Saturday Roundup: Fri/Scio’s Ross electrifies mound again against C-R’s Howard, holding Lady Rebels to 1 hit in 2-0 shutout; GV/Belfast baseball edged out by C-G late in pitcher’s duel; Wellsville baseball falls to Canandaigua
By CHRIS BROOKS, sports editor, wellsvillesports.com
CUBA — One of the County’s best in Friendship/Scio squaring off with a young Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford squad from start to finish. The end result was as true of a defensive battle that you will get on Saturday. Between both Nevaeh Ross and Sydney Howard, the two aces for their respective teams struck out nearly 30 batters while limiting the attack to just seven hits combined.
But when it came to building momentum, the defending back-to-back Class D2 champions had it, garnering the game’s first edge before adding one more piece of insurance late in the seventh. Along the way, Ross did another stand-up job from within the circle, nearly holding Cuba-Rushford at a complete standstill while maintaining control to assist Friendship/Scio in obtaining a 2-0 shutout on the road.
“It was a great game. Nevaeh is a great pitcher, but we were able to have some nice bats off of her. I am very proud of the way we were able to bounce our way back after a tough game the other night. We are a pretty young team that has only four returners from last year, and one of them playing in a new position this year. To have this kind of game up against a team like them, it was awesome.” said Lady Rebels coach Mary Keesler.
Two very quick innings of action were exchanged between both teams in the early going, but the ice on the surface was cracked through by Friendship/Scio (5-2), led by a huge Kadence Donohue single into the outfield, garnering enough distance to help score Nevaeh Ross along the way to earn the 1-0 lead on the Lady Rebels.
The lead was maintained through Ross’ command in the circle. For the next three innings, the Friendship/Scio phenom went on to strike 10 of the next 12 Cuba-Rushford (2-2) out, including two 1-2-3 frames in the fourth and sixth. Ross would end the afternoon with 17 strikeouts in all to go with a single walk in her twirled one-hit shutout.
Friendship/Scio would go on to find their way onto the board one last time in the top of the seventh, plating a clutch piece of insurance with Claire Calhoun’s fielder’s choice into the infield, scoring Ross again to close out the game. Adding hits for the offense were Ross and Katherine Lamberson, each recording a single.
Howard finished a brilliant day in the circle for the Lady Rebels with 11 strikeouts and three walks. At the plate, Taylor Searle had the team’s lone connection, earning a single.
Both teams will be back on the field Monday night with a pair of 5 p.m. first pitches in store, as Friendship/Scio continues their road swing into a battle of defending Sectional champions, visiting Bolivar-Richburg, while Cuba-Rushford looks to regroup with a visit from Andover/Whitesville.
Friendship/Scio 001 000 1 – 2 6 1
Cuba-Rushford 000 000 0 – 0 1 2
F/S – Nevaeh Ross (WP) (CG, 16K, BB) and Morghyn Ross.
C-R – Sydney Howard (LP) (CG, 11K, 3BB) and Riley Keller.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 3, Canisteo-Greenwood 1
CANISTEO — Although the bats weren’t clicking on both sides between Genesee Valley/Belfast and Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg, the defensive play was put on outstanding display from start to finish. But with a 1-1 tie needing to be broken, the visitors in black and grey were able to scavenge just enough firepower at the plate to produce the game’s last two runs to squeeze their way towards a 3-1 win on Saturday in Canisteo.
“It was a well-pitched game. There weren’t many walks, a few errors happened here and there, but these hot days, it was brutal out there,” said GV/Belfast coach Mark Sullivan. “But I’m not complaining one bit. I’ve played in 30 degree weather before. But the girls have to hit the ball better. We’ve won two games where we haven’t had our best day, but the defense behind that has been playing good. Hannah (Southwick-Powers) has been pitching really well for us, and she’s been our big key to winning games. 2-1 in the first week, I am pretty pleased with that.”
Hannah Southwick-Powers dominated the circle once again for Genesee Valley/Belfast (2-1). One game removed from tossing a no-hit performance, she bounced right back to hold Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg to just two hits on the attack, handing out 14 chairs and walking three.
The energy she helped create, transitioned to the offense, especially down the stretch as Genesee Valley/Belfast found a way to break a 1-1 tie with clutch runs coming across in both the top of the fourth and sixth innings to pull ahead of the hosts. With the lead in hand, it was now up to the defense to secure the win for good, as they went on to toss a fourth straight shutout inning to close out the afternoon.
Leading the bats was Abby Sullivan, who recorded a base hit and scored two of the team’s three runs.
For Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg, Sidney Drouin struck out seven and walked five in her four-hit complete game in the circle.
Genesee Valley/Belfast is back on the road to Andover on Wednesday, as they prepare for a 6 p.m. first pitch against Andover/Whitesville.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 100 101 0 – 3 4
CGJT 010 000 0 – 1 2
GVB – Hannah Southwick-Powers (WP) (CG, 14K, 3BB) and Jenna Hill.
