The Section V playoff season is days away from all sports. And it’s been an incredible season, especially for Ryan Daciw, who has blasted his seventh home run for Genesee Balley/Belfast.
While the state records book has player with 10 or more, home runs, earned runs and batting averages are the toughest stats to confirm. One book could have a player going 4-for-4 while the other book has them at 1-for-4 , reaching on two errors and a fielders choice.
Home runs? Inside-the-park home runs many times result in a bad relay throw and one book has a double or triple and an error and the other has a home run.
For Daciw, there is no doubt. Each home run has cleared the fence. He has put them in the trees in Belfast and a line-shot opposite field blast in the same park to the deepest part of the field.
GV/B coach Dennie Miles has coached some power hitters in his 49 years. He has high-praise for the senior.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like what Ryan has been able to do for us,” Miles said. “His seventh home run of the season, and they are all legitimate shots.”
Here’s a look at the baseball, softball and golf action from the last three days from Chris Brooks. But first, a look at an honor given to Brooks by Bolivar-Richburg. Students made this award and it was presented by B-R Athletic Director and baseball coach Dustin Allen. Brooks threw out the first pitch of a game to Landon Barkley.
Saturday Roundup: In midst of incredible season, GV/Belfast’s Preston wins Class D Individual Sectional Championship, Team Sectionals start next week; C-R softball rebounds at C-G with big 6-3 win
By CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
CHURCHVILLE — Genesee Valley/Belfast junior Grant Preston has quickly emerged as one of Allegany County’s strongest competitors on the golf course.
The season that he has put together has served as direct evidence of that. In each and every single match that he and the rest of the Genesee Valley/Belfast golfers have been a part of, he has navigated his way to the top of the scorecard.
12 regular season matches. 12 medalist rounds.
Win or lose.
Now, his magnificence has led him straight to the Mill Creek Country Club in Churchville on Saturday for this year’s Class D Individual Sectional Championship match, where he was joined alongside Cuba-Rushford’s Zach Deck and Fillmore’s Aiden Freeman and Anderson Wiltsey on the trip up north to continue his historic season.
The weather was not ideal upon their arrival to the golf course, with the action having to be delayed due to thunder in the surrounding area. But when it was go time, it was go time.
“I am a proud coach today, and it’s an amazing day for Grant and his parents,” said GV/Belfast coach Lisa Scott-Schneider. “We were in a thunder delay when we got to Mill Creek, so we didn’t even get teed off at the correct time. Grant’s first three holes were a struggle, but he pulled his game together and he had an amazing finish. His performance was a first for our program, and he nearly made the Super Sectional cut just outside the Top 20, but we now know what the goal will be for next season.”
Preston finished at the top of Class D at the end of all 18 holes on the golf course, being crowned Class D champion behind his match-low round of 87 to lead the field.
The Genesee Valley/Belfast sophomore struggled at first through his first nine holes of the battle, finishing with a 46, but then turned right around and assembled a finish for the ages with a phenomenal back-nine round of 41 to capture the Section’s top prize.
Preston will now join his Genesee Valley/Belfast teammates when they now begin preparations for Team Sectionals, which are set to begin next week.
BASEBALL
Campbell-Savona 7, Fillmore 6
FILLMORE — It was an even battle out of the gate early, as Campbell-Savona and Fillmore delivered back-and-forth first inning jabs during their Saturday afternoon at the Town Park.
But the record was set straight by the visiting Panthers immediately after, as they rolled straight out of Fillmore’s grasp to claim an advantage they proceeded to never lose, scoring the narrow 7-6 edge.
The Panthers of Campbell-Savona capitalized on all offensive fronts to provide an explosion, despite the Eagles (8-7) returning a two-run frame in the bottom half of the first inning to tie the game out of the gate, as they strung together five straight runs in the top half of the second to claim the game’s largest lead.
It would remain there in the time going forward, as the Eagles took the next six innings to chip away at their deficit. The hosts in white and green inched closer and closer in the rearview mirror, closing the gap to as little as a single run in the bottom of the fifth.
But in the end, Fillmore could not navigate their way over the hump despite applying a great deal of pressure on the Panthers in the driver’s seat, as the visitors in blue and red kept their advantage glued together.
The Eagles pieced together their six runs on seven total hits at the dish, with Liam McCumiskey going 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Jared Boon and Brayden Hennard each had a double to add into the mix.
On the mound, Malcolm Nusbickle was strong in his six innings of relief, fanning five and walking one.
Fillmore will look to close out their road slate of contests on Monday, visiting the Hinsdale Bobcats for a 5 p.m. contest.
Campbell-Savona 250 000 0 — 7 4 4
Fillmore 201 210 0 — 6 7 1
C-S – Ethan Loveless (WP) (2K, BB), Chace Priset (4) (K, 2BB), Lucas Corey (7) and Folkemer.
FIL – Connor McCumiskey (2K, 3BB), Malcolm Nusbickle (LP, 2) (5K, BB) and Isaac Wilcox.
Alfred-Almond 16, Hinsdale 5 (F-5)
ALMOND — With the visiting Bobcats in Hinsdale in town for a visit Saturday morning, the Alfred-Almond Eagles made all sorts of connections on offense to set up shop with a dominant performance on their home diamond, as they rolled straight towards a 16-5 victory.
Stats and a complete box score were not made available to report upon publication.
The Bobcats (2-14) will conclude their regular season back home Monday, hosting the Fillmore Eagles at 5 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Cuba-Rushford 6, Canisteo-Greenwood 2
CANISTEO — The Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford were locked into the tightest of battles over the road on Saturday. After a first inning breakthrough from both teams in the Canisteo Valley, the bats were kept silent at the plate, as the defenses assumed total command of the action on all fronts.
With time beginning to run out down the stretch, the game-long stalemate continued to keep one another at bay. But when the top of the fifth inning came, however, the Lady Rebels found their way around the temporary bulwark in front of them to provide the strongest of finishes to their game, edging their way towards the finish line against the host Lady Chargers of Canisteo-Greenwood with a 6-2 win.
The Lady Rebels (9-8) were the first to strike in the opening frame with two base-runners threatening the Canisteo-Greenwood defense right away. Both runners were cashed in to double their advantage instantly — one of them off the team’s first RBI smack from Lizzie Kocsis, who recorded a single.
The Lady Chargers responded immediately in their first three at-bats, with one of their two game-tying runs coming in off an RBI triple from Charlee Ross.
