Neveah Ross was battling a cold on Wednesday night, and had to face the defending Class C champions who are No. 2 in the state behind Chatham on Wednesday night.
Ross, who was on the mound for the sectional title for Friendship/Scio a year ago, has her team ranked 8th as Section V Class D1 schools Keshequa (2) and Honeoye (4) are also ranked high.
Michael Jordan famously had the game of his life with the flu, and Ross performed brilliantly Wednesday in a neighboring town game that has been fun for the fans and a nail-biter for the coaches!
Also on Wednesday, Wellsville softball had a big win over Rochester-power Mercy, Bath scored 12 runs in the last two innings to beat Wellsville baseball and Fillmore and GV/Belfast golf were triumphant.
By CHRIS BROOKS, sports editor, wellsvillesports.com
SCIO — Two of the County’s local superpowers collided with one week left until the big Sectional dance. There was no better time for Bolivar-Richburg and Friendship/Scio to settle their one, final score this season before they officially get set to defend their back-to-back championship crowns.
It was a 4-0 win for the Lady Wolverines the first time around back in mid-April, but one constant from that battle remained the same on Wednesday in Scio — Malayna Ayers and Nevaeh Ross put on a show from within their respective circles.
Across all outings at the plate between both teams, no inning would ever surpass more than four at-bats, as Ayers and Ross were in complete command of their destiny.
In a game such as this, carrying such magnitude, it would require the biggest of swings to make all the difference. Through six and a half scoreless innings, something had to most certainly give.
With an opportunity to make some noise with the game-winning run standing just feet away, Avery Lamberson proceeded to call game.
Friendship/Scio was down to their final out until extra innings. With Nora Thompson standing on third base, Lamberson went on to lift a pop-up into the infield. A race for the ball on defense for the Lady Wolverines was on, but it was not enough time to make the game-saving catch, as the ball dropped to the ground in between the second and third base gap allowing Thompson to score easily to end the game, as Lamberson’s walk-off poke handed Bolivar-Richburg their first loss of the season in the narrowest of fashions — a 1-0 blank through another incredible pitcher’s duel.
“It was a good battle, and I’m really proud of the team for digging in and staying in it,” said Friendship/Scio coach Deb Warner. “We made contact, but we had a few hit right to them. Their center fielder made a nice catch on Morghyn’s (Ross) ball, and their second baseman had a great slide to save Kiara’s ball as well. As for Nevaeh, she continues to hold the team up on the mound.”
In the heat of a scoreless battle, playing a tight game of small ball is usually the gold standard in this particular situation. Specifically, the bunt — something that Friendship/Scio (14-3) began to equip from their arsenal after the first two scoreless innings, placing two runners on for what would be their first big threat of the game at that point in time.
But the Lady Wolverines (12-1) would avoid any possible trouble brewing for the hosts in white and gold on offense, as Malayna Ayers recorded all three outs singlehandedly, including an inning-ending strikeout to Katie Lamberson to leave both runners stranded on base to close out the third.
The Bolivar-Richburg defense would continue to highlight the field, keeping Friendship/Scio off the board with two more massive plays. The first stemmed in the bottom of the sixth after the second of Morghyn Ross’ hits was obliterated into deep center field, where an even more magnificent catch from Jayna Thomas on the run was secured to finish off six straight scoreless innings between both teams.
The next play came from a diving save from Haley Mascho at second base, saving a hard hit base knock delivered by Kiara Grover that would have entered into right field, and firing it over to first for the force while Nora Thompson worked her way over into scoring position to set up Avery Lamberson’s at-bat.
With it, the Friendship/Scio freshman delivered a game-ending propeller into the second and third base gap in the infield, where the play could not be secured, allowing Thompson to race in from third to score the team’s winning run, sending the dugout into a frenzy while handing Bolivar-Richburg their first loss of the season.
Through it all, the second pitcher’s duel between both squads belonged to Nevaeh Ross, who posted one of her biggest no-hit performances of the year, keeping the Lady Wolverines at a complete standstill at the plate while handing out 12 chairs to record the victory. At the plate, Ross also led the bats with two hits.
For the Lady Wolverines, Malayna Ayers went the distance in a five-hit performance that saw her fan nine and walk one in her five-hitter. Bolivar-Richburg will head back home and look to rebound tonight in a 5 p.m. first pitch against Fillmore.
Friendship/Scio is now off until Monday night when they hit the road themselves for a 5 p.m. contest, heading for the Jungle in Belmont to visit Genesee Valley/Belfast for the third and final time in the regular season.
Bolivar-Richburg 000 000 0 – 0 0 1
Friendship/Scio 000 000 1 – 1 5 0
B-R – Malayna Ayers (LP) (CG, 9K, BB) and Madigan Harris.
F/S – Nevaeh Ross (WP) (CG, 12K) and Morghyn Ross.
More stories after Chris Brooks photos from the game:
Wellsville 18, Our Lady of Mercy 1
ROCHESTER — The Lady Lions of Wellsville hit the road Wednesday night and took care of business behind another strong offensive night at the plate, as four different batters posted at least a pair of hits while Makenzie Cowburn and Makenna Dunbar kept host Our Lady of Mercy at a near standstill, rolling towards an 18-1 win.
“Makenzie Cowburn was dominant tonight. Makenna Dunbar came into the fifth inning and continued to help dominate. Brazen Beckwith has done a tremendous job catching all season long, and defensively, she is outstanding. It was nice to see her put some nice swings together tonight.” said Lady Lions coach Matt Burke.
Wellsville (15-1) broke open the scoring after both teams traded a scoreless first inning, as Averee Palmatier was the first to break the ice with the bases loaded, driving in all three runs on a deep double to the outfield. The Lady Lions would continue to add on later in the top of the fourth, branching their advantage permanently with an eight-run stanza led by a three-run bomb from Makenna Dunbar — her seventh home run of the season.
