By CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
FILLMORE — The new season outside on the field for the Lady Eagles of Fillmore commenced 24 hours ago with a visit to Allegany-Limestone that saw a game-long advantage fizzle out in favor of some clutch, red-hot hitting from the Lady Gators that allowed them to propel ahead and towards what was an 8-4 win.
Now, in the second game of their back-to-back to close out the month of March, the aim on their home turf was to leave it behind in the rearview mirror and ensure a strong response going into the Spring Break with a visit from the Lima Christian Lady Saints in store for another chilly night of action on Wednesday.
Despite the autumn-esque temperatures that settled in, Mylee Miller was red hot from inside the circle, as she kept the Lady Saints off the board in every way possible for the Lady Eagles, handing out nine chairs and walking just one to help set up shop on defense. As for the bats, the wildfire spread to the plate to help kindle a 12-run opening stanza that they never looked back on, as Fillmore claimed the no-hit victory by a 17-0 count for their first win.
“Everyone in our lineup was making good contact at the plate. Mylee had a great game on the mound to help produce her first no-hitter of her career. We go into the break on a great note. The girls are a fun group to work with, and spend time with. I look forward to getting back at it after Easter break.” said Lady Eagles coach Jon Beardsley.
The red hot flame was ignited in the opening frame of play for the Lady Eagles (1-1), who first started off with a three-up, three-down sequence handled by Miller in the circle, striking out the first three Lima Christian batters she faced to power a strong opening defensive tenure.
In return, the offense fed off the burst of energy with a dozen of their 17 total runs, led by a pair of ground-rule doubles posted by Miller and Mattie McCumiskey at the top of the order.
To keep the momentum well in their favor, Fillmore’s defense locked down shop again with another powerful 1-2-3 outing on the field to keep the Lady Saints frozen. The lead was bolstered with their remaining five runs across the next two innings of play, including their final three scores in the bottom of the third.
The bats were hot all game long, as the Lady Eagles posted 17 runs off 15 total hits. Among the contributors was McCumiskey, who finished with a perfect 4-for-4 night to go with a triple, two doubles and three RBI. Miller finished with two hits and three RBI, while Preslee Miller and Kylee Ellsworth each had two hits and drove in a run. Delaney Hillman also pitched in with three more RBI.
The Lady Eagles are now off until after Spring Break, as they prepare to host Andover/Whitesville on April 9 at 5 p.m.
Lima Christian 0 00 00 – 0 0 6
Fillmore (12) 23 0X – 17 15 1
LC – Danielle Delibert (LP) (CG, K, 4BB) and Abby Dils.
FIL – Mylee Miller (WP) (CG, 9K, BB) and Oakley Frazier.
Bolivar-Richburg 15, Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg 4
CANISTEO — Three softball teams in Allegany County enter the season beginning the search for a fourth straight Section V Championship. Two of them will play later on in the week, as well as down south over the Spring Break. But for the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg, their wait was over, as they became the first to begin their quest back towards title-clinching glory on Wednesday.
The Lady Wolverines geared up and set sail towards Steuben County where they clashed with Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg to open up the action in their lone game of the month. It was a battle in which they had to fight right alongside their opposition, holding a two-run lead that was erased behind a go-ahead frame from the hosts themselves in return.
Down by one near the halfway point, the three-time defending champions had to act urgently. Behind an absolutely monstrous day assembled by eighth grader Kylee Whiting, the Lady Wolverines provided not only the response, but a game-changing volcanic eruption.
With Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg holding most of the momentum after three complete innings, it would all evaporate just a half-inning later with the Lady Wolverines connecting on every single angle at the plate, going over the complete revolution through their entire lineup to provide a 10-run offensive bonanza that flipped the game completely on its head and transformed what was a 3-2 deficit and flipping it into a 15-4 victory at the end of the night to garner their first win of the 2024 campaign.
“We have a young team this year and it was nice to come out and get that first win of the season,” Lady Wolverines coach Brooke Lovell said. “We had a few miscues early on, but the kids were able to turn it around and get back on track later on. I am proud of the effort they showed today.”
Some early momentum was constructed by Bolivar-Richburg (1-0) out of the gate with the game’s first run in their opening at-bats, capitalizing on key baserunning that allowed Jayna Thomas to cross the plate after reaching previously on a walk. After each team delivered two straight scoreless frames, featuring a 1-2-3 outing on both sides, the Lady Wolverines added to their lead on a Sommer Beckwith sacrifice to right field before Sidney Drouin issued an inning-ending strikeout to Sydney Faulkner to prevent more damage.
Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg then inserted their first three runs into the fray against the Lady Wolverines immediately after their lead extension was docked to the board, as they used key baserunning of their own to work their way around and across the plate three times to propel ahead with a 3-2 lead — their only advantage they would hold in the contest.
