Softball

Lions refuse to be tamed

Chapel Field’s Renwick fires a shut out against the Yellowjackets

By RICHARD A. ROSS

ELDRED, NY — Eldred coach Jolene Porter decided to give Ashley Tice—her hard-throwing freshman—the start as the Yellowjackets sought to find a way to tame the Lady Lions of Chapel Field on April 27.

The good news was that Tice limited the dynamic Chapel Field lineup to one hit in the first inning. Unfortunately, that isn’t the whole story. The Lions then sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning as Eldred’s defense prolonged Tice’s misery on the mound. A six-run outburst resulted from walks (four of them), a hit batsman, passed balls and errors.

When you play a juggernaut like Chapel Field (9-1, 3-0 OCIAA), a team that has garnered two state Class D titles in the past three years, the last thing you want to do is give them extra outs.

Despite the shaky first inning, Tice settled in nicely and held Chapel Field scoreless for the next three innings. The Lions picked up two more in the fifth inning off a pair of singles, a sacrifice fly and a well-executed bunt by Aislynn Morgan.

Not satisfied with nibbling their way to a win, the Lions devoured Eldred in the sixth inning by scoring nine runs, the majority of which were charged to Megan Shafer, who came on in relief of Tice. Jenna Vellenga and Bethany Chiarot each had triples as 14 batters came to the plate.

Chapel Field’s Ashley Renwick, the Lion’s dominant starter, allowed two hits and struck out eight. Kim French hit a change-up to lead off the game for a double, and Jessica Cherry had a single in the fourth inning. Cherry had to leave the game with a cut finger and an ailing shoulder. The game was eventually called on a combination of thunder and the 15-run rule.

One loss of that ilk in a week would have sufficed, but Eldred was upended again on April 29, this time by the S.S. Seward Spartans. Seward’s Melissa Oliphant allowed just one hit and went 3-for-4 as the Spartans needed only five innings to run up a 15-0 lead, thereby ending the game via the mercy rule.

Jessica Bisland had the only hit for the Yellowjackets, who are faring better outside of their division than they are in it. Eldred’s record is 4-4 overall but only 1-4 in Division VI. Seward’s only league loss came at the hands of Chapel Field. Seward improved to 6-4 (3-1 OCIAA). Theresa Space went 3-for-4 for the Spartans in the win.

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Contributed photo by Lisa Lander

Sullivan West’s Heather Lander invokes a Derek Jeter-like play by hauling in a pop-up over her shoulder in the Bulldog’s 10-9 win over James I. O’Neill on April 29.

Sullivan West rules Raiders with seesaw road win

HIGHLAND FALLS, NY — Sullivan West coach Mike Ellmauer knows his team is young, relatively inexperienced and hampered by the loss of Tracy Henry, who was injured in a car accident.

And yet with all of that, he is pleased with his team’s effort, their resiliency and their willingness to learn from their mistakes.

Mistakes put the Bulldogs in a 6-0 hole on April 29 in a Division IV road game against James I. O’Neill, but it was the bat of promising young Jessica Pitz who got things going in the fifth inning when the Bulldogs came back with five runs.

Beginning rallies is Pitz’s new trademark. She started one the day before against Burke in the sixth inning and began another lively inning the week prior against Liberty.

Autumn Darder belted a two-run double in the fifth inning against O’Neill. She ended up going 3-for-5 while knocking in four runs. Allsion Swendson added an RBI, as did Heather Lander. The Bulldogs were nursing a 7-5 lead going into the seventh when the defense lapsed, allowing two unearned runs to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Sullivan West’s Angela Fortin scored on an error to get what would be the winning run as the Bulldogs scored twice in the eighth. O’Neill came back with one in the bottom of the inning. Sarah Lander was the winning pitcher for the Bulldogs (3-4, 3-3 OCIAA). Nicole Belladone went 3-for-4 for the Raiders (1-7, 1-4 OCIAA).

The win lessened the sting of the Bulldogs 12-3 loss to John S. Burke Catholic on April 28. Getting a fine pitching outing from Allison Swendson, the Bulldogs squandered the effort behind what Ellmauer referred to as “a pack of errors.”

According to scorekeeper Ken Uy, eight of Burke’s 12 runs were unearned. “Allison pitched a great game, but the defense let her down,” Ellmauer said. With runners on first and second and two outs in the fourth, a pop-up in the infield was allowed to drop in. That opened the floodgates. The Bulldogs did a better job against Burke ace Michelle Bianchetti. This time out they touched her up for six hits, including a double by Fortin. Burke (11-2, 5-0 OCIAA) continues to roll. Meaghan Galvin, Amanda Rand and Shannon Beysel provided the hitting power in Burke’s victory. Bianchetti struck out 13.

Tri-Valley bests Manor in non-league win

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — Paced by Lacey Moore’s trio of hits and five RBI, the Bears worked out a 12-8 win over the Wildcats on April 26. Melissa Bachmann had a pair of hits and three RBI for Tri-Valley (3-5) in the non-league win. Carrie Lewis posted two hits and an RBI for Livingston Manor (2-4). Megan Ellison had a triple in the Wildcat’s losing effort.