C-G – Sidney Drouin (LP) (CG, 7K, 5BB) and Riley Winans.
BASEBALL
Canandaigua 4, Wellsville 1
CANANDAIGUA — Some strong hitting was strung together by the Lions of Wellsville in their first game back home from Myrtle Beach on Thursday, as they survived some late pressure from Olean down the stretch to secure the win. The hope for the next day was to carry over the momentum into another humongous clash, this time up towards the Finger Lakes with a visit to Canandaigua on Friday.
Branching across most of the battle, the Lions and Braves defenses were sound, delivering the plays behind their respective pitchers. With time running out and a tie on the board needing to be broken, a crucial moment arose.
In the bottom of the fifth, Canandaigua broke through, as they jumped ahead with their first lead in the game. Shortly after, the Lions attempted to bring it back with a pair of big hits. But the Braves defense would not have any of it, as they caught both runners on base to end the inning, also ending Wellsville’s biggest chance to strike to hang onto the lead for good by a 4-1 count at the end of the night.
“It was too bad, because Canandaigua was a really quality opponent,” Lions coach Tom Delahunt said. “We struggled at the plate the whole night. We didn’t have good at-bats, we didn’t take advantage of certain counts. It’s something that we need to learn from, and make those corrections. We did get another solid pitching performance from Coop. He pitched down in Myrtle and got a win, and he pitched just as well tonight. He gave us a chance to win, but the bats unfortunately didn’t wake up for him.”
The Lions (3-3) were no-hit across the first five innings of play by Johnny Mohammed on the mound for Canandaigua, as he kept his opposition off balance all night. Despite it, the visitors in black and orange were able to sneak their way onto the board in the top of the third with special teams play, using their baserunning to make their way home for the early 1-0 lead.
Not long after, the Braves responded with a run of their own to immediately tie the game. It would remain tied up until the fifth when the hosts in red found a way to crack through the Lions defense, scoring three massive runs to pull ahead with their first lead.
Down by three, Wellsville had to act fast. Cody Costello and Cooper Brockway each helped the cause by ending the team’s no-hit bout with a pair of singles, with Costello digging one out on a shallow knock into the infield. But a short time later, the Braves would grab the out after picking off Costello at second base.
Brockway would reach on a single into right field, which would send Ty Vogel to the plate. Vogel connected with a deep ball into right field, but a heads up play by the Canandaigua defense ensured a magnificent catch, allowing the right fielder to double off Brockway, who attempted to make his way back to first on the catch, to end the inning.
The biggest threat against Canandaigua was averted, as the Braves were able to hang on the rest of the way to secure the win.
Brockway went five solid innings on the hill for the Lions, striking out eight and walking two before being relieved by Karson Grover in the sixth. Grover would add two more strikeouts and a walk of his own.
Next up, Wellsville is back home after the weekend for another big test in the Lion’s Den, as they prepare to host the Red Jacket Indians in a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Wellsville 001 000 0 — 1 2 2
Canandaigua 001 030 X — 4 7 2
WLSV — Cooper Brockway (LP) (8K, 2BB), Karson Grover (5) (2K, BB) and Trenton Green.
CAN — Johnny Mohammad (WP) (CG, 9K, 2BB) and Jack Clark.
Canisteo-Greenwood 1, Genesee Valley/Belfast 0
CANISTEO — Whether it comes at the beginning of the game to help set an early tone, or later on to help author a resilient finish, one single run can make all the difference on some occasions. For the majority of Saturday afternoon’s battle in Canisteo, the defenses took charge in the field. It was only a matter of who could crack through first.
With limited time remaining and minimal room for error, Canisteo-Greenwood made sure that time was worth it.
With the game riding in the balance, a shapeshifting swing was connected. The Redskins have Thomas Sirianni to thank for it, as he blasted a massive double to the outfield to become the game’s go-ahead run. He would ultimately find his way around the bases and then to home to score it on a perfectly-positioned ground ball into the infield, as the one run ultimately stood as the game’s x-factor in their 1-0 shutout of Genesee Valley/Belfast.
“Both Matt Cater and their two pitchers pitched great games. We just couldn’t get the bats going today. There were good defensive plays on both sides, but it stinks losing close games just like this one,” said GV/Belfast coach Kevin Scott. “You have to tip your hat to them. When we did hit the ball, it was right at them and they made the plays. Fortunately, they were able to build off of that and score the winning run in the end.”
Korbyn Osterwald was the recipient of the game’s lone RBI for Canisteo-Greenwood, as the catcher put down a perfect grounder into the infield just far enough for Sirianni to use his legs and speed into home for the game’s lone run in the bottom of the sixth. Sirianni’s double was one of just four hits that the Redskins totaled through the course of the battle.