The two defenses took control of the action beginning in the second inning, as pitchers Jordyn Radomski and Harper Byrd each tossed three straight shutout innings of rapid fire quality to keep the playing surface level.
But in the top of the fifth, the Lady Rebels provided a big deadlock-smashing two-run frame powered up by Aubrey Williams and her RBI double. The visitors closed out the battle with two more runs in the sixth, both coming in on special teams.
To go with their six runs, they posted five hits at the plate — two from Claire Moyer, to lead the way. On the mound, Radomski was credited with the complete game victory, holding Canisteo-Greenwood to three hits while handing out seven strikeouts and a walk.
For the Lady Chargers, Byrd fanned two and walked three in her tossed complete game in the circle. At the plate, Ross, Cynthia Ross, Brystol Butler and Cassidy Forshee all had a hit to pace the offense.
Cuba-Rushford will head back home to welcome in Friendship/Scio on Monday at 5 p.m.
Cuba-Rushford 200 022 0 — 6 5 3
Canisteo-Greenwood 200 000 0 — 2 4 2
C-R – Jordyn Radomski (WP) (CG, 7K, BB) and Allie Kocsis.
C-G – Harper Burd (LP) (CG, 2K, 3BB) and Charlee Ross.
Alfred-Almond 14, Hinsdale 1
ALMOND — Through the entire morning in Almond, the Alfred-Almond Lady Eagles were at the top of their game. Between both games they showcased Saturday morning, the Lady Eagles froze both of their opponents, including Hinsdale, to just a single run on offense, as they swept both games in style with a 14-1 win over the Lady Bobcats in the day-cap.
Stats and a complete box score were not made available to report upon publication.
The regular season has concluded for Hinsdale, as they now await Sectional play with a record of 1-17 overall.
Friday Roundup: Sleggs outlasts Barkley in epic pitcher’s duel, setting stage for 3-0 C-R blank at B-R; Daciw blasts 7th homer to aid GV/Belfast in capturing County title with 10-7 win over Fillmore
BOLIVAR — The Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg’s last clash of the season with the Cuba-Rushford Rebels was one unlike any other they’ve faced during the regular season on Friday, as they wrapped a crucial Allegany County League, mid-season tournament and Senior Night game all into one giant globule in front of their home crowd the night after their tough defeat to the hands of Wellsville.
In what was their final regular season home contest this Spring, the many patrons in attendance were given a show of the highest caliber.
A good old fashioned pitcher’s duel right down to the game’s bitter end.
From start to finish, the back-and-forth spar between Cuba-Rushford’s Eli Sleggs and Bolivar-Richburg’s Landon Barkley was simply sensational, with each hurler eclipsing 10 strikeouts for the game.
Both proceeded to toss five consecutive shutout innings, keeping one another at bay for as long as humanly possible.
With the final stretch rapidly approaching, the fiercely competitive elements had to find a way to give way. In the top of the sixth inning, the Rebels used a big bat from Hayden Schappacher.
The rest was history.
After his final at-bat that saw him make his way around the bases until he was 90 feet from home plate, the Cuba-Rushford freshman provided the first crack into the wall. Then, the rest came tumbling down, as they finally found their way ahead of the host Wolverines in a big way by scoring all three of the game’s runs in the last two innings to finish up a monumental victory over the road with Sleggs outlasting Barkley on the rubber in the process of a 3-0 shutout.
“I’m very proud of the effort and grit Eli showed tonight. He made big pitches all night,” said Rebels coach Pat Wight. “He also drove in Hayden for the go-ahead run to get us going. Finn (Ricketts) had a huge hit to help finish things off against Bolivar-Richburg. They were ready to go and it was a heck of a game. I don’t know if we’ve ever won the tournament over here before, but it’s a great accomplishment going into playoff week. This was big for our shot at getting a home game for Sectionals. Landon Barkley threw a heck of a game and we just managed to get one more opportunity to take advantage. This was a great high school baseball game to be a part of.”
Between the two teams, nine combined hits were scattered across the field, with the Rebels holding the 6-3 edge, as the storied rivals assembled a five-inning long stalemate with Sleggs and Barkley soaking in every bit of spotlight from the pitcher’s mound.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in its entirety in the top of the sixth with two mammoth runs for the visitors in blue, with Sleggs skying a sacrifice fly into the outfield to score Hayden Schappacher from third, breaking the ice in the biggest of ways.
Cuba-Rushford’s second run followed behind a short time later with another runner occupying third base. After a pitch to the plate from Barkley squirted free from catcher Ryder Iantorno behind him to the backstop, it allowed Finn Ricketts to gallop straight home to double the Rebels lead before scoring a sixth straight scoreless sheet entering the final frame of play.
The Rebels put a wrap on the victory with one more run off a Finn Ricketts RBI single in the top of the seventh before Sleggs shut the door and deadbolted it completely on the mound behind his three-hit complete game, as he fanned 12 and walked three.
At the plate, Ricketts and Schappacher each paced the efforts with two total hits each.
For the Wolverines, despite the defeat, Landon Barkley was nothing short of exceptional on the mound in return of Sleggs’ outstanding performance from the other sideline, as the senior handed out a season-high 14 chairs to go with three walks in his complete game.
Inside the batter’s box, Mason Baldwin, Carson Lipyance and Waide Karnuth each had a hit to light the way forward.
Both teams are back in action on Monday in a pair of 5 p.m. first pitches, with Cuba-Rushford heading back home to host Friendship/Scio, while Bolivar-Richburg looks to bring it back into the win column with a stop to Whitesville to battle host Andover/Whitesville.
Cuba-Rushford 000 002 1 — 3 6 0
Bolivar-Richburg 000 000 0 — 0 3 0
C-R – Eli Sleggs (WP) (CG, 12K, 3BB) and Adam Shaffer.
B-R – Landon Barkley (LP) (CG, 14K, 3BB) and Ryder Iantorno.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 10, Fillmore 7
FILLMORE — With the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford proclaiming victory at Bolivar-Richburg on the western side of Allegany County, a chance to lock up this year’s League Championship came from up near the northernmost point of the area in Fillmore earlier in the evening, as red hot Genesee Valley/Belfast coasted into town to face the Eagles on Friday in hopes of capturing some early hardware before the big dance in just under a week’s time.
Although they caught fire with the lumber early on at the Town Park, the path in front of them to the end of the game was not an easy one to travel. Each step of the way, the Eagles were right alongside them, chipping away little by little, especially in a seventh inning that was perhaps their best opportunity to create a level playing surface.
