CENTRAL NEW YORK – Power displays in high school baseball are a rare sight, given the way bats have been made less lively in recent years.
This is what made the effort by Westhill senior Tyler Campbell in last Monday’s 20-2 victory over Marcellus so exceptional, even if the conditions were ideal.
Warm temperatures and a strong tailwind helped, but Campbell still managed, in the second, third and fifth innings, to send three pitches over the fence for home runs on his way to amassing eight RBIs.
All told, the Warriors managed 18 hits, three of them by Brady Richardson, who like Ryan Campbell drove in a pair of runs as Aiden Kerr got three RBIs. Richardson and Nick LaFex scored three runs apiece.
Then, in another local showdown Wednesday as part of the Strike Out ALS Tournament at NBT Bank Stadium, a big fifth inning delivered for Westhill a 5-3 victory over Solvay.
It was the Bearcats grabbing a 3-0 lead with a run in the first inning and two in the third, with Jonathan Gonzalez-Perez earning a pair of RBIs and starting pitcher Anthony Berry driving in the other run.
Then, in the top of the fifth, Westhill broke through against Berry. Tyler Campbell, Mike Madigan and Taden Chester drove in runs before pinch-hitter Anthony Sampo delivered a clutch two-run go-ahead single.
Meanwhile, Kerr, who took over in relief of Madigan in the third, shut out Solvay the rest of the way, striking out six and only allowing one hit.
Solvay, who had two pitchers combine on a no-hitter against Chittenango April 21, got another shutout last Monday when it beat Altmar-Parish-Williamstown 4-0 with Max Overend and Ty Martineau only allowing two hits between them.
Another shutout over Mexico 10-0 had Martineau and Joe Perez team up for another two-hitter. The Bearcats used a four-run first inning to gain control as Sam Gonzalez drove in a pair of runs, with Jordan Dippold, Jonthan Gonzalez-Perez and Jusitn Palmisan scoring two runs apiece.
Marcellus turned around from the Westhill defeat a day later and earned its own lopsided wins, routing Bishop Grimes 15-2. John Francesconi had three RBIs, with Adam Sullivan earning four hits and Hunter Byrne three hits as they each drove in a pair of runs.
In Thursday’s action, Skaneateles returned to the field and rolled past Phoenix 13-1, needing just three innings to pick up those runs as Trey Michel was three-for-three with a doubles, two singles and four RBIs.
Cooper Purdy tripled, singled and drove in three runs, with Mike Blowers adding two hits, three runs scored and two RBIs. Patrick Herr, Joe Bruna and Nate Shattuck had one RBI apiece.
As for Westhill, it bashed APW 15-1, scoring all of its runs in the second and third innings. Aiden Ryan doubled, singled twice and got three RBIs, with Kerr, Tyler Campbell and Dominic Zawadzki driving in two runs apiece.
Solvay got a big win of its own against Homer, battling to a 3-1 victory over the Trojans as it scored twice in the third inning and added an insurance run in the sixth.
Dan Mrowinski, part of the Chittenango no-hitter, held Homer to a single run despite allowing nine hits, constantly escaping trouble. Zach Balduzzi and Sam Gonzalez each drove in a run.
On Thursday, Marcellus defeated Mexico 9-3, led by Sullivan, who went three-for-four with a triple, two doubles and four RBIs. Francesconi and Ian Potter also drove in runs.