The Lady Lions totaled 18 runs off 13 hits, with Brazen Beckwith leading the offense with three hits including a double, and RBI. Dunbar finished with two hits and five RBI, while Marissa Ordway and Natalie Adams each chipped in with two hits.
In the circle, Makenzie Cowburn recorded the victory across four innings of work, striking out 10 and walking one before Dunbar came on in relief and shut the door with five more strikeouts and a walk.
Wellsville is back home to Tullar Field on Friday for a big matchup, as the No. 3 ranked Class B school in the state squares off with the No. 4 ranked school in Pennsylvania — St. Mary’s, beginning at 6 p.m.
Wellsville 030 803 4 – 18 13 0
Our Lady of Mercy 000 001 0 – 1 2 2
Avoca/Prattsburgh 15, Andover/Whitesville 3
AVOCA — Avoca/Prattsburgh caused an offensive eruption straight out of the gate on Wednesday, as they posted nine consecutive runs against visiting Andover/Whitesville to set the tone while a three-hit performance by Emma Carlton kept the opposition at bay along the way to secure a 15-3 home win in Avoca.
Three big hits for Avoca/Prattsburgh helped open up the game in a big way, beginning in the bottom of the first with a two-run single off the bat of Ellie Harrell. The momentum continued on in the very next inning for the Lady Titans, as they broke the door down with a massive six-run second inning propelled to bigger heights by Lily Jorritsma and her three-run homer, seeing the team’s lead grow to nine.
Andover/Whitesville (1-12) would scratch across their three runs in the top of the third and fourth innings behind a pair of fielder’s choices before their scoring concluded in the seventh off an RBI single from Gabbi Hall — one of three hits the team would muster. Makaila Brewster and Ava Grice each added in a hit to round off the attack.
For the Lady Titans, Meyah Putnam and Jordan Swift each recorded three hits and scored four runs to pace the offense. Harrell along with Jorritsma and Carlton all scored two hits each. In the circle, the win belonged to Carlton with three strikeouts and two walks across her two-hit performance.
Andover/Whitesville is back on their home field Friday night with a 6 p.m. contest against Arkport/Canaseraga in Andover.
Andover/Whitesville 001 100 1 – 3 3 2
Avoca/Prattsburgh 364 200 X – 15 16 4
A/W – Olivia Waters (LP) (K, 5BB), Emma Nelson (2) and Gabbi Hall.
A/P – Emma Carlton (WP) (CG, 3K, 2BB) and Jordan Swift.
BASEBALL
Bath 16, Wellsville 13
Bath-Haverling trailed 11-4 in the sixth and scored 12 runs in the last two innings to beat Wellsville, 16-13.
Logan Dunbar and Karson Grover had three hits, Cody Costello, Trenton Green, Matt Ritter and Gavin Haggerty all had two hits for Wellsville.
Dunbar, Costello, Grover, Haggerty and Ty Vogel pitched for Wellsville (6-10)
For Bath (7-5) Zach Musso finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored, Alex Beyler was 2-for-4 including an RBI double in the seventh. Freshman Dylan Wenban had a 2-RBI hit and struck out three over two innings of relief for the win.
GOLF
Fillmore 194, Bolivar-Richburg 268
RUSHFORD — After they each qualified to earn the right to compete for the highest glory in Section V this weekend, Reid Cockle and Anderson Wiltsey fed off the momentum for the Eagles of Fillmore with two more of their best rounds of the season Wednesday night at Allegheny Hills in Rushford, as they fueled the team’s 194-268 win over visiting Bolivar-Richburg to remain unbeaten on the links.
Cockle was the match’s medalist for Fillmore (8-0), as he fired one of his best rounds of the season to position himself at the top of the leaderboard, carding a match-low round of 42. Wiltsey was not far behind, as he followed with his round of 44. Sam Cool chipped in with a 53, while Aiden Freeman had a 55 to record.
Bolivar-Richburg (1-5) was led by a team-low round of 59 fired by Andrew Cox. Parker Worth provided a 67, while Trent Sibble was not far behind him with his round of 68. Ryder Easton followed with a round of 74.
Both teams are back on the golf course today in a pair of 4 p.m. tee times, with Fillmore heading for the Wellsville Country Club where they meet both Arkport/Canaseraga and host Genesee Valley/Belfast, while Bolivar-Richburg heads back home to the Bolivar Golf Club to welcome in Hinsdale.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 200, Cuba-Rushford 237
WELLSVILLE — The Genesee Valley/Belfast golfers made one giant leap towards the finish line at the Wellsville Country Club on Wednesday, as they used Will Guilford and Dakota Hemphill’s medalist-charging rounds to provide an overall team score of 200 at the end of the day, using it spring over .500 this season with a 200-237 win over visiting Cuba-Rushford.
Both Guilford and Hemphill were the top golfers when the sun began to set at the golf course, with each Genesee Valley/Belfast (4-3-1) golfer posting the medalist round of 47 for the day., Colden Caiazza chipped in with a round of 52, while Chris Weaver had a 54 to add.
Cuba-Rushford (3-3-1) saw a team-low round of 49 come to life from Sebastian Saulter, leading the Rebels golfers. Haven Kellogg chipped in with his round of 54. Cliff Karn recorded a 64, while Ethan Fries rounded off with his score of 70.
Both teams are back on the links today in a pair of 4 p.m. battles, with Genesee Valley/Belfast playing host to both Fillmore and Arkport/Canaseraga, while Genesee Valley/Belfast heads back to the Wellsville Country Club to face off against “visiting” Wellsville.