Despite trading places with the hosts, Bolivar-Richburg did not back down when the fifth inning approached, as they pushed all of their chips to the center of the table, hitting the jackpot with a 10-run offensive outburst — one that was led by the red hot bat of eighth grader Kylee Whiting, who sparked the stand with a massive two-run double.
All three of her hits saw extra bases, as she finished a 3-for-4 outing with three doubles and four total RBI.
Out of their 15 hits as a collective, the Lady Wolverines tallied seven of them in the top of the fifth inning to airmail their way back into the lead in permanent fashion.
Following up Whiting’s performance at the plate was Cassidy Stives, who was the team’s leading hitter with four — two of them resulting in RBI singles in the midst of a 4-for-5 tenure at the plate. Rylee Whiting finished with three hits of her own, while Sydney Faulkner chipped in with two.
In the circle, Rylee Whiting went the distance and tossed a four-hit victory behind six strikeouts and three walks.
Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg was led by Brystol Butler at the plate, as she produced two of the team’s four hits. On the mound, Drouin went all seven innings with three strikeouts and five walks.
The Lady Wolverines are now off until April 11, when they head back home to host Genesee Valley/Belfast in their home opener in a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Bolivar-Richburg 100 1(10)0 3 – 15 15 1
C-G/J-T 000 3 0 0 1 – 4 4 2
B-R – Rylee Whiting (WP) (CG, 6K, BB) and Sydney Faulkner.
C-G – Sidney Drouin (LP) (CG, 3K, 5BB) and Amylia Stewart.
BASEBALL
Salamanca 15, Cuba-Rushford 1 (F-5)
SALAMANCA — Some fiery bats allowed the Salamanca Warriors to capture the start they wanted to have in their possession with the visiting Rebels of Cuba-Rushford in town on Wednesday, as they struck all chords to dispatch an early end to the battle on the diamond with a 15-1 five-inning victory.
Stats and a complete box score were not made available to report upon publication.
Cuba-Rushford (0-1) returns to action after the Spring Break on April 9 with a 5 p.m. home-opening visit from the Franklinville Panthers.
Bolivar-Richburg 22, Hinsdale 0 (F-5)
BOLIVAR — Five different hitters all posted at least a pair of hits on the attack to guide the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg towards a brilliant start to their 2024 campaign on the diamond Wednesday night. On their home turf, the offense held the gas pedal straight down to the floor and delivered a gargantuan 11-run first-ups at the plate to set the tone against Hinsdale, as they rolled towards a 22-0 five-inning win over the Bobcats.
Out of the 15 outs that Bolivar-Richburg (1-0) would advance forward and record, three Wolverines pitchers came together to deliver 12 strikeouts, with Landon Barkley garnering the team’s first win on the hill with six of those strikeouts and a walk alongside relief appearances from Reiss Gaines (five strikeouts, three walks) and Caden Allen (one strikeout, one walk) in what was ultimately a combined no-hit twirl against the Bobcats.
As for the offense, they wasted absolutely no time striking while the iron was hot with a double-digit opening sequence that consequently set the tone. Amongst the contributions for the hosts in red and black, Reiss Gaines, Aydin Sisson and Kingston Loucks all recorded three hits, driving three runs across the plate in the process. Tavyn MacDonell went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Caden Allen also had two hits including a double, driving in three more runs while Gaines pitched in two additional RBI.
For Hinsdale (0-1), Tyler Richards struck out one and walked one in his tenure of relief on the mound. The Bobcats will return to action on Tuesday back home for their home opener against Alfred-Almond at 5 p.m.
In the midst of their Spring Break, the Wolverines head down south to Myrtle Beach to the Cal Ripken Experience, where they will partake in four different contests — three of them scrimmages, two against Section V foes Spencerport and Avon, and one head-to-head battle slated for next Wednesday night in a 9 p.m. first pitch against Class B superpower Livonia.
Hinsdale 0 00 00 – 0 0 4
Bolivar-Richburg (11)02 9X – 22 14 0
HIN – Jacob Elliott (LP) (K, 9BB), Tyler Richards (3) (K, BB) and Peyton Keller.
B-R – Landon Barkley (WP) (6K, BB), Reiss Gaines (3) (5K, 3BB), Caden Allen (5) (K, BB) and Aydin Sisson.
Canisteo-Greenwood 17, Friendship/Scio 0 (F-5)
CANISTEO — The Canisteo-Greenwood Chargers kicked their offense into maximum overdrive and never looked back following what was a 13-run bottom of the fourth inning that forced an early end to their home contest against Friendship/Scio, as they rolled towards victory by a 17-0 count on Wednesday in the Canisteo Valley.
Stats and a complete box score were not made available to report upon publication.
Friendship/Scio (0-1) will return to action after the Spring Break on April 9, as they pay a visit to the Jungle in Belmont to battle Genesee Valley/Belfast in a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Friendship/Scio 000 0 0 – 0 1 8
Canisteo-Greenwood 130 (13)X – 17 5 0
