CENTRAL NEW YORK – Still without a defeat, the Bishop Ludden baseball team would attempt to remain that way as the temperatures gradually warmed and the sun broke out in the middle of last week’s school break.
The Gaelic Knights, without Joe Dunham in the lineup, earned its seventh consecutive victory last Wednesday against Mater Dei Academy, scoring in five of the first six innings on the way to a 12-5 decision.
Though it had four runs in the first two frames, Ludden only led 4-3 when it used two runs in the third and four runs in the fourth to get clear. Parker Pichoske and Greg Purdy each had three hits and combined to score five runs.
Tim Dunham’s pair of hits led to three RBIs, while Brandon Burch, Nick Brady and Andrew Pullano drove in two runs apiece. Four pitchers – Dunham, Purdy, Pullano and Mike Masterpole – got innings, combining for 12 strikeouts.
Friday’s rematch with Mater Dei had the same outcome, only more lopsided. Ludden prevailed 14-2, mostly thanks to a four-run second inning and eight-run fifth as Colden Sheen went four-for-four with three runs scored and three RBIs. Pichoske and Jack Ruddy both drove in a pair of runs.
As for West Genesee, it had quite a game last Monday against Cicero-North Syracuse, the pitchers ruling until a seventh-inning rally helped the Northstars edge the Wildcats 1-0.
Through six innings, Talon Elkins kept C-NS off the board, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out two. Yet C-NS ace Kayden Kalfass matched him, with Elkins managing the lone hit off him while he piled up 13 strikeouts.
In the top of the seventh, WG reliever Charlie Searle got the first two outs. But then Kenton Cochran reached on an error, Mason Mingle got hit and Andrew Davis walked, loading the bases before Carter King singled home the go ahead run. Battista Wood then got the final three outs.
WG recovered well against Fulton, jumping way out in front early with an eight-run second inning, the big blow a three-run, inside-the-park home run by Elkins that created an 8-0 margin.
The Wildcats went on to beat the Red Dragons 12-4 as Nick Meluni, Jacob Severson, Jack Einlich and Luke Alfieri each scored twice, Alfieri picking up three hits and two-hit outings earned by Elkins, Joe Cavallo and Nathan Quirk.
At East Syracuse Minoa on Thursday, WG was close for a while, but 11 total runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings turned a tense game into a comfortable 13-1 victory.
Elkins led the way with a double, triple, two RBIs and four runs scored. Cavallo’s double and two singles led to three RBIs as pitcher Colin Crinnin struck out nine in six innings of work.
A wild game on Saturday saw WG take an 11-10, eight-inning defeat to Section II’s Niskayuna. Down 7-4, the Wildcats used five runs in the fifth and sixth innings to go in front.
But Niskayuna tied it in the seventh and answered WG’s run in the eighth with two tallies to win it. Luis Garcia, in defeat, hit a home run and got three RBIs, with Elkins and Severson driving in two runs apiece.
Contrasting this was the struggles of Jordan-Elbridge, who lost its first four games of the season, one of them to Ludden back on April 15.
A week later, though, the Eagles did find the win column, outscoring Onondaga 9-6. A five-run third inning erased the Tigers’ early 3-0 advantage, and J-E followed up with four more runs in the fourth.
Hunter LaBarge led both rallies, gaining a triple and three RBIs. Charles Klock drove in a pair of runs as Nolan Brunelle, Emerson Derby and Chase Brunelle each scored twice, Shannon Ahern earning the win in relief.
This was the first game of a doubleheader, and OCS would take the second game 9-3, using a five-run second inning to erase an early 2-1 J-E lead. Gage Davey gave the Eagles a pair of RBIs as Brunelle pitched and took the loss.
The Eagles faced Pulaski on Thursday afternoon and lost, 13-1, to the Blue Devils, LaBarge singling home Derby with J-E’s lone run in the third inning. A five-run first got Pulaski going as Cameron Payne recorded four RBIs.
