CENTRAL NEW YORK – Even with all of the runs it has put up, the Chittenango softball team might never accomplish what its neighbors from Cazenovia did in Tuesday’s game against Phoenix.
Trailing by double digits early, the Lakers made it all the way back and, somehow, ended up with a comfortable winning margin as it defeated the Firebirds 21-14.
Any thought of victory seemed ridiculous when Phoenix erupted for eight runs in the top of the first inning. By the end of the top of the third, Cazenovia found itself in a 13-1 hole.
But the comeback began immediately, a two-run third inning followed by a fourth inning where it was Cazenovia’s turn to bat around, plating eight runs to reduce its deficit to 13-11.
A Phoenix tally in the top of the fifth was answered when the Lakers, with four more runs, grabbed a 15-14 lead, and then it again went around the order in the bottom of the sixth, delivering six insurance runs.
Through it all, Madden Cobb was a focal points with a double, two singles, two walks and four RBIs. Caitee Fenton also reached base four times and drove in three runs.
Gianna Comino went three-for-five with three RBIS, runs also driven in by Cadence Walter and Layla Decker as Comino and Walter led the way scoring three runs apiece.
Much of what Chittenango had done in 2024 was already known in its 2023 Section III Class B championship season – namely, that it could hit all through its lineup.
What wasn’t known this spring was whether the Bears could win without a huge output of runs – but it did so Monday at Westhill, leaning on Caroline Porter and one big rally to get a 5-1 victory.
For three innings, Porter matched zeroes with the Warriors’ Samantha Snyder as Chittenango twice worked through its lineup, gaining hits but not runs.
But in the top of the fourth, the Bears struck, scoring five times, all that it would need. Stephanie Huckabee’s single drove in two runs as Anna Cavotta and Alivia Cavotta also had RBIs. Porter limited Westhill to two hits and walked three while striking out six.
Great as this was, what Cazenovia did 24 hours later against Solvay was just as impressive, the Lakers prevailing 4-3 to pull off a season sweep of a Bearcats side that, after it lost the first meeting 9-6, had gone on an eight-game win streak.
Single runs in the second and third innings put the Lakers up 2-0. Solvay tied it in the bottom of the third, but a two-run rally in the fifth gave Cazenovia the lead for good.
Despite a Bearcats run in the fifth to cut it to one, Reilley was able to blank Solvay over the last two innings, only allowing seven hits overall. Sophie Wilmot had a terrific day catching and also had a triple and two RBIs, with Comino also driving in a run.
The rematch Thursday with Phoenix was a more conventional comeback. Trailing 4-1 through four innings, the Lakers went in front with four runs in the top of the fifth, then got three more in the next two innings that accounted for the 8-5 winning margin.
Fenton reached base four times and scored a run on each occasion, adding a pair of RBIs, with Comino driving in two runs and RBIs also going to Walter and Reilley. Willmot pitched five innings and held Phoenix to four hits.
Entering the week, Chittenango (no. 16 in the state Class A rankings) didn’t know whether it could win without a huge output of runs – but it did so last Monday at Westhill, leaning on Caroline Porter and one big rally to get a 5-1 victory.
For three innings, Porter matched zeroes with the Warriors’ Samantha Snyder as Chittenango twice worked through its lineup, gaining hits but not runs.
But in the top of the fourth, the Bears struck, scoring five times, all that it would need. Stephanie Huckabee’s single drove in two runs as Anna Cavotta and Alivia Cavotta also had RBIs. Porter limited Westhill to two hits and walked three while striking out six.
Chittenango now hoping that a similarly great result could happen against Class B favorite Marcellus, and in fact it turned out greater, the Bears bashing the Mustangs 17-1.
Marcellus did not pitch its ace, Bella Mondello, and Chittenango lit up three other Mustangs pitchers for 17 hits in four innings, led by Anna Cavotta, whose single and double led to five RBIs.
Machan and Tooke both went four-for-four and joined Huckabee on two RBIs apiece. Alivia Cavotta and Margaret Bielicki each scored three times as Makenna Palko added an RBI.
Everything was different Saturday in a 4-0 defeat to reigning sectional Class AAA champion Baldwinsville, whose senior pitching duo of Bella Hotchkiss and Jenna DiLiberto kept Chittenango off the board.
Of the Bears’ six hits, two each came from Machan and Tooke, with both Cavotta sisters also earning hits. Yet none of them led to runs, while B’ville scored twice in the first and again in the third and fifth innings off Porter.