But despite it, Genesee Valley/Belfast maintained discipline and used a big first inning generated by yet another home run off the bat of Ryan Daciw to create an advantage that was threatened but never relinquished, as they edged their way past Fillmore to become this year’s Allegany County League Champions with a 10-7 victory.
“I thought Fillmore played well, they have a lot of young kids. It seemed like when we went up 5-0 early on, it was going to be a repeat of when we won the first time, 13-3. All of a sudden, they kept right with us all game,” said GV/Belfast coach Dennis Miles. “The momentum was swinging all over the place, and to their credit, they just didn’t go away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like what Ryan has been able to do for us. His seventh home run of the season, and they are all legitimate shots. He’s on quite a roll, and hopefully that continues on for the next couple of weeks. We’ve found our winning edge in seven of the nine days, six of them on the road. This one today was worth a well-deserved couple of days off for them.”
It was a hard-fought battle that began with Genesee Valley/Belfast (17-1) untethering a ferocious slew of bats right from the gate, witnessing the scratching of the game’s first five runs athwart the plate — two of them off another bomb from the bat of Daciw, his seventh of the campaign to aid the breaking of the ice with a 5-0 lead on Fillmore.
After the visitors scratched the surface clamorously, the Eagles (8-6) fought back with a momentous swing of their own from James Hillman, who went yard with a blast of his own — one of solo variety, to trim the deficit down to four.
It was not the only occasion that the hosts in white and green continued to claw their way back from behind, as they responded to Genesee Valley/Belfast’s two-run third inning frame with a three-run answer in return, closing the gap to two runs in what was the closest degree of separation in the game.
The defense re-assumed their posts through the middle frames leading up to a seventh inning where both teams each hung two more runs on the board — the two for the Eagles in the bottom half keeping them alive, as Damon Potter was the third player to send a weapons-grade smack straight out of the park, registering a two-run shot to make it a 10-7 game.
But before the Eagles could pick up any more steam in their final at-bats, Daciw remained poised to finish the game on his terms, fielding a pair of groundouts to record the last two outs, ending Fillmore’s late rally.
Genesee Valley/Belfast totaled their 10 runs off 11 hits at the plate, with Daciw, Evan Turybury and Ben Cater all having two hits, with Cater driving in two more runs. On the mound, Daciw sealed the victory in relief, fanning five and walking one.
Fillmore was captained by Potter, who had two of the team’s seven hits inside the batter’s box. On the mound, Malcolm Nusbickle gave the Eagles a big boost of momentum entering their final at-bats in the seventh, racking up three strikeouts to keep the visitors’ string of at-bats silent in relief.
Both teams are back in action at 5 p.m. on Monday, as Genesee Valley/Belfast closes out their regular season back home in the Jungle in Belmont by hosting Canisteo-Greenwood, while Fillmore stays home to host the Bolivar-Richburg Wolverines at the Town Park.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 502 010 2 — 10 11 1
Fillmore 113 000 2 — 7 7 3
GVB – Mason Thomas (3K, 2BB), Ryan Daciw (3) (5K, BB) and Damon Davis.
FIL – Brayden Hennard (3K, 5BB), Kalen Beardsley (4) (2K, BB), Malcolm Nusbickle (7) (3K) and Isaac Wilcox.
No-hitter by Joyce sets up And/Whi sweep of Hammondsport
CAMPBELL — It was a two-game set at Campbell-Savona that spoke volumes.
It was set up in the most dominant of fashions by Andover/Whitesville on Friday, led by the arm of Vinny Joyce, who went five uninterrupted innings to keep the Hammondsport Lakers at a standstill, as they used the game one momentum to set the tone for the rest of the night with a sweep of the action behind 11-1 and 18-8 game-shortened victories.
To lead off the night, Andover/Whitesville (7-8) had to find a way to hang on in the early frames of battle, grabbing the initial lead before building on it with three big runs in the top of the third. Despite falling into a quick hole, the Lakers bounced back in their third attempt at the dish, dragging their first and only run across to bring themselves within three.
Through it all, Joyce remained confident on the mound for Andover/Whitesville, as he went on to complete a no-hit performance with five strikeouts and four walks right after the team in black pulled away and out of reach with a gigantic seven-run top of the fifth inning.
Andover/Whitesville assembled their 11 runs off seven hits, with James Miller-Young and his 2-for-3 outing leading the charge.
In game two, the energy shifted gears to the very beginning of the game this time around for Andover/Whitesville, as they overcame a strong Hammondsport start through their opening sequence at the dish off a multiplicative response in return, swiping 10 straight runs through to the plate to take full command of the action, ultimately for good.
Andover/Whitesville was a bit more active at the plate to ignite a 19-hit display between both games, registering 12 more in the nightcap under the twilight skies, with Colton Calladine catching fire behind his 4-for-4 performance, recording two RBI. Carter Grice and Skyler Orpet each had two hits of their own to pitch in, with Orpet driving in an additional run.
On the rubber, Rogan Perkins picked up the victory through three innings of work, fanning one and walking four.
Up next, Andover/Whitesville is right back home to Andover on Monday to host the Bolivar-Richburg Wolverines at 6 p.m.
Game 1
Andover/Whitesville 013 07 — 11 7 0
Hammondsport 001 00 — 1 0 7
A/W – Vinny Joyce (WP) (CG, 5K, 4BB) and Colton Calladine.
HAM – Silas Scofield (LP) (CG, 3K, BB) and Levi Edsall.
Game 2
Hammondsport 1 03 40 — 8 4 6
Andover/Whitesville (10)61 1X — 18 12 2
HAM – Owen Beers (LP) (6BB), Cayden Casselbury (3) (2K) and Levi Edsall.
A/W – Rogan Perkins (WP) (K, 4BB), Skyler Orpet (4) (K, 6BB) and Colton Calladine.
SOFTBALL
Wellsville 7, Our Lady of Mercy 1
ROCHESTER — Almost every single Lady Lion lended a helping hand at the plate during their final regular season road trip of the campaign, Friday night.
With a long trek up north to meet Our Lady of Mercy in Rochester, the defending Class B State Champions made the visit worthwhile, as they broke a preliminary deadlock in favor of a big middle frame boost down to the end, as Wellsville weaved their way towards victory by a 7-1 count.
In the first three innings between both squads, it was all even across the board, with the Lady Lions (15-2) responding to Our Lady of Mercy’s ice-breaking run in the bottom of the first one half-inning later, tying the game at one going into the middle stanzas.
