CENTRAL NEW YORK – Going into May the Chittenango softball team sported a no. 14 state Class A ranking with every intention of staying there or climbing up further..
And the Bears would if it kept getting performances like it did from Lauren Machan and her teammates during Wednesday afternoon’s 12-0 shutout of Jordan-Elbridge.
Machan only allowed one hit, to Abby DelFavero, and recorded 13 strikeouts without surrendering a single walk as Chittenango notched runs in five of the first six innings, peaking with a four-run fifth.
Isabella Battalina-McCarthy and Makenna Palko both had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Julia Spencer also got two hits as single RBIs went to Carmella Furco and Danica Oppenheimer. Alivia Cavotta and Annabelle Granata each scored three runs.
Though not as lopsided, Chittenango still was impressive on Thursday afternoon defeating Westhill 9-1 as Machan had her second consecutive one-hitter, earning eight strikeouts.
Four runs in the third inning were more than enough, but the Bears tacked on five runs in the fifth as Lauren Machan singled, doubled and got two RBIs. Hannah Machan drove in a run, as did Palko and Oppenheimer, with Cavotta scoring twice.
Staying in top form the Bears ripped past East Syracuse Minoa 14-1 on Friday getting it started with a four-run first inning and ultimately scoring in every inning except the fourth.
Half of Chittenango’s 12 hits came from Lauren Machan and Julianna Coon, with Lauren earning three RBIs and Hannah Machan getting a triple as she drove in two runs. Palko, Cavotta and Ruby Roach had one RBI apiece as Lauren Machan and Julia Spencer combined to limit the Spartans to two hits.
As for Cazenovia, it took a 3-4 record into last Thursday’s game against Solvay and, buoyed by great pitching and a timely mid-game surge at the plate, defeated the Bearcats 4-1.
They were 0-0 when, in the bottom of the third, the Lakers tagged Solvay pitcher Jenna Wing for a pair of runs, then answered the Bearcats’ lone run in the fifth by scoring twice more.
Irie Gallerani didn’t need much help as the freshman pitcher held Solvay to two hits and overcame seven walks with eight strikeouts. Sophia Wilmot doubled, singled and drove in a pair of runs as Caitee Fenton added an RBI.
Earlier in the week Cazenovia found itself enmeshed in a tense Laker duel with Skaneateles last Monday where it would lead three different times yet not hold on to it in a 9-8 defeat.
Cazenovia went up 4-1 by the top of the third inning. Skaneateles tied it 4-4, but the visitors scored twice in the fourth and again took the lead.
Skaneateles netted a run in the fourth and two in the fifth to lead 7-6. Cazenovia again put up two runs in the top of the sixth to again lead and again Skaneateles countered it with the tying and go-ahead runs.
