CENTRAL NEW YORK – In a span of 48 hours the Marcellus softball team managed to get the upper hand on two of its neighbors with impressive all-around performances.
When the Mustangs faced Westhill last Monday the gap between these two programs remained as the Mustangs piled up 17 hits on the way to defeating Westhill 14-4.
Never trailing, Marcellus steadily built a 6-1 lead through the first five innings but really broke away when it scored three runs in the sixth and five more runs an inning later to account for most of the eventual margin.
Maddy Richer was unstoppable at the plate, going five-for-five with four singles, a double, three RBIs and three runs scored as Jordan O’Connor drove in five runs through her two doubles and a single.
Chloe Kuttruff, Millie Novitsky and Janzen Long added two hits apiece. For Westhill, Grace Horning and Cadence Ramsing each had two RBIs and Sydney Medeiros a pair of hits against Kendall LaManche, who pitched for Marcellus and recorded eight strikeouts.
Then it was Marcellus against West Genesee on Wednesday afternoon, and this one proved tight until late-inning power at the plate for the Mustangs produced an 11-5 win over the Wildcats.
They were tied 2-2 when, in the top of the fifth, Marcellus struck for four runs, then tacked on five runs in the sixth off Lorelai Leskoske and Alivia Dunn.
Richer’s pair of hits led to three RBIs, while LaMarche (who pitched 6 2/3 innings) and Zofia Polkowski drove in two runs apiece. Long, Kuttuff and Carly Sears each scored twice as Alanna Bowman homered late for WG on her way to three RBIs, Kyra Lynch and Emma Dickerson each producing two hits.
Skaneateles emerged from a tense Lakers battle with Cazenovia last Monday afternoon prevailing by a 9-8 margin.
Three times Skaneateles trailed and three times it came back, erasing a 4-1 deficit with a three-run third, rallying from 5-3 down with three total runs in the fourth and fifth innings and, finally, answering Cazenovia’s two-run rally in the top of the sixth with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Amid all of it, Grace Wagner picked up three hits and Norah Zapata had two hits. Seven different players drove in one run as Zapata scored twice and also pitched a complete game.
As a follow-up Skaneateles topped Homer 14-5 on Thursday afternoon, going in front with two runs in the bottom of the third and then erupting for eight runs an inning later.
Lainey Lowe hit her team’s only home run and produced four RBIs. Finn Pas’cal and Samantha Shaw drove in two runs apiece, with Eve Fouser adding an RBI as Olivia Vance and Carly Schell both scored twice.
Solvay, in its only game last week, lost 4-1 to Cazenovia on Friday afternoon.
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 (which came from Gianna D’Eredita doubling home Wing) 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. Wing struck out six in her complete-game effort.
Bishop Ludden had a difficult week, falling 27-7 to Bishop Grimes and 19-4 to Cato-Meridian, but at least last Monday the Gaelic Knights were able to break out and defeat Syracuse City 21-5.
Against Syracuse, Grace Hilton had four hits and scored three runs. Meredith Pessinto went three-for-three and scored three times, with Sophia Chemotti and Laura Pullano also scoring three runs.
Jordan-Elbridge ran into state Class A no. 14-ranked Chittenango last Wednesday and lost 12-0 to the Bears, who scored in five of the first six innings as Abby DelFavero got the lone hit off Lauren Machan.