After another brilliant defensive stand in the third inning, Wellsville put the pedal to the metal in the top of the fourth, pulling them ahead of the Lady Monarchs by way of a two-run double single from Hailey Cowburn and an RBI double from Brynn Hallock.
Wellsville was not done scoring by any means, finding their offensive stroke one more time in the top of the sixth inning with their last two runs — both of which scored on Hallock’s two-run double to extend their lead out towards a six-pack.
The Lady Lions registered 11 total hits at the plate, with Teagan Burke and her 3-for-3 outing at the dish paving the way, adding in an RBI as well. Behind her, Hallock, Ayla Faulkner and Makenna Dunbar all recorded two hits, while Kennedy Perry and Averee Palmatier each had one.
On the mound, Makenna Dunbar was superb from start to finish, as she assembled seven strikeouts to keep Our Lady of Mercy off the board for six straight shutout innings following their 1-0 first inning lead.
The Lady Lions are back home for their final regular season home battle against PIttsford-Mendon, Tuesday night at Tullar Field beginning at 6 p.m.
Wellsville 010 402 0 — 7 11 0
Our Lady of Mercy 100 000 0 — 1 7 1
WLSV – Makenna Dunbar (WP) (CG, 7K) and Lindsay Stuck.
OLM – Leah Sperry (LP) (CG, 6K, BB) and Natalie Casale.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 3, Fillmore 2
FILLMORE — The thought of redemption was on top of the minds of Genesee Valley/Belfast come Friday night in Fillmore, as they looked to quickly put a stunning seventh inning defeat to Bolivar-Richburg just a day earlier, in the rearview mirror right from the start.
Between both teams, just five runs were scored — four of which stemming off heads-up special teams around the bases. Three of those belonged to Genesee Valley/Belfast which helped them kick the tires on an advantage they proclaimed right in the opening sequences and never lost.
With Hannah Powers controlling the team’s destiny from within the circle, their redemption was officially sought, as they warded off the Lady Eagles with a narrow 3-2 road victory.
“Genesee Valley/Belfast came out and loaded up the bases quickly in the game. They materialized some runs just putting the ball into play, and along with a few miscues on our part, they got the lead,” Lady Eagles coach Jon Beardsley said. “We weren’t able to generate much offense, as Hannah was in control of the mound tonight behind her dominant performance. Other than not winning, we can gain a lot from this game as we head into Sectionals. Morghyn (Ross) had a great day at the plate with two hits and a few stolen bases, and Mylee (Miller) who has been a workhorse all week. She pitched an excellent game in her fifth straight game.”
By putting the ball into play, Genesee Valley/Belfast (14-4) made the most of the opportunity in their first at-bats of the contest. In the middle of the order, the bat of Morgan Yackeren came into view with the game’s first run off a single into left center field which plated Hannah Powers to break the ice immediately. The visitors also went on to score two more runs off a Fillmore error and groundout from Madison Tarar to jump ahead with a 3-0 lead.
The Lady Eagles (13-4), on the heels of a rapid fire 1-2-3 second inning against their opposition, came back and formed the first of back-to-back responses, scoring both of their runs off passed balls to the backstop, as Summer Friedl and Morghyn Ross each had one run to carve the deficit down to a single run through the first three innings.
For the remainder of the contest, both Powers and Mylee Miller traded a bombardment of jabs in the circle, with Powers holding her end of the bargain to secure Genesee Valley/Belfast the rebounding victory off 15 strikeouts and five walks to complete a four-hit gem.
At the plate, Powers had two of the team’s four hits. Jenna HIll had the remaining knock alongside Yackeren’s RBI single.
Fillmore was paced by Morghyn Ross, who had two of the team’s four hits. Summer Friedl and Kelsey Songster had a hit each to round off the bats. In the circle, Miller was outstanding, as she struckout nine and walked one in her four-hit twirl.
The Lady Eagles now await their Sectional fate next week, as they wrap up their regular season with a record of 13-4 overall.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will host their last two games of the season in Belmont beginning on Sunday, as they play host to Class D State ranked Avoca-Prattsburgh at 4:30 p.m.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 300 000 0 — 3 4 0
Fillmore 011 000 0 — 2 4 2
GVB – Hannah Powers (WP) (CG, 15K, 5BB) and Jenna Hill.
FIL – Mylee Miller (LP) (CG, 9K, BB) and Morghyn Ross.
Bolivar-Richburg 10, Cuba-Rushford 3
RICHBURG — The Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg were on the highest of highs after they rose to the occasion in Belfast the previous night with a late grand slam off the bat of Kylee Whiting propelling them to victory over Genesee Valley/Belfast.
On Friday, they looked to their freshman star once again. This time on the mound.
After the visiting Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford activated in the midst of the opening sequences, the host Lady Wolverines made a call to their bullpen. Staring at one out in the top of the second, Whiting came on in relief of her older sister, Rylee, and took it to a completely different level.
One that completely changed the game once again.
The Bolivar-Richburg freshman was absolutely sensational during her relief appearance, holding the Lady Rebels frozen inside the batter’s box while the offense caught fire right behind it, as they remained on cloud nine at Stan Harris Field to move one more giant step forward towards capturing the Allegany County League Championship all for themselves, posting the eventual 10-3 Senior Night win.
After the Lady Rebels commenced the contest with their first two runs off passed balls, the Lady Wolverines (10-4) came right back in the bottom half of the second inning with two runners on base. At the top of the order, Kylee Whiting and Teegan Sibble went back-to-back with RBI singles to tie the game up immediately before they came in a short time later to guide them ahead into the driver’s seat with a 4-2 lead.
With the lead in hand, Whiting then took matters into her own hands in the circle to keep Cuba-Rushford (8-8) at bay, striking six straight batters out to send Bolivar-Richburg back to the plate, looking for more damage to apply.
In the bottom of the fourth, the advantage for the home team blossomed to three behind Sibble’s second run scored of the contest.
Aubrey Williams found a way to close the gap one more time in the fifth inning with her one-out RBI double, but it would be as close as the Lady Rebels would get, as Bolivar-Richburg bulldozed their way towards victory with a gigantic five-run sixth inning to pull out of reach permanently.
The Lady Wolverines assembled nine key hits at the plate to ignite their offense. Sibble was the leading go-getter for the hosts at the dish, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a triple, RBI and three runs scored. Rylee Whiting had two hits of her own to chip in.
As for Kylee Whiting, her relief appearance was unbelievable, as she finished with 15 strikeouts and two walks to score the victory for the team in white and red.
