Friday Roundup: Haggerty, Grover combine for 1-hit shutout of No. 16 Whitman in 1st round win for top-seeded Lions; Fillmore tennis drops 1st match of season, downed by No. 1 Naples in B4 Finals
By CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
WELLSVILLE — There was no denying that the Wellsville Lions were ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead.
On Friday, they set that precedent right from the get-go against No. 16 Marcus Whitman in the Lion’s Den, as Class B’s top seeds unleashed their fury right in the first inning of play to set the tone immediately, garnering a lead they would never look back from again to put a bow on a 15-0 shutout after five complete frames.
The sticks for the Lions were relentless to open the first round festivities, as they excavated a nine-run, six-hit stanza powered by two big two-run hits from the bat of Alex Green. Adding help along the way were Cooper Brockway, Trenton Green and Derek Coleman (double), as each Lions posted an RBI on their hits to further the team’s cause.
With the lead intact, the game now rested on the shoulders of Gavin Haggerty, who shut down Marcus Whitman until he was pulled in favor of Karson Grover in relief, as the two Wellsville (18-1) hurlers combined to hold the Wildcats to just one hit, with Haggerty picking up the win behind five strikeouts and two walks. Haggerty, a junior, improved to a team-best 5-0 with the win.
Grover issued six strikeouts and a walk of his own to follow up.
As for the offense, they posted their 15 runs off 10 hits, with Alex Green leading the charge with a 3-for-3 outing, including two doubles, five total RBI and two runs scored. Aiden Cowburn had two hits of his own, including a double, two RBI and three runs scored, while Derek Coleman and Trenton Green each tallied a double.
Wellsville holds home field advantage throughout the Class B bracket, as they host Livonia on Monday at 5 p.m. There is not an admission charge for second round.
Marcus Whitman 000 00 – 0 1 2
Wellsville 900 6X – 15 10 0
MW – Connor Williams (LP) (5BB), Parker Weissend (3) (4BB) and Aiden Marin.
WLSV – Gavin Haggerty (WP) (5K, 2BB), Karson Grover (4) (6K, BB) and Alex Green, Matt Ritter (5).
More baseball, softball, golf after Chris Brooks photos:
Class D First Round
No. 8 Andover/Whitesville 17, No. 9 Hinsdale 13
ANDOVER — An absolutely wild affair took place to open up the first round of action in the Class D Playoffs, as No. 9 Hinsdale and No. 8 Andover/Whitesville met for the third and final time this season on Friday to settle the score once and for all.
With each team splitting a contest already, it would get rowdy at the plate for their grand finale against one another, as they combined to scratch across 30 total runs, capitalizing in every way they could to find their way onto the scoreboard. But in the end, an early lead established by Andover/Whitesville gave them enough room to work, ultimately pulling away from Hinsdale with a 17-13 victory in Andover to move onto the Quarterfinal round.
“Overall, the guys had very competitive at-bats,” Andover/Whitesville co-coach Jake Bannerman said. “They did a great job of making their pitchers try to throw strikes. We took 17 walks in six innings, and with our team speed throughout the lineup, it turns those walks into doubles. Going forward, we need to do a better job of cashing in those runners with hard contact, but aside from that, we had some great at-bats. Kudos to the grounds crew who had the field in mint condition so it could hold all the rain we got. It was great to get the win and for the weather to hold up.”
Perhaps the game-turning moment on either side would occur in the bottom of the second inning. With Andover/Whitesville (6-11) already taking a one-run lead of the Bobcats, the hosts turned the heat up with a monster four-run stanza — all powered by a two-run single off the bat of Jake Mattison, along with a bonus RBI single from the bat of Rogan Perkins, as they extended Andover/Whitesville’s lead to 6-1 after the first two innings.
It was an advantage that was threatened multiple times by Hinsdale, but it was one that they never lost, as they continued to trade barbs leading up to what was a gargantuan seven-run bottom of the fifth inning. A frame that instantaneously granted Andover/Whitesville the victory, and their spot in the Class D Quarterfinal round after the weekend ahead.
