CENTRAL NEW YORK – Area high school softball teams plunged into the Section III playoffs last week led by Marcellus, seeking a third consecutive Class B title, and Jordan-Elbridge, the top seed in Class C.
Making a strong opening statement, the Eagles shut out no. 16 seed Beaver River 15-0 in last Tuesday’s second-round game, breaking it open with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning after grabbing an early 3-0 edge.
Abby DelFavero’s latest shutout involved limiting the Beavers to two hits. Meanwhile, Abby Ahern’s home run was the highlight in a 14-hit attack where DelFavero, Erin LaVancha, Heather Sorts and Neveah Foster joined Ahern in the two-hit column, LaVancha and Foster each earning three RBIs and Riley Hill adding two RBIs.
Up in Class AA, West Genesee, as the no. 5 seed, would play no. 4 seed Auburn in last Wednesday’s quarterfinal, the winner to get top seed and defending champion Liverpool in the semifinals – and the Wildcats got it, winning 4-0 over the Maroons led by Maria Brandt and Lexi Rydelek.
Brandt was superb in the pitcher’s circle, limiting Auburn to five hits and keeping a shutout with nine strikeouts and just one walk allowed.
WG took the lead with Rydelek’s solo home run off Madison Lowe in the top of the second. Then Rydelek returned in the sixth and all but sealed it with a two-run shot, while Makayla Dunham doubled home the other run.
Marcellus, with the no. 4 seed in Class B, would play in the second round last Tuesday against its neighbors from Skaneateles after the no. 20 seed Lakers went on the road and knocked off no. 13 seed Lowville 5-1 in the opening round.
As it turned out, the Mustangs would get a test, but pass it, beating Skaneateles 6-1 and earn a quarterfinal berth against Westhill, who routed Oneida 16-1.
Neither team scored until Marcellus got a run in the bottom of the third, which the Lakers answered in the top of the fourth when Chelsea Metz walked and came around to score.
Sensing the danger, the Mustangs got three runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth to lead for good, with Bella Mondello, Amelia Novitsky and Carly Hopper each getting two hits while joining Avrie Hammond and Jillian O’Connor in the RBI column.
All the while, Mondello pitched and mostly kept Laker bats quiet, only allowing one hit (a single by Reece Gaidis) and amassing 15 strikeouts.
Getting to the second round required Skaneateles to go to Lowville and, after falling behind 1-0, see freshman pitcher Grace Wagner pitch a shutout the rest of the way, allowing just one hit and five walks while sriking out six.
Both in the third and fifth innings, Cydney Pittman hit home runs, a solo shot in the third that complemented a round-tripper by Chelsea Metz, then a three-run home run in the fifth that ultimately put the game away.
As Marcellus was facing Skaneateles, Westhill was taking charge early against Oneida, piling up seven runs in the bottom of the first and four runs in the second to negate Oneida’s lone first-inning tally.
Hannah Schmitz led the way, not only pitching four innings and striking out nine, but seeing her three hits turning into a season-best six RBIs.
Sydney Medeiros singled twice and drove in four runs. Alexa Korrie got a pair of RBIs, with Tori Militi, Isabella Johnson and Kalista Czaplicki also driving in runs.
As this went on, Solvay, the no. 9 seed, went to no. 8 seed Utica-Notre Dame and got overwhelmed in a 16-2 defeat to the Jugglers, who advanced to face unbeaten top seed Camden in the quarterfinals.
A three-run first inning got UND in front for good. All that the Bearcats could manage was single runs in the fourth and sixth, scored by Gianna D’Eredita and Rachel Willsey, who got two hits.
The Jugglers’ Maggie Trinkaus homered twice and got five RBIs as Solvay’s Jenna Wing and Anabelle Stewart split pitching duties.
Bishop Ludden nearly made it out of the opening round in Class D, only to take an 8-7 defeat to Lyme as Serena Royal and Tizzy Bline each got two hits to lead the Gaelic Knights.