Cuba-Rushford saw Lizzie Kocsis strike out four and walk one across her five-inning start in the circle. At the plate, Williams finished with two of the three hits, while Arlah Shaffer had the team’s last on a single.
Both teams are back on the field Monday night, with Bolivar-Richburg heading over the road one last time this regular season to Andover to meet host Andover/Whitesville in a 6 p.m. first pitch, while Cuba-Rushford travels back home to welcome in Friendship/Scio at 5 p.m.
Cuba-Rushford 020 010 0 — 3 3 3
Bolivar-Richburg 040 105 X — 10 9 0
C-R – Lizzie Kocsis (LP) (4K, BB), Emma Bunk (6) (3BB), Claire Moyer (6) (K, 4BB) and Arlah Shaffer.
B-R – Rylee Whiting (2K, BB), Kylee Whiting (WP, 2) (15K, 2BB) and Sydney Faulkner.
Andover/Whitesville 11, Hammondsport 2
CAMPBELL — The action at Campbell-Savona was spread evenly through the first three innings of play between Andover/Whitesville and Hammondsport on Friday.
As both teams sufficed with identical responses to contrive a third-inning deadlock heading down the stretch, it would then reach a juncture where the next critical move on the chessboard had to be made.
As a result, Andover/Whitesville called an early checkmate on the Lady Lakers, with their offense shattering the facade with nine consecutive runs right straight through to the final frame of the night, as they maintained all their momentum they built during their last road trip to Scio to come away winners once again with an 11-2 rout of Hammondsport.
“This was another nice controlled pitching performance, and some heads-up plays from our defenders behind Liv (Waters) really stopped the momentum from Hammondsport,” said Andover/Whitesville coach Al Barber. “I’m very proud of the girls. They have played a lot of softball this week and they finished strong. Some people forget that defense wins games, and you need to be able to hold your opponents to a couple of runs a night. If you can do that, you have a chance to win every game.”
Andover/Whitesville (6-9) forced both lead changes in the early-going against the Lady Lakers, beginning with a bases-loaded walk issued to Leigha Phelps in the first inning leading up to a solid connection on a ground ball from Emma Bentley to regain the 2-1 advantage right back in the top of the third inning.
Following a Reagan Sullivan RBI single to tie the game back up at two each side for the Lady Lakers, Andover/Whitesville assumed total control in the top of the fourth, with Olivia Waters and Lilly Ordway highlighting the go-ahead three-run frame with back-to-back RBIs.
The damage continued to grow in size to finish off their final road victory of the regular season, as they tacked on two runs in each of the last three innings of play.
The visitors cemented an eight-hit outing at the plate to generate their offense, with Lilly Harrington and Olivia Waters each posting a pair of hits. On the mound, Waters fanned seven and walked three in her complete game to score the win.
Andover/Whitesville will head back home on Monday to Andover, as they host their final regular season game against the Bolivar-Richburg Wolverines at 6 p.m.
Andover/Whitesville 101 322 2 — 11 8 0
Hammondsport 101 000 0 — 2 6 0
A/W – Olivia Waters (WP) (CG, 7K, 3BB) and Reece Winters.
HAM – Aimee Hurd (LP) (CG, 10K, 13BB) and Hannah Dresser.
GOLF
Fillmore 183, Genesee Valley/Belfast 201
RUSHFORD — It was the fight of their golf lives at Allegany Hills in Rushford, Friday night. In what was the very last match in Allegany County League play this season, it all boiled down to this very moment — Who was going to walk away as champions?
With Genesee Valley/Belfast already claiming a razor-thin victory earlier in the Spring, they could settle on the entire kit and kaboodle against the Eagles with just one more victory. But for the Eagles, a season series-split would make for an 8th straight year where they had a part in the capture of the coveted title.
When the final chapter was penned, two streaks remained alive — one by Genesee Valley/Belfast phenom Grant Preston, and the other from the Eagles of Fillmore themselves.
Despite Preston’s perfect 12-for-12 medalist round regular season propelling the visitors at the top of the scorecard, the balance across the board for the host Eagles is what fueled the evening on the links, as Fillmore proceeded to stake a claim in this year’s Allegany County League title with Genesee Valley/Belfast with a 183-201 win.
“I was proud of how the team shot tonight. As the weather has been getting nicer, our scores have been getting better. We had a lot of turnover from Graduation last year, and it’s taken this group a while to find their groove,” Eagles coach Tom Parks said. “Aiden Freeman in particular, he is playing very good golf right now and as a team, we have been pretty balanced. Genesee Valley/Belfast has a very nice team as well, and Grant Preston is as good as advertised. I’m anticipating that we will cross paths again in Sectionals.”
For an 8th straight year, FIllmore (9-1) received an opportunity to add more hardware to the trophy showcase with their share of the County Championship, as they used the team-low round of 40 shot by Aiden Freeman to aid in their victory. Anderson Wiltsey pitched forth his round of 46. Sam Cool had a 48, while Jameson Rhett had a 49.
For Genesee Valley/Belfast (7-5), Preston’s 12th straight medalist round once again saw him top his previous lowest round of the season, as he assembled the match-low round of 38 — his new season low, to guide the team at the front of the scorecard.
Behind him was Will Guilford and his round of 50. Jackson Powers finished with a 52, while Jackson Barney concluded with a 61.
As for Team Sectionals, both teams will await seeding for tournament play, which is set to begin next week.
Thursday Roundup: Lions overcome slow defensive start, ignite bats down stretch with 13 unanswered runs to weave past B-R with 13-5 victory; GV/Belfast’s Preston cards 11th straight medalist round
BOLIVAR — The message swirling around the Wellsville dugout in the preliminary stages of conflict with the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg was a similar memo to what they received during their Class B Finals victory over Notre Dame-Batavia last spring: It starts with one.
It was a less-than-ideal start, with a bushel of errors plaguing the Lions of defense in the first three innings of play, which permitted the Wolverines to slingshot ahead of their opposition with the advantage. But after the third inning, Wellsville ran the table with a miraculous comeback of enormous magnitude.
It began with a resilient finish to Ty Vogel’s start on the mound. It would then end with the bats producing an uncontrollable avalanche later on.
Down 4-0, the Lions turned it around completely in the middle frames with the top of the order starting all of the damage right away, tying the game up at four each side before taking the game by storm in their last two stands at the plate with nine more runs — 13 unanswered to complete the game-changing sequence, as the defending Class B champions rocketed past the reigning Class C State Final Four Finalists with a 13-5 road win on Thursday.
