Two local baseball sides battled in a series last week before and after inclement weather, and in each instance Westhill got the best of Skaneateles.
It started Tuesday afternoon when the Warriors went on the road and improved its overall record to 4-0 by putting together a 5-2 victory over the Lakers.
For five innings pitchers Anthony Sampo and Sean Ollie, and the Warriors only led 1-0. But a three-run sixth inning knocked out Ollie and gave Westhill a cushion.
Also contributing at the plate, Sampo earned a pair of RBIs to go with his 10-strikeout effort where he limited Skaneateles to four hits. Hugh Carroll and Colton McDonald drove in the Lakers’ runs in the late going.
Back at Westhill on Thursday afternoon it was even more lopsided, the Warriors topping Skaneateles 12-2 as it managed runs in six consecutive innings rather than waiting for a single rally.
Peter Stroman homered and Jonathan Murphy doubled twice, adding a single as the pair each picked up three RBIs. Kellen Pens doubled and drove in two runs, Eric Holstein adding an RBI as Stroman struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings on the mound. Olley drove in both Skaneateles runs in the top of the fifth.
Intense as it may be in other sports, the “Holy War” in baseball between Bishop Ludden and Christian Brothers Academy is growing in importance and quality.
These two rivals met Monday afternoon and the Brothers, beginning the defense of its Section III Class AAA title, handed the Gaelic Knights its first defeat of the season by a score of 8-3.
CBA did not have to face Ludden aces Joe Dunham or Jimmy Westers, instead getting Jack Ruddy, who they tagged for single runs in the second and third innings and two more runs in the fifth.
Then, up 4-3, the Brothers put up four runs in the top of the seventh to get clear, David Curry’s solo home run part of an offense where Jimmy Kennedy, Riley Clemons-Butenko, Tim Scholl and Luke Becker also had RBIs.
Tom Menar pitched and, over the course of five innings, struck out nine and limited the Gaelic Knights to two hits before Owen Harris worked the last two innings in relief. Brandon Burch and Tom Cervantes drove in runs for Ludden.
These same two teams played again Thursday at Gutchess Park and Ludden lost again, 8-1, only getting two hits off Brothers pitchers Hector Gonzalez and Ben Kaulback.
Dunham started this time, only to have CBA get to him for three runs in the third and four runs in the fifth, the duo of Clemons-Butenko and Mike Giamartino each hitting home runs and earning five RBIs between them.
This was part of a doubleheader where Ludden was able to split the two games, beating Section V’s Canandaigua 8-4 earlier that day keyed by three-run rallies in the first and third innings.
Dunham went three-for-four and scored twice, with Westers getting a triple as he, along with Jack Ruddy and Nik Kunai, earned two RBIS apiece. Also Westers pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts to overcome seven hits and three walks.
West Genesee was impressive in last Monday’s game against Central Square, shutting out the Redhawks 6-0 behind Colin Crinnin’s superb pitching.
Crinnin nearly got a complete game, striking out 11 and giving up just two hits over 6 2/3 innings before Ryan Tabaczyk earned the final out. He got immediate help from three runs in the first innings, plus a three-run fifth to double the cushion as Nick Meluni had a triple and three RBIs, scoring twice. Ryan Tabacyzk also drove in a run.
Marcellus beat Bishop Grimes 12-2, with pitcher Gavin Foy giving up a pair of runs in the top of the first inning but then shutting out the Cobras the rest of the way, striking out nine and allowing just three hits.
Single runs in the second and third tied it 2-2 and the Mustangs got away with 10 runs in the three innings that followed, amassing 13 hits overall. Foy had four of those hits, including a double, earning three RBIs and scoring three times.
Max Chapman drove in two runs, with Elijah Eaton scoring twice as Chris Loveless got two hits. Tyler Mattison, Gavin Mumford, Nick Snyder and Nate Murray were credited with one RBI apiece.
Jordan-Elbridge returned to the field on Thursday and shut out Hannibal 10-0, improving its overall record to 3-1.
