Marcellus softball beats Jordan-Elbridge, 5-1

CENTRAL NEW YORK – Anything the Jordan-Elbridge softball team did after rallying from a 10-run deficit to win in extra innings over Skaneateles on April 19 at Onondaga Community College might not prove as memorable.

An exception, though, might be a win over neighbor and rival Marcellus, which the Eagles attempted last Wednesday afternoon, only to get turned back in a 5-1 defeat to the Mustangs.

Sitting at no. 8 in the first state Class B rankings of the spring, Marcellus got the immediate jump on J-E with three runs in the top of the first inning. And though it set the stage for another Eagles comeback, Bella Mondello would not allow it.

The Mustangs ace only gave up one hit, to Heather Sorts, and a single run driven in by Riley Hill in the fourth, while recording eight strikeouts. At the plate, Amelia Novitsky led Marcellus, going three-for-four and scoring twice, while Chloe Kuttruff drove in two runs. Jillian O’Connor also had an RBI.

Marcellus took its own setback on Saturday in a 3-1 loss to Cicero-North Syracuse, held to three hits by Northstars pitcher Jillian Hotaling as Bryn Goldsworthy drove in Hannah Fagan with her team’s lone run in the third inning.

Before it met Marcellus. J-E pulled off another comeback last Monday against Fulton, trailing 3-0 after four innings but seeing its bats spring to life late in a 7-3 victory over the Red Dragons.

A three-run fifth inning tied it up. Then J-E scored four times in the top of the sixth, Abby DelFavero earning three hits and Ava Hildebrant two hits as they both drove in runs and Brielle Whitten added an RBI. DelFavero blanked Fulton late in the game and allowed just five hits overall.

This made the Marcellus game and Thursday’s 6-2 defeat to reigning sectional Class AA champion Baldwinsville a bit easier to take, the Eagles no-hit and shut out until a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh scored by Abbie Ahern and Erin LaVancha.

Returning to winning form on Saturday, J-E pounded Cortland 16-0, pounding out 16 hits. Cameron Fraher went three-for-three as she and LaVancha both drove in two runs. DelFavero and Riley Hill had three RBIs apiece.

For its part, Skaneaetles recovered well in its next game against Cortland, again starting fast and this time hanging on to beat the Purple Tigers 10-6.

Four runs in the first inning and two in the second produced a 6-3 edge, yet the Lakers still needed a run in the fifth and three in the sixth to withstand Cortland’s late push.

Finn Pas’cal dazzled at the plate, going four-for-four, scoring twice and getting three RBIs. Ayla Pas’cal singled, tripled and drove in two runs, with single RBIs credited to Ellie Walsh and Grace Wagner.

Solvay broke out late in last Monday’s game against Phoenix. Trailing most of the way, the Bearcats, down 7-5, netted four runs in the top of the fifth inning to go ahead for good.

Then an eight-run sixth inning decided matters, Solvay prevailing 17-7 as Jenna Wing went four-for-six, scoring three runs. Ariana Ortiz and Annabelle Stewart each drove in two runs, with Gianna D’Eredita and Amya Richardson scored three runs apiece.

Even that was small compared to the massive haul Solvay put together when it beat Homer 31-9 a day later, with seven runs in the first inning followed by an 11-run second and 13-run third inning.

Riley Gosha’s pair of doubles led to six RBIs. Stewart drove in four runs, with Ortiz and Delaney Kabuszinski each earning three RBIs. D’Eredita scored five runs, as did Richardson and Jazmyne Darling.

Then, completing the series with Phoenix, Solvay earned the sweep 17-8, with six runs in the second inning and five in the third to draw clear as Stewart’s three hits led to five RBIs, while Wing went four-for-five. Kabuszinski and Rachel Willsey had three RBIs apiece, with Kabuszinski equaling Wing’s pair of doubles.

Solvay kept hitting on Saturday, scoring 14 runs in the first inning on the way to beating Homer 22-5. Stewart had five RBIs and D’Eredita added four RBIs as Wing, Kabuzsinski and Sylvia Sgroi-Whalen had two RBIs apiece.

Bishop Ludden was turned back by Port Byron last Tuesday in a 24-2 defeat, but got in the win column on Saturday, beating Syracuse City 12-10 to improve to 3-3 overall. In the latter of these games, Serena Royal went three-for-four and scored three runs, with Laura Pullano also scoring three times. Abby Massati and Amyah Macknail scored two runs apiece.