“We competed with them for a while to start things out, and today’s game was definitely the kind of game we needed to make that turn in Sectionals coming up,” Wolverines coach Dustin Allen said. “Wellsville is potent all throughout their lineup, one through nine, and they showcased that today. Maddox pitched an outstanding game for us, but Wellsville was able to find all the right holes to get their offense going down the stretch. They’re one of the best teams in the State for a reason.”
With back-to-back clean slates of defense starting Bolivar-Richburg’s evening off against Wellsville, the Wolverines (10-6) made the most of the opportunity when it presented itself, scoring their first three runs off errant throws to catch the base-runners off guard before Maddox Davison registered the team’s first hit in the second inning on a two-out triple to right field that rolled straight towards the fence, allowing Braden Zilker to streak home and score.
After the hosts scribbled a 4-0 lead onto the board, a brief discussion for the Lions ensued entering the back half of action. It was one that helped turn the tide completely, as Vogel settled in to deliver three straight frames of hitless baseball against the Wolverines before he was relieved of his duties in the sixth inning.
The senior ace for the Lions ended his day victoriously with 12 strikeouts and four walks.
In the midst of it all, 13 straight runs from the Wellsville (12-3) defense beginning with a game-tying four-run sequence in the top of the fourth, with Vogel, Aiden Cowburn, Matt Ritter and Trent Green launching four straight hits — three of which saw RBI before Andrew Ordiway completed the rally with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, plating Green.
After a rapid fire fifth inning that kept the playing surface level, the Lions re-assumed command in the top of the sixth inning to take their first lead, with Karter Grover and Karson Grover going back-to-back with a sacrifice and a base hit into right field to jump-start a second four-run frame for the bats, finishing up with two more runs on special teams to set the music to the tune of an 8-4 lead.
With the visitors in black and orange working their way off one more time on defense, the Lions pulled out of reach of the Wolverines during their final appearance at the plate, scratching across their last five runs — two on a double to deep left field by Karter Grover, who continues to be perfect at the dish since his call-up from the JV squad.
The Lions totaled their 13 runs off 10 hits with Cowburn, Vogel and Ordiway leading the way with two hits each.
As for the Wolverines, they were limited to just three hits — two from Maddox Davison and one from Landon Barkley. On the mound, Davison advanced his start into the seventh inning, striking out just one.
Bolivar-Richburg will look to regroup quickly and bounce back one more time tonight with a 7 p.m. Senior Night clash with the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford.
Wellsville 000 404 5 — 13 10 7
Bolivar-Richburg 112 000 1 — 5 3 1
WLSV – Ty Vogel (WP) (12K, 4BB), Anthony Button (6) (BB), Aiden Cowburn (7) (2K, 2BB) and Matt Ritter.
B-R – Maddox Davison (LP) (K), Waide Karnuth (7) (K, BB) and Ryder Iantorno.
Andover/Whitesville 17, Friendship/Scio 7 (F-6)
SCIO — They endured another defeat to the hands of Avoca-Prattsburgh on Wednesday, but 24 hours later, Andover/Whitesville rapidly left it in the rearview mirror and returned to the win column following an early exchange of barbs with Friendship/Scio out of the gate on Thursday.
With each team all squared even entering the back half of action, Andover/Whitesville turned up the heat on offense with a strong finish in what was a 17-7 six-inning win in Scio.
The runs arrived fast and furiously in the first three innings of play between both teams, with 14 of the game’s 24 total runs navigating their way across the plate. Andover/Whitesville (5-8) was the first to strike in a big way, unleashing a flurry of runs in their opening at-bats — seven in all to provide an enormous fissure into the ice on top of the surface.
Friendship/Scio (0-15) came right back and scuttled some runs themselves through the next three innings of play to match Andover/Whitesville’s first inning eruption, finishing with three game-tying runs in the bottom of the third to create a brand new ballgame with a 7-7 tie entering the back half of action.
The response that the hosts provided was not taken lightly by Andover/Whitesville. In turn, they put a wrap on the entire kit and kaboodle with the game’s final 10 runs — five of which coming right after Friendship/Scio tied the game, in the top of the fourth inning, to propel ahead with a 12-7 lead they never lost again.
With the offenses connecting on an amassment of special teams, the two teams combined to record just eight hits at the plate, with Andover/Whitesville posting five of them. Captaining the efforts was Colton Calladine, who went 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Rogan Perkins chipped in with two hits of his own, scoring three runs along the way.
On the mound, the win was Vinny Joyce’s in relief, as he picked up a strikeout.
For the hosts, Noah Roberts led the bats with a hit and two RBI. Friendship/Scio is back on the field Monday night with a 5 p.m. visit to Cuba-Rushford.
Andover/Whitesville will now head out to Campbell-Savona tonight for doubleheader action starting at 4:30 p.m. against the Hammondsport Lakers.
Andover/Whitesville 700 532 — 17 5 6
Friendship/Scio 223 000 — 7 3 11
A/W – Gavin Frungillo (4K, 4BB), Vinny Joyce (WP, 3) (K), Rogan Perkins (5) (K) and Colton Calladine.
F/S – Cooper Greenman (LP) (4K, 9BB), Mike Wade (4) (3BB), Aiden Golden (5) (2K, 5BB) and Noah Roberts.
SOFTBALL
Andover/Whitesville 18, Friendship/Scio 3
SCIO — Despite an early bump in the road against Friendship/Scio on Thursday, Olivia Waters was a one-lady wrecking crew for Andover/Whitesville.
To go with a solid complete game effort from within the circle, the Andover/Whitesville junior paired the defensive performance with a mammoth six-RBI night at the plate to set the music for an offense that reached their ultimate crescendo in the back half of play, as they strolled straight towards an 18-3 win in Scio.
“Liv and Reece (Winters) did a wonderful job controlling the tempo of this game,” said Andover/Whitesville coach Al Barber. “The girls played solid defense once we got out of that first inning. Liv and Leigha Phelps had great nights at the plate, scoring runners when we needed to. There’s a lot of softball this week for the girls, and there are a lot of good things that are starting to show throughout these games. With such a tough schedule for us as a small D school, we need to grow each night.”
It was the Friendship/Scio (4-11) ladies that connected with their opening at-bats first following a superb rapid fire frame issued by Jadyn Wonderling, building off the momentum with two big RBI — one off the bat of Avery Lamberson, who batted in Alexiss Herring on a double to break the ice right away.
