Photos and stories by CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
SCIO — With rain putting a damper to their high-octane and fierce first round clash with Genesee Valley/Belfast during Midseason Tournament action this past weekend, Friendship/Scio looked to pick up right where they left off with another formidable foe traveling to town for a visit on Monday.
That being Section VI superpower Portville — winners of seven of their first eight games, as they look to put a grinding halt to Friendship/Scio’s hot streak. But while under complete command during her time in the circle, Nevaeh Ross would not allow that to happen.
Instead, she would proceed to shell out a dynamic and dominant one-hit shutout of the Lady Panthers, fanning 20 batters altogether — a season-high for the senior phenom, while the offense came alive down the stretch to set up the 2-0 win in Scio.
It was a defensive war across all seven innings of play, as both Portville and Friendship/Scio assembled just six hits in the game. Five of those would belong to the hosts in white and gold to build momentum off of Ross’ overpowering outing in the circle, as the senior recorded 12 straight strikeouts to set the music on the dance floor.
In return, Friendship/Scio’s (8-2) came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning with some clutch ice-breaking. Following a run reaching on a throwing error by the Portville defense, Morghyn Ross would deliver the fissure-inducing strike on a double to deep left field that took a hit against the fence.
Ross would ultimately land on third before remaining there after Portville fielded two straight bunts to close out the frame. With the first run now hovering within their subdivision of the scoreboard, Friendship/Scio looked to add more damage with Cece Davenport and Nevaeh Ross reaching off back-to-back errors by the Portville defense with two outs.
The Lady Panthers were able to work their way off after an excellent catch by Madison Ford at third base to snare a line drive off the bat of Avery Lamberson.
In the top of the sixth inning, Portville picked up their first hit of the game off a base hit straight up the middle. But the Lady Panthers offense would remain still with Ross handing out back-to-back strikeouts to leave the runner on base.
The final burst of momentum would shift to Friendship/Scio’s bats one more time to produce a gargantuan piece of insurance off excellent baserunning from Morghyn Ross. After a throw to the plate following a sacrifice fly from Jadyn Wonderling to catch her off-guard went errant and wide, she would score easily to make it a 2-0 lead before her older sister put the exclamation point on the victory with her final 1-2-3 of Portville — two of those outs consisting of her 19th and 20th strikeouts of the game.
Nora Thompson would add in a hit to aid Friendship/Scio’s offense.
Up next, Friendship/Scio will search for their eighth straight win, as they welcome in Andover/Whitesville for a 5 p.m. contest in Scio tonight, if weather permits.
Portville 000 000 0 – 0 1 3
Friendship/Scio 000 101 X – 2 5 0
PORT – Bella Morales (LP) (CG, 6K) and Avery DeFazio.
F/S – Nevaeh Ross (WP) (CG, 20K) and Morghyn Ross.
Lady Wolverines smash hits in game 1, break tie in game 2 to sweep C-R
RICHBURG — While both Cuba-Rushford and Bolivar-Richburg baseball teams were doing battle all through the night down the road in Bolivar, the softball teams took center stage at Stan Harris Field in Richburg to hold their end of Monday night’s doubleheader bargain dominating the two towns to start the week.
With the Wolverines taking both games away from their opposition on the diamond, the Lady Wolverines would follow up with two wins of their own against the Lady Rebels, as they used the dynamic combination of 20 hits across both games, pairing it alongside two stellar outings from Rylee Whiting in the circle to keep Cuba-Rushford at bay in recording the 4-0 and 6-3 victories to sweep the night’s action.
In game one of the pair, it was under the command of Whiting from start to finish, holding Cuba-Rushford to just a single hit — a lead-off single in the top of the third inning from Katelyn Radomski, while handing out eight strikeouts and one walk.
While the Bolivar-Richburg sophomore was finding every groove possible from within her quarters on the field, the bats produced an 11-run tremor at the plate in return, led by Whiting’s RBI-double helping break the first inning ice.
The two foes would trade scoreless exchanges leading up to the next two frames, beginning in the bottom of the fourth when a two-out single blasted by Jayna Thomas — one of four hits she would lead the Lady Wolverines with, aided in doubling their lead on the Lady Rebels. Danika Loucks would add some more assistance into the fray just an inning later, scoring two off a big single to close out the scoring.
Whiting, Loucks and Sommer Beckwith all posted two hits to charge and electrify the Lady Wolverines offense.
The Lady Rebels were led by Sydney Howard on the mound, going the first five innings while accumulating four strikeouts and a walk.
In game two, both teams stood on level playing ground across the first inning, as each traded two-run barbs. The Lady Wolverines (6-7) kicked it off with another RBI single from Whiting helping pave the way first in the top half of the inning, while some key baserunning sparked the Lady Rebels to score two in return to tie the game.
Across the next three innings of play, both teams would mesh together just two hits at the plate, as both Lizzie Kocsis and Rylee Whiting both kept full composure of their destiny within the circle leading into the top of the fifth inning.
Bolivar-Richburg would ultimately take the lead away from Cuba-Rushford’s (4-6) grasp, starting a strand of three unanswered runs to pull out on top.
Following an Emma Sisson RBI single in the fifth to permit the lead, the Lady Wolverines added onto it with three more in the sixth behind an RBI double from Whiting, along with a putout into the right side of the infield and a Lady Rebels error plating a run each to conclude the scoring.
Cuba-Rushford would attempt to climb their way back in the bottom half with an RBI single from Gianna Loiacono allowing them to trim the deficit to three. But a quick 1-2-3 stand in the seventh inning by the team in black and red allowed them to keep their lead firmly intact to sweep both games.
The Lady Wolverines posted six runs off nine hits, with Thomas leading the way with three more, including a double and two runs scored. Whiting and Cassidy Stives each finished with two hits, and combined for three RBI.
On the mound, Whiting garnered her second complete game victory, fanning nine while holding the Lady Rebels to just three hits.
As for Cuba-Rushford, Kocsis went the first four innings by fanning three and walking six. She, along with Jordyn Radomski, would each record a hit to go along with Loiacono’s late RBI single in the sixth.
Both teams will return to the field Thursday night in a pair of 5 p.m. first pitches, with Bolivar-Richburg heading to Whitesville to face Andover/Whitesville, while Cuba-Rushford heads back home to welcome in red hot Friendship/Scio.
Game 1
Cuba-Rushford 000 000 0 – 0 1 0
Bolivar-Richburg 100 120 X – 4 11 1
C-R – Sydney Howard (LP) (4K, BB), Jordyn Radomski (6) and Arlah Shaffer.
B-R – Rylee Whiting (WP) (CG, 8K, BB) and Sydney Faulkner.
Game 2
Bolivar-Richburg 200 013 0 – 6 9 3
Cuba-Rushford 200 001 0 – 3 3 2
B-R – Rylee Whiting (WP) (CG, 9K) and Sydney Faulkner.
C-R – Lizzie Kocsis (3K, 6BB), Jordyn Radomski (LP, 5) (3K, BB) and Arlah Shaffer.
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