CENTRAL NEW YORK – Long before April ended, the Marcellus softball team had effectively demonstrated its ability to win in any kind of conditions.
Having won the Mudville Tournament in summer heat on April 15, the Mustangs found it more than 30 degrees colder when it faced Central Square last Monday, yet still controlled matters in a 3-0 shutout of the Redhawks.
All that pitcher Bella Mondello allowed was a Natalie Bush single and a trio of walks, two of them to Payton St. Clair, but she piled up 18 strikeouts and kept Central Square off the board.
Marcellus got to Redhawks pitcher Caitlyn Redeye with a run in the third inning and two runs in the fourth. Amelia Novitsky scored two of those runs as Carly Sears also crossed the plate and Mondello was credited with RBI.
Several other local games were postponed due to the rain and cold, but Solvay traveled to the artificial surface at Gutchess Park to face Cortland last Wednesday afternoon.
And despite the Purple Tigers’ surprising 5-1 start, the Bearcats, anchored by a tremendous pitching performance from Jenna Wing, prevailed 5-0 to improve to 4-1 on the season.
On her way to a complete game, Wing limited Cortland to just two hits, both singles, and four walks while amassing a career-best 12 strikeouts.
Solvay wasn’t spectacular at the plate, but got to Purple Tigers pitcher Brenna Hogan for a pair of first-inning runs and single runs in the third, fourth and seventh. Wing had two hits and drove in a run as Neveah Baker doubled and scored a run. Gianna D’Eredita and Rachel Willsey also crossed the plate.
As a follow-up on Saturday afternoon, Solvay blanked Bishop Grimes 15-0 with a four-hit shutout from pitcher Annabelle Stewart, who accumulated 10 strikeouts.
Most of the damage at the plate came from a five-run third inning and seven-run seventh inning. Susie Overend led with four RBIs, while Wing drove in three runs and doubled. Stewart helped her own cause with a pair of RBIs.
Skaneateles also reached the win column, doing so last Thursday by outscoring its Laker rivals from Cazenovia in a wild 18-12 affair.
In order to break out of an early 4-4 tie, Skaneateles needed five unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings, plus a five-run fifth, as it crossed the plate at least once in every single inning.
Kelly Goldberger and Ellie Walsh had three RBIs apiece. Ayla Pas’cal drove in a pair of runs, while Grace Wagner, Chelsea Metz and Katie Combs each scored three runs.
