Other than game with New Hartford abandoned when weather hit in the sixth inning of the April 5 opener, the Marcellus softball team had mostly kept quiet.
But the Mustangs roared through last week, peaking with a victory in its own division during the Mudville Tournament, each by a single run over a top Section II opponent.
The opener was a 1-0 win over South Glens Falls where Carly Hopper drove in Bryn Goldsworthy with the game’s only run in the bottom of the third inning and Bella Mondello made it hold up, accumulating 14 strikeouts while only allowing three hits.
Then, in a 3-2 win over Mechanicville, the Mustangs trailed 1-0 and 2-1, but came back both times, including a two-run seventh inning to win it for pitcher Avrie Hammond. Goldsworthy, Mondello and Amelia Novitsky drove in the runs.
Back in Tuesday’s home opener against Mexico, Mondello recorded a no-hitter in a 14-0 romp. Aside from three walks, no Tigers batter reached base against Mondello, who amassed 18 strikeouts and also drove in a pair of runs at the plate. Carly Hopper and Carly Sears both got a pair of hits, while Bryn Goldsworthy amassed four RBIs.
More dominance for the Mustangs followed in Wednesday’s game against Skaneateles, Mondello allowing just one hit and Marcellus needing just five innings to thrash past the Lakers 19-1.
As if her pitching wasn’t enough, Mondello hit her first home run of the season, adding two doubles and finishing with four RBIs. Hannah Fagan singled twice and drove in three runs, with O’Connor going four-for-four, reaching base five times and racing around to score on each occasion.
Against the other set of Lakers from Cazenovia on Thursday afternoon, Marcellus kept it up with a 22-0 romp, a 10-run first inning setting the tone.
Hopper went deep for a home run and got five RBIs. Sears drove in three runs, with O’Connor, Goldsworthy, Fagan and Avrie Hammond each driving in two runs. Hammond also pitched a pair of no-hit innings.
Back on Monday, Westhill met Skaneateles and, buoyed by a powerful shot from Isabella Johnson in the first inning, pushed past the Lakers 7-4.
Down 1-0, the Warriors got two on base in the bottom of the first and Johnson put a Grace Wagner pitch over the center-field fence, her three-run home run part of a four-run rally.
That was all Westhill needed, but it added single runs in the third, fourth and sixth that provided the winning margin as Hannah Schmitz struck out nine in her complete-game effort. Tori Militi, Alexa Korrie, Catherine Cottrell and Nikki Scrimale had one RBI apiece.
Westhill then unloaded on Phoenix 31-0 in a game Wednesday where it scored 18 runs in the first inning. Schmitz’s three singles led to six RBIs. Isabella Johnson went four-for-five and drove in four runs, with Scrimale and Kalista Czaplicki adding three RBIs apiece. Militi, Olivia Antoine and Morgan Kohanski each drove in a pair of runs.
Next, Westhill beat Homer 16-1, seeing Cottrell single, double and drive in a career-best five runs as Militi put up four RBIs. Schmitz, Czaplicki and Sydney Medeiros each got two RBIs.
Solvay opened last Monday by ripping past Syracuse City 21-2. Jenna Wing and Anabelle Stewart finished with three RBIs apiece. Rachel Willsey added four hits as she and Jayde Coyne both scored four runs.
Then things flipped a day later, Solvay shut out 16-0 by Chittenango and unable to get a hit against Caroline Porter while committing six errors. Anna Cavotta led the Bears with a single, double and three RBIs.
Again it turned on Thursday afternoon, Solvay this time putting up the runs in a 16-5 win over Bishop Ludden that included Gianna D’Eredita going four-for-four with three RBIs, while Willsey, Wing, Stewart and Jaidyn Kotiarz drove in two runs apiece. Grace Hilton drove in two of the Gaelic Knights’ five runs.
And then Solvay met Skaneateles on Friday in a game where it trailed 2-0 and 4-3 before a six-run third inning gave it the lead, but it still had to hang on late to defeat the Lakers 9-8.
Wing led the Bearcats with a triple and four RBIs. Hannah Haase drove in two runs, while Skaneateles got three hits from Reese Gaidis and two RBIs from Cydney Pitman.
