CAZENOVIA – Back-to-back defeats to Christian Brothers Academy and Phoenix at the end of April had set back the Cazenovia baseball team, but now it did something about it.
Capping a weekend where it won three times in a 24-hour span, Cazenovia pulled off a 4-0 shutout over reigning Section III Class B champion Skaneateles in Saturday’s Laker clash at Dubik Field.
Cazenovia did catch Skaneatlees coming off an emotional eight-inning, 9-7 defeat to Westhill the day before, but it also had pitching ace Jack Byrnes on the mound and, again, he proved tough.
Though he gave up six hits and hit another batter, Byrnes constantly escaped trouble, recording seven strikeouts and pitching well with the lead his teammates gave him.
A run in the first inning, two runs in the second and another in the fifth proved enough, Jack Donlin getting a pair of hits and earning an RBI as Sully Clarke also drove in a run. Joey Awald and Taven Reilley joined Donlin and Byrnes in the run-scoring column.
Looking to avenge its April 4 loss to Homer last Tuesday, the Lakers could not do so, unable to contain the Trojans in a 12-3 defeat.
Cazenovia scored twice in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead, only to have Homer move in front for good with runs in every inning from the third onward.
For its part, the Lakers only had four hits as A.J. Rothfeld got credit for an RBI. Jack Byrnes pitched four innings and took the loss as the Trojans’ Tanner Douglass went four-for-five and drove in four runs.
Turning this around on Friday, Cazenovia swept a doubleheader from Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, winning both games in lopsided fashion.
The opening game went 14-3 over the Rebels, including a six-run third inning and five-run fourth inning. Jack Donlin not only pitched a complete game, he hit a home run as he, along with Rothfeld, Jacob Szalach and Jacob Grevelding, each scored twice.
In the second game, it went 12-2 in Cazenovia’s favor. Grevelding pitched and also had four RBIs, Szalach also driving in four runs as Rothfeld got two RBIs and scored three runs. Byrnes contributed three hits.
Chittenango returned to action last Tuesday against Hannibal and engaged in an exciting, back-and-forth battle that it was able to claim over the Warriors by a slim 9-8 margin.
Both sides picked up runs early, the Bears seeing leads of 3-0 and 5-4 disappear before it scored three times in the top of the fourth to move ahead for good.
Still, a seventh-inning tally was needed as Chittenango, up 9-6, gave up two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but saw relief pitcher Kyle Peryer pick up the final out.
Taking advantage of five Hannibal errors, the Bears saw Austin Khammar earn a pair of hits as he, along with Ben Welch and David Bruno, drove in single runs. Welch and Bruno also pitched before Peryer took over late.
In Saturday’s 12-1 defeat to Bishop Grimes, the Bears fell to 4-6 overall, with still half of its schedule that it hopes to play over the next two weeks.
