ONONDAGA COUNTY – For the second time in April, the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse softball teams would have a head-to-head clash, this time at the Gillette Road complex.
And this one, like the first meeting April 10, would go in the Warriors’ favor, the combination of Mackenzie Frani’s strong arm and Joelle Wike’s strong bat the main factors in an 8-1 victory over the Northstars.
Unlike that previous encounter, Liverpool didn’t wait to seize control, striking for four runs in the top of the first inning off C-NS pitcher Kiyara Bembry.
Lillian Hotaling would settle it down, but not before the Warriors added a run in the second and fourth innings and then two runs in the top of the sixth to pull further away.
Wike was in the middle of all of it. The senior catcher went three-for-three with two doubles and a single that led to four RBIs. Frani also had three hits, joining Lauren Ragonese and Brooke Tyler with one RBI apiece. Emily Nestor scored three runs.
Those four early runs were all that Frani needed. Other than Eva Farone walking and scoring in the bottom of the fourth, Frani kept the Northstars quiet as, while accmulating 10 strikeouts, she allowed just four hits – two by Erica Hibbard, one each by Payton Back and Mia Farone.
A day earlier, it was C-NS against Christian Brothers Academy, and the offense took charge right away and keyed a 15-8 victory over the Brothers.
Batting around in the top of the first, the Northstars ended up plating eight runs, and more would follow, with Bach taking the lead as her double and two singles led to five RBIs.
Isabella Moya and Sydney Puttkamer both drove in two runs, with single RBIs going to Sydney Rockwell, Eva Farone, Aubrey Coyle, Paige Pangaro, Mila Owens and Mia Farone.
After the loss to Liverpool, C-NS would face Fayetteville-Manlius on Thursday and find itself on the brink of another defeat before it turned around just in time and rallied to stun the Hornets 3-2.
Blanked for six innings by F-M pitcher Alexis Hamilton, the Northstars saw Kiyara Bembry pitch well to keep her team in it, striking out nine and limiting the Hornets to five hits.
Then, in the bottom of the seventh, C-NS got the tying runs on base before Marissa Leone drew a walk to load the bases. Sydney Rockwell’s walk scored a run, Sydney Puttkamer singled to tie it, and Isabella Moya singled home the decisive run.
Then, taking on Class B state no. 8-ranked Marcellus Saturday afternoon, C-NS had another fine performance, working its way past the Mustangs 3-1.
Hotaling won her pitching duel with Marcellus ace Bella Mondello, limiting the Mustangs to four hits and earning seven strikeouts while only surrendering one walk.
Single runs in the second and third innings produced a 2-1 lead, and C-NS added an insurance run in the sixth as Bach, Coyle and Eva Farone scored those runs.
On Saturday, Liverpool would meet two undefeated, state no. 1-ranked teams from Section II – Shenendehowa from Class AAA, Ichabod Crane from Class A – in a twin bill at Carrier Park, ultimately splitting those games.
The Warriors lost 7-1 to Shen, with three-run rallies in the second and fourth innings by the Plainsmen off pitcher Lexi Goodfellow the difference. The lone Warriors run came in the fifth as Frani finished with two hits.
Frani did pitch against Crane and, allowing just one hit, earned a 5-0 victory. Maya Mills blasted a home run and earned two RBIs, with Wike, Emily Nestor and Alivia Henty-Goldberg also driving in runs.