Andover/Whitesville scattered just four hits across the field, all while capitalizing on 17 walks and six Hinsdale errors to fuel their offensive cause.
On the mound, Derek Perkins was awarded the victory, as he fanned three and walked five. In relief, Vinny Joyce chipped in with four strikeouts and three walks of his own.
Hinsdale was powered by an eight-hit display against the hosts in purple. As for the hurlers, Henry Schwartz received the nod and went into the third inning behind two strikeouts and seven walks. The Bobcats have concluded their season, as they put a wrap to a 4-11 campaign on the diamond.
The team will say goodbye to just three seniors in Schwartz, Jake Elliott and Brad Bergstrom.
As for the No. 8 seeds, Andover/Whitesville will get set to hit the road for a battle with top-seeded Genesee Valley/Belfast, commencing on Monday at a site and time to be determined.
Hinsdale 013 123 2 – 13 8 6
Andover/Whitesville 242 270 X – 17 4 5
HIN – Henry Schwartz (LP) (2K, 7BB), Jake Elliott (3) (3K, 6BB), Tyler Richards (5) (K, 4BB) and Peyton Keller.
A/W – Derek Perkins (WP) (3K, 5BB), Vinny Joyce (5) (4K, 3BB) and Colton Calladine.
SOFTBALL
Class C2 First Round
No. 6 Bolivar-Richburg 7, No. 11 Perry 1
RICHBURG — Rylee Whiting was a force to be reckoned with, for the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg on Friday.
To open up their journey across the Class C2 bracket as the defending three-peat champions, the No. 6 seeds would not lose a beat behind the sophomore, as she blasted a monstrous three-run homer all while holding the No. 11 Perry Lady Yellowjackets at a near standstill during her time in the circle, as the Lady Wolverines rolled their way towards a 7-1 victory at Stan Harris Field to move onto the Quarterfinal round after the weekend.
Following the exchange of two scoreless barbs between both teams, the heat would turn up at an alarmingly high rate for the Lady Wolverines (12-9), as they shattered the ice in clamorous fashion behind Whiting’s three run bomb in the bottom of the third inning to help open the scoring.
Whiting would add more damage later on by extending the team’s lead to four behind an RBI double to put a wrap on what was a four RBI evening at the plate.
To go with her offensive presence, the sophomore also froze Perry at the plate, shelling out 14 strikeouts to go with a single walk in her twirled five-hit gem.
Despite falling behind in a hurry, the Lady Yellowjackets would apply a bit of pressure against the No. 6 seeds, coming away with two baserunners in both the fifth and sixth innings — the latter of the two frames seeing their first run scratch across on a passed ball to the backstop, but nothing more, as Whiting completed an unassisted play in the fifth, while recording the final out with her arm in the sixth to help close the threat.
In the end, the deficit was declared insurmountable, as the Lady Wolverines rolled straight towards the next round of action.
Bolivar-Richburg collected just five hits on offense while using a bundle of special teams plays around the bases to net their last three runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth to further cushion their lead permanently.
Helping lead the way were both Whiting and Jayna Thomas, each recording two hits, including a double for Thomas.
Monday night, the Lady Wolverines return to the field at a neutral site to face No. 3 South Seneca/Romulus in the Class C2 Quarterfinal round. Time of the first pitch is yet to be determined.
Perry 000 001 0 – 1 5 1
Bolivar-Richburg 003 013 X – 7 5 0
PER – Keira Weber (LP) (CG, 7K, 5BB) and Madelyn Monteleone.
B-R – Rylee Whiting (WP) (CG, 14K, BB) and Sydney Faulkner.
BOYS TENNIS
Class B4 Finals
No. 1 Naples 4, No. 2 Fillmore 1
ALMOND — For a third straight year, two of Section V’s tennis superpowers collided in full force, with their previous encounter coming one step prior to the big dance just a season ago.