With the lead in hand, the hosts engaged in a back-and-forth defensive exchange that witnessed three straight scoreless innings come to light.
But in the top of the fifth, Andover/Whitesville (5-9) unequivocally ripped the band-aid off in the midst of two complete revolutions through their batting order, starting with a gigantic two-run double from Reece Winters to tie the game.
Immediately after, the visitors registered three straight RBI from Waters, Lilly Ordway and Avery Hoffman to aid in propelling their way ahead of Friendship/Scio, ultimately for good.
In their second go-around at the plate, Hoffman, along with Lilly Harrington each had an RBI to chip in while Waters blasted another two-run hit to help complete a 12-run frame that proved insurmountable.
Andover/Whitesville computed their 18 runs off 14 hits at the dish, with Waters and her 4-for-6 outing leading the way, gathering six RBI. Leigha Phelps had three hits of her own, including two doubles, to pitch in.
On the mound, Waters finished the game with seven strikeouts and two walks across all seven innings.
For Friendship/Scio, Jadyn Wonderling was phenomenal through the first four innings and change, finishing with six strikeouts and four walks.
At the plate, Alexiss Herring, Avery Lamberson and Leanne Pierce each had two hits.
Both teams are back on the field Monday night, with Andover/Whitesville heading back home to host Bolivar-Richburg at 6 p.m. in Andover, while Friendship/Scio hits the road to visit Cuba-Rushford at 5 p.m.
Andover/Whitesville 000 0(12)2 4 — 18 14 3
Friendship/Scio 200 0 1 0 0 — 3 8 2
A/W – Olivia Waters (WP) (CG, 7K, 2BB) and Reece Winters.
F/S – Jadyn Wonderling (LP) (6K, 4BB), Emily Lamberson (5) (3K, 10BB) and Avery Lamberson.
Fillmore 21, Hinsdale 9 (F-6)
FILLMORE — The Senior Night celebration was on for the Lady Eagles of Fillmore, Thursday night.
There was absolutely no wasting time making their impact known, as the offense caught fire and it spread relentlessly, establishing a double digit lead through the first three innings of play to cement their position in the driver’s seat once and for all to roll towards a 21-9 victory under the lights at home.
“We honored all three of our seniors, Summer (Friedl), Ryleigh (Goodliff) and Montana (Gayford) tonight. Hinsdale hung tough and had a big inning in the fifth. It speaks volumes of them and their coach to stay focused and enthusiastic to have an inning like that late in the game. We’ve got one more game for the week coming up tomorrow night. The question we now ask of us is do we have the energy to be ready?” said Lady Eagles coach Jon Beardsley.
The Lady Eagles (13-3) dispatched at least a run in every single inning to keep the cogs in the machine rolling at full bore, hitting maximum overdrive right out of the gate following a quick top half of the first inning, cementing the momentum in their first at-bats with a seven-run stanza that blossomed relentlessly over time.
The lead reached 12-0 after four complete innings of play before the Lady Bobcats (1-16) put the pressure on themselves to climb back within reach, utilizing some crucial walks to bring home eight runs to end the shutout bid from the Lady Eagles.
But despite their attempts to bridge the gap, the hosts in black and green went on to take command once again, scoring nine of the game’s last 10 runs to pull away for good.
From within a 21-run offensive outburst, the Lady Eagles posted nine hits — four of them from Morghyn Ross, who had a humongous night at the plate, finishing with a 4-for-5 outing consisting of three doubles and eight total RBI.
Mylee Miller and Abby Earley each had two hits to chip in, with Miller driving in a pair and Earley scoring three runs. In the circle, Miller posted the win behind just over four innings of work, fanning eight and walking two.
As for Hinsdale, Amaya Russell garnered two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs to pace the bats. The Lady Bobcats are back on the field Saturday morning, visiting Alfred-Almond at 10 a.m.
Fillmore stays put at home to host Genesee Valley/Belfast in their final game of the week tonight, with first pitch slated for a 7 p.m. start.
Hinsdale 000 081 0 — 9 4 2
Fillmore 712 254 X — 21 9 2
HIN – Jen Tuttle (LP) (2K, 9BB), Lily Bushnell (4) (3K, 10BB) and Jaylynn Wade.
FIL – Mylee Miller (WP) (8K, 2BB), Lily Sisson (5) (3K, 7BB), Abby Earley (7) (2BB) and Morghyn Ross.
GOLF
Genesee Valley/Belfast 195, Cuba-Rushford 205
WELLSVILLE — Before heading into their final match of the regular season the following night for a match that will likely clear up the smog surrounding the Allegany County League Championship on the links.
Some momentum was stockpiled by Genesee Valley/Belfast in their return to the Wellsville Country Club on Thursday, as they used another magnificent performance from Grant Preston to set the stage for their 195-205 win over visiting Cuba-Rushford.
Preston’s unbelievable campaign on the links raged on for Genesee Valley/Belfast (7-4), as he came away with medalist honors for the 11th straight time at the top of the scorecard, finishing his latest nine-hole effort with a match-low round of 44. Behind him was Will Guilford, who added his round of 47 into the mix. Jackson Barney chipped in his round of 51, while Afton Hamer rounded off with a 53.
Zach Deck led all golfers for the visiting Rebels (2-8) at the top of their respective scorecard, posting a team-low round of 49. Ethan Fries pitched forth his round of 50. Coen Kellogg chipped in a 51, while Coleman Searle rounded off the scoring with his round of 55.
Cuba-Rushford’s regular season on the links officially reached its conclusion.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will put their regular season to rest tonight in Rushford, as they visit the Eagles of Fillmore for the match of their lives — one that will likely determine this year’s Allegany County League Champion. Tee time is set for a 4 p.m. start at Allegany Hills.
BOYS TENNIS
Fillmore 5, Bolivar-Richburg 0
HOUGHTON — In their final regular season match, the Eagles of Fillmore ended it the same way they started it — victorious, as they made their grand return to the Kerr-Pegula Fieldhouse at Houghton University one more time on Thursday to finish off another perfect regular season on the tennis court, scoring all five victories against visiting Bolivar-Richburg in dominant fashion to claim the 5-0 match sweep.
The brooms were brought out by the Eagles (12-0) through all phases of the match, with Isaiah Sisson and Ezra Schilke leading the singles matches with a pair of 6-0, 6-0 straight-set shutouts over their respective opponents, Bolivar-Richburg’s Trevor Whitsell and Samuel Martin at first and second singles. Brayden Walton was issued a forfeit win at third singles.
