CENTRAL NEW YORK – Unbeaten against local opposition heading into the last full week of April, the Marcellus softball team finally suffered a setback – but even here, it proved exciting.
Liverpool clashed with the Mustangs last Monday afternoon, and it turned into a classic pitcher’s duel between Aubrey Fraher and Cassie Wiggins that stretched into eight innings before the Warriors prevailed 1-0.
All through regulation, Fraher did her part, giving up just one hit and earning seven strikeouts. Meanwhile, Marcellus got eight hits off Wiggins, with Jillian O’Connor leading the way thanks to her two hits, yet could not convert.
Instead, in the top of the eighth Joelle Wike drove home Ava Falvo and Wiggins, who ended up with 11 strikeouts, managed one more scoreless frame to end it.
Turning this around a day later, Marcellus unloaded on Solvay in a 23-1 romp that featured runs in every inning except the fourth, capped by a 10-run seventh-inning outburst.
Fraher smashed a home run on her way to three RBIs . Bryn Goldsworthy also drove in three runs as Carly Hopper, Emma MacLachlan and Hannah Fagan earned two RBIs apiece. Bella Mondello pitched and struck out 15, holding the Bearcats to three hits.
It was a far closer game on Thursday against Christian Brothers Academy, but Marcellus won it 4-0 as Fraher, who allowed five hits, did not surrender a walk and recorded seven strikeouts.
Two-run rallies in the first and fourth innings was all Marcellus needed as Emma MacLachlan got three hits and two RBIs, with Fraher and Goldsworthy driving in the other run.
Skaneateles got close in last Tuesday’s game against Mexico, jumping out to a 7-0 lead through three innings, only to have the Tigers make it all the way back to prevail 8-7.
But the Lakers did win on Wednesday, knocking off previously unbeaten Port Byron 16-10 as it grabbed a 9-0 lead by the second inning and, this time, added to it thanks to four runs in the fifth and three runs in the seventh.
Ayla Pas’cal hit a home run, doubled and got three RBIs. Katie Combs had three hits as she and Natalie Yokom both drove in a pair of runs. Finn Pas’cal, Laci Gaidis and Cydney Putnam got two hits apiece.
In another high-scoring game on Friday, Skaneateles lost, 14-10, to Homer, surrendering eight first-inning runs and falling behind 10-0 before a furious rally where, with five runs in the fourth and sixth, it closed within one, 11-10, before the Trojans scored three times in the top of the seventh.
Bishop Ludden put up runs against Weedsport, but lost, 15-9, to drop to 0-5 on the season, only to have that skid finally end on Wednesday with a 9-8 win over Onondaga/LaFayette. Kaitlyn Kibling and Delia Adams each scored a pair of runs as Sarah Fink got two hits.
Then Ludden beat Tully 15-7 on Friday afternoon, Kibling going four-for-four with a triple, three singles and two RBIs as she and Sophia Chemotti both scored four times. Amarah Streiff scored twice.