Now, on Friday, undefeated Fillmore and undefeated Naples went that extra step again to decide which team was going to come out unscathed, remaining undefeated in the Class B4 Championship match.
The competition was fierce. The emotions, uncontrollable. The pressure, higher than it’s ever been before. But there could only be one winner.
For the Eagles of Fillmore — the No. 2 seeds in the Class B4 field, they witnessed an absolutely phenomenal display of tennis from their first singles competitor and senior leader, Eben Schilke. Across three sets of play, he would engage in a back-and-forth battle with Naples’ Matt Lincoln leading up to a marathon final set of action. A set where eclipsing double-digit points in a thrilling tiebreak was needed to end the match.
Schilke would collect it behind an incredible amount of resiliency. But it was the only win Fillmore could garner against the Big Green, as top-seeded Naples claimed the remaining four victories in decisive fashion, rolling towards the ultimate 4-1 match victory to hand the Eagles their first and only loss while becoming Class B4 Champions at Alfred-Almond.
“It was a tough night for sure,” Eagles coach Randy Crouch said. “Naples is an absolutely loaded program right now. They had eight players in Individual Sectionals, and had three doubles teams finish first, second and third, in addition to the Sectional champion in singles. I am really proud of how we battled, but the better tennis team won tonight. They have so much depth, and they have a real shot at getting to the State team tournament.”
Despite the team loss, Schilke’s victory at first singles for the Eagles (13-1) was the highlight of the night, as he overcame a first-set defeat to Lincoln and came right back with two straight tie-breaking victories — the first by a 7-5 count to deadlock the match at one before a third-set elongation saw him come away victorious with a 14-12 win to close out the match.
For Crouch, he was beyond proud of his heroic efforts.
“Big shout-out to Eben for his win,” he said. “He once again got off to a slow start, but he settled right down and battled for the win. It was a fantastic match to watch. The win was his 72nd, which places him in the upper echelon for career wins at Fillmore. Since he started playing, he has been an absolute warrior for us.”
Naples grabbed the last four victories in dominant fashion, as they allowed no more than two points from the Eagles across each match, as Landon Gleichauf scored the 6-0, 6-2 win over Isaiah Sisson at second singles, while Donovan Lincoln defeated Marcus Wolfer at third singles with a 6-0, 6-1 win.
The Big Green also collected a complete sweep of both doubles matches along the way towards their championship crown, with the first doubles team of Jake Betrus and Ian Kenney claiming a 6-0, 6-1 win over Ezra Knapp and Carson Sanasith, while the second doubles duo of Colin Kenney and Dean Rischpater recorded a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kallan Sanasith and Brayden Walton to finish off the triumphant performance.
The Eagles season on the tennis court is officially over, as they wrap up another fine campaign with a record of 13-1. The team will lose their two senior leaders from singles action: Schilke and Marcus Wolfer, when the two graduate in just over a month from now.
Two players that Crouch has coached for the very last time.
“Nights like these are incredibly tough,” he said. “I think this is my 20th year coaching tennis, and win or lose, it never gets easier seeing seniors play their last match. The best part of coaching is the relationships that are built. I have so much appreciation for the time I’ve spent with both Eben and Mark. We have been lucky at Fillmore to have great young men build a tennis culture and tradition. Mark and Eben have played a huge role in continuing that, and for that, I am beyond thankful.”
Singles
1. Eben Schilke (FIL) def. Matt Lincoln (NAP), 2-6, 7-5, 14-12.
2. Landon Gleichauf (NAP) def. Isaiah Sisson (FIL), 6-0, 6-2.
3. Donovan Lincoln (NAP) def. Marcus Wolfer (FIL), 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles
1. Jake Betrus/Ian Kenney (NAP) def. Ezra Knapp/Carson Sanasith (FIL), 6-0, 6-1.
2. Colin Kenney/Dean Rischpater (NAP) def. Kallan Sanasith/Brayden Walton (FIL), 6-1, 6-0.
