Stories by CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com, photos by Katie Harrell.
AVOCA — Proceeding what was perhaps their biggest victory over the season just 24 hours ago against Friendship/Scio at Stan Harris Field, the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg were presented with an opportunity to keep the sails pointed directly with the wind and maintain their full speed ahead to the end of the regular season right around the corner.
Next up on the docket was Avoca-Prattsburgh — a team fresh off a split of Bolivar-Richburg’s Pink Out Tournament this past weekend, as well as a split of their Monday night doubleheader with Arkport-Canaseraga.
Between the two foes, it was a tale of two halves, with the Lady Wolverines re-establishing a big burst of momentum to claim the early lead against the Lady Titans in the first three innings of play. But there was a catch: Those would be the only runs they would manage to scratch across.
In short, the comeback for the Lady Titans was on.
Going into the back half of the battle, Avoca-Prattsburgh continued to grind away against the Lady Wolverines until they found an opening to exploit. From the bottom of the fifth inning onward, the Lady Titans went on a mad dash to make up for lost time, as they posted five straight runs to force and win in extra innings in Avoca by a 5-4 count.
The start for the Lady Wolverines (9-9) was as sublime as imaginable, as they scored all four of their runs in the opening sequences to set up shop against the Lady Titans. It would commence in the top of the first with the game’s first two markers, both off a big base hit by Rylee Whiting to break the ice.
The lead would remain intact up until they provided a two-run extension to it in the third, scoring a run off an error and off a Cassidy Stives RBI single to claim what was a 4-0 lead.
It was the largest lead that the visitors in black and gold would hold within their grasp, continuing to ride the coattails of Rylee Whiting in the circle, who retired the first 12 batters she faced to keep Avoca-Prattsburgh off the board.
But after four complete innings, a flip of the script was performed by the hosts, who then ran the table on the Lady Wolverines with five unanswered runs — two of them in the fifth inning off back-to-back wild pitches to cut the deficit in half.
Later on in the sixth, the Lady Titans kept creeping closer with an RBI single off the bat of Lily Hausauer. Then, it would reach a boiling point in the seventh inning where they ultimately tied the game at four off of Isabelle Button’s RBI single. It would remain tied at four leading into the bottom of the eighth, where Ellie Farrell served as the team’s superhero on her walk-off single to close out the comeback victory.
Harrell, along with Payton Hopkins, each led the Avoca-Prattsburgh bats with two each of the team’s nine in total. On the mound, Meyah Putnam went all eight innings to garner the win, fanning seven and walking just one.
As for the Lady Wolverines, Jayna Thomas led the bats with three hits, while Danika Loucks had two. In the circle, Kylee Whiting was superb across all eight innings of her tenure, handing out 12 chairs and walking just two in her tossed gem.
Bolivar-Richburg will now take some time away to prepare for a Tuesday night visit over the road to Fillmore, beginning at 5 p.m.
Bolivar-Richburg 202 000 00 – 4 8 0
Avoca-Prattsburgh 000 021 11 – 5 9 2
B-R – Kylee Whiting (LP) (CG, 12K, 2BB) and Sydney Faulkner.
A-P – Meyah Putnam (WP) (CG, 7K, BB) and Brooke VanSkiver.
BASEBALL
WAYLAND-COHOCTON 8, BATH-HAVERLING 5
With an 8-5 win over Bath Wednesday, Wayland-Cohocton won their first LCAA D-I baseball title since 2013.
On the mound for Way-Co, who is also the No. 3 seed in Section V Class B, Tony Schirmer was the winning pitcher while Ethan Loop went 2-for-4 with a double, Isaac Mehlenbacher drover in two runsand Markus Brehm had a RBIsingle.
For Bath, Evan Pendle and Ethan Brotz had two hits and Lukas Wightman and Gage Thomas hada hit.
DANSVILLE 8, HORNELL 7
The Hornell baseball team might be the most dangerous team in Class B going into sectionals. The Red Raiders have knocked off one the best and are leading or outs away from a win.
On Wednesday, Dansville needed two runs in the top of the seventh to win, 8-7.
Reid Martin was the winnign pitcher, strikingout 8 in six innings and at the plate he was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
Brian Geiger went 1-for-3 with two runs scored for Dansville while Mason Mann had a triple with two runs scored and one RBI. Logan Kendall and Mark Sick each had a hit and drove in a run.
Wyatt Evingham led Hornell with two hits and drove in a run while Genarro Picco and Davin Oyer each had RBI singles. Andy Davis singled and scored twice. Dan Barnett and Aaron McInerney each had a hit.
SOFTBALL
Wellsville 17, Addison 2
ADDISON — Although Wellsville spent over a week away from action, they showed absolutely no signs of rust, picking up where they immediately left off in their road trip to Addison by posting a whopping 25 hits on offense.
With goliath-esque sticks possessed by both Makenna Dunbar and Brazen Beckwith, the Lady Lions were unstoppable right from the start, as they strolled towards a 17-2 road win over the Lady Knights.
“We talked about the fact that we hadn’t played since last Monday. We wanted to start out real focused and strong tonight,” said Lady Lions co-coach Shelley Chaffee. “We definitely did that. Everybody through the lineup is just hitting the ball really solidly, even the balls that Addison’s defense went out to make a play on. The (Ava) Knowles girl at shortstop came up with some pretty exceptional plays especially. Overall, it was a nice game to come back from after a week away.”
All the Lady Lions (12-1) needed was the opening frame to make a returning statement, blasting the cover off the ball with 10 of their 17 runs — all of them coming with two outs, to establish a lead for their 25-hit barrage in immediate fashion, setting the tone for the remainder of the game.
Four different Lady Lions recorded at least three hits each, with Makenna Dunbar and Brazen Beckwith propelling the ascension with five hits each, with Dunbar recording a triple and three RBI, while Beckwith had two more RBI to pitch in.
Makenzie Cowburn and Averee Palmatier each had three hits, combining for three RBI. In addition, Lindsay Stuck had a double to add. In the circle, Cowburn went all seven innings for the visitors, holding Addison to just two hits, fanning 16 Lady Knights batters and walking just two to pick up the win.
Wellsville is right back over the road today for a 5 p.m. visit to the Maple City, taking on the host Hornell Lady