, Mondello, Emma MacLachlan and Katie MacLachlan each scored twice.
As a follow-up, Marcellus shut out Chittenango 11-0 on Wednesday, Mondello getting a triple, double, two singles and four RBIs as Hopper also drove in four runs with a triple and single. Brooklyn Finnarty also had an RBI as Fraher struck out 12 while limiting the Bears to four hits.
Even better was the way the Mustangs played during the annual Mudville Tournament on Saturday afternoon, where it swept a doubleheaders against elite competition.
Beating Kellenberg (Long Island) 10-2, Marcellus scored multiple runs in four different innings as Fraher starred in every way, from pitching a complete game to going three-for-four with two doubles and four RBIs. Mondello added three hits as Emma and Katie MacLachlan got two hits apiece.
Then, in a 5-0 shutout of Windsor, Mondello pitched a gem, striking out 12 and only giving up three hits. It was a 1-0 game until the sixth, when Emma MacLachlan’s three-run home run broke it open.