In the doubles department, the winning ways continued with a third shutout pitched by the first doubles team of Carson and Kallan Sanasith, as they tag-teamed to deliver a 6-0, 6-0 win over Jamie Werner and Adalyn Griswold. The second doubles duo of Owen Chapman and Levi Russell finished off the match win with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Kya and Kaitlyn Lutes.
Both teams have concluded their regular season, as they now await Sectional play next week.
Singles
1. Isaiah Sisson (FIL) def. Trevor Whitsell (B-R), 6-0, 6-0.
2. Ezra Schilke (FIL) def. Samuel Martin (B-R), 6-0, 6-0.
3. Brayden Walton (FIL) by for.
Doubles
1. Carson Sanasith/Kallan Sanasith (FIL) def. Jamie Werner/Adalyn Griswold (B-R), 6-0, 6-0.
2. Owen Chapman/Levi Russell (FIL) def. Kya Lutes/Kaitlyn Lutes (B-R), 6-1, 6-0.
WHITING LIGHTNING: In County’s Game of the Year, Lady Wolverines elbow through high octane pitcher’s duel, jockey past host GV/Belfast behind Whiting’s 7th inning grand slam to record 4-0 road shutout
BELFAST — You could sense right away at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast that Sectional fever was coming right around the corner at a rapid pace like no other.
The decibel level from over yonder at the softball field down below was piercing, reverberating its way all the way from the road next to the baseball field.
With Genesee Valley/Belfast making the move up to Class C2 for this Spring, there’s always a possibility that a third game with Bolivar-Richburg in the playoffs could come into view.
Let’s set the scene for the second and final regular season clash first, shall we?
At this very stage of the campaign, both Bolivar-Richburg and Genesee Valley/Belfast have assembled some of their best softball to date, as the two teams currently occupy two of the top five spots in the Class C2 field.
There was plenty of excitement to go around when the two teams last met three weeks ago at Stan Harris Field in Richburg for a game that saw the Lady Wolverines wiggle their way free from Genesee Valley/Belfast’s grasp to claim game one of their two-game set.
But this next go-around, on the 14th day of May, this one was completely different.
Wednesday night’s Clash between the two Allegany County softball stalwarts was one of momentous virtue. One of epic proportions.
One for the ages.
Between Bolivar-Richburg’s Kylee Whiting and Genesee Valley/Belfast’s Hannah Powers, the two dynamic hurlers in the circle were pragmatically untouchable all game long, as the two elite pitchers combined to record nearly 25 strikeouts in the midst of their complete games.
With the action gradually intensifying towards extra sessions, there appeared to be no end in sight as far as creating a permeable amount of wiggle room in the midst of six shutout innings on each side.
When the seventh inning came around however, the door became slightly ajar.
Then, Kylee Whiting kicked it straight down.
The six straight scoreless inning bonanza reached a screeching halt in the night’s final frame, and that came courtesy of the Lady Wolverines hurler in the batter’s box against one of the area’s premier pitchers directly in front of her.
With the visitors in black and red building a burst of momentum in their latest stint at the dish by loading up the bases, Whiting freed every single one of them up in just one swing, firing a missile straight to right center field where it left in a hurry.
A 7th inning grand slam.
For Whiting, one of the biggest swings of her career at the very last possible moment, as she flipped the script completely with a 4-0 lead the Lady Wolverines proceeded to hang onto heading into a last half of play that witnessed the hand-out of a 1-2-3 frame to Genesee Valley/Belfast, officially locking up the shutout victory over the road.
“Tonight’s game definitely had a feel to it. Not everything went our way, but the kids stayed the course and they were able to pull it out,” said Lady Wolverines coach Brooke Lovell. “I am proud that they kept their heads in the game and didn’t get down on themselves. Kylee pitched really well for us. She located her spots, she kept the hitters off balance. Genesee Valley/Belfast is a well-coached team, so to be able to come out and get the win, it gives us a lot of confidence. We couldn’t execute early on when we stranded base-runners, but the fact Kylee was able to deliver was huge for us.”
Up against Powers in the circle, Whiting firmly held her ground for the Lady Wolverines (9-4) across a five-inning stretch that featured no more than four hitters to reach the plate for Genesee Valley/Belfast, as she kept them at a virtual standstill with a dazzling 15-strikeout, three-hit performance.
As for the Genesee Valley/Belfast senior, she avoided some early trouble against the Lady Wolverines to keep them at bay, scoring three strikeouts in the first two innings — two of them in a back-to-back concatenation to close out the second inning still without a score to be had.
In the midst of the defensive battle, Powers went on to register a historic gem for her resume, recording her 600th strikeout of her illustrious softball career.
With Whiting freezing the bats from the hosts, Powers had her turn at issuing a similar sequence down the stretch, facing no more than four batters in the middle frames leading up to the seventh inning.
In that final frame for the Lady Wolverines, they found every way on base they could — including a Jayna Thomas two-out double and walk to Teegan Sibble to aid in loading the bases up behind the Genesee Valley/Belfast defense.
The Lady Wolverines lineup worked to the No. 3 spot where it was occupied by Whiting. And with just one out left to spare, the Bolivar-Richburg freshman saw just one pitch from Powers and sent it straight out of the park to right field for a herculean seventh inning grand slam to grant the first available lead for either side in the contest.
Now facing a rapid four-run deficit going into their final at-bats, Genesee Valley/Belfast remained poised to return a response.
Instead, Whiting ended the game with her arm, striking out the home side at the plate to finish off a humongous Lady Wolverines victory to complete their regular season-series sweep.
The Lady Wolverines concluded with just four hits at the plate. Aside from Whiting’s grand slam, they also received contributions from Jayna Thomas, who finished with two hits, and a single from Cassidy Stives.
For the hosts in black and gray, Powers concluded with a four-hit complete game, striking out nine and walking two. At the plate, Morgan Yackeren, Jenna Hill and Lily Green all had a hit each to chip in.
Both teams will spring back to action Friday night in a pair of 7 p.m. contests under the lights, with Bolivar-Richburg heading back home to Stan Harris Field in Richburg to host Cuba-Rushford, while Genesee Valley/Belfast looks to regroup and bounce back in Fillmore.
Bolivar-Richburg 000 000 4 – 4 4 2
Genesee Valley/Belfast 000 000 0 – 0 3 2
B-R – Kylee Whiting (WP) (CG, 15K) and Sydney Faulkner.
GVB – Hannah Powers (LP) (CG, 9K, 2BB) and Jenna Hill.