On the mound, the day witnessed a pitcher’s duel between both Genesee Valley/Belfast’s Matt Cater and Canisteo-Greenwood’s Noah Warriner, as the two hurlers handed out chairs left and right to keep one another off balance, with Warriner settling for a 10-strikeout, one-walk no-decision. Taige Stewart was awarded the win in relief, adding five more strikeouts and issuing one more walk.
For Cater, he was just as resilient for Genesee Valley/Belfast (0-4), fanning eight and walking three in his four-hit complete game. But the offense behind only produced two hits against the Redskins defense, belonging to both Brody Heaney and Garrett Miller.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will try it again after the weekend back home, as they welcome in Hinsdale for a 5 p.m. first pitch in Belmont.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
Canisteo-Greenwood 000 001 X – 1 4 1
GVB – Matt Cater (LP) (CG, 8K, 3BB) and Thai Norasethaporn.
C-G – Noah Warriner (10K, BB), Taige Stewart (WP, 5) (5K, BB) and Korbyn Osterwald.
Cuba-Rushford 20, Friendship/Scio 0 (F-5)
CUBA — Right in the first go of the morning, all the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford needed to do was make some noise. On Saturday, they went forth and did exactly that, going through their battling lineup one full turn to engineer a seven-run bottom of the first. The rest was history, as they coasted towards a home-opening win over Friendship/Scio, 20-0 in five innings.
“We swung the bats well right out of the gate, collecting eight hits in that first inning and scoring seven,” said Rebels coach Pat Wight. “Our pitchers all threw strikes and the defense played well behind them. It was nice to get on our home field and score some runs. We looked great. We didn’t chase pitches. We really went after it today.”
Cuba-Rushford (2-2) put together two solid efforts on both sides of the field, with their offense conducting a strong service behind 15 total hits – eight of them in the first inning to make their presence known against Friendship/Scio. With the hits, soon came the runs, as the Rebels posted a seven-run beginning to set the tone immediately.
The Rebels would continue igniting their offensive flame across the next three innings to push their lead even further, including a nine run third inning that allowed them to seal it up permanently.
Contributing to the cause for the hosts in blue were Caleb Root, Eli Sleggs and Braeden Wight, as they each recorded a pair of hits. Sleggs paved the way by driving in three runs and scoring three of his own, while Root followed with a double and two runs scored, and Wight added in two more RBI of his own.
In the circle, the game belonged to Allen Fuller from the start, as he recorded the win behind three strikeouts and two walks. The senior hurler combined alongside Wight and Finn Ricketts to twirl a one-hit shutout of Friendship/Scio (1-2). Tyler Nickerson would record the team’s lone hit for the visitors, who now hosts Lima Christian back in Scio on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
The Rebels will look to keep the ball rolling into Monday back on their home field, hosting Andover/Whitesville in a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Friendship/Scio 000 00 – 0 1 3
Cuba-Rushford 729 2X – 20 15 3
F/S – Landon Arnold (LP) (2BB), Matt Donohue (3) (3BB), Nick Sortore (3) (K, 3BB) and Cooper Greenman.
C-R – Allen Fuller (WP) (3K, 2BB), Finn Ricketts (3) (K, BB), Braeden Wight (5) (BB) and Caleb Root, Adam Shaffer (4).
Fillmore 27, Hinsdale 0 (F-5)
HINSDALE — The Fillmore bats showed no sign of slowing down Saturday afternoon in Hinsdale, as the team scored 22 hits on the day, three of them leaving the park, as they set the tone immediately to force a five-inning win over the Bobcats by a 27-0 count.
Zach Sisson, Brent Zubikowski and Damon Potter all launched big swings that left the ballpark to help fuel the high octane Eagles (3-0) offense. The leading hitter for the visitors in green was Nolan Krzeminski, who recorded five hits. Mitch Ward contributed four of his own, while Zubikowski recorded three. James Enders chipped in with two triples.
On the mound, the win belonged to Luke Colombo, who went all five innings with eight strikeouts and three walks to pick up the no-hit triumph. For Hinsdale (1-2), Damion Brown handed out four chairs and walked two in his relief appearance.
Both teams will return to action Monday night in 5 p.m. first pitches, as Fillmore hits the road again to visit Friendship/Scio in Friendship, while Hinsdale heads for the Jungle in Belmont to meet Genesee Valley/Belfast.
Fillmore 4(15) 4 40 – 27 22 0
Hinsdale 0 0 0 00 – 0 0 4
FIL – Luke Colombo (WP) (CG, 8K, 3BB) and Nolan Krzeminski.
HIN – Landen Wyant (LP) (3BB), Damion Brown (2) (4K, 2BB), Xander Pascucci (5) and Peyton Keller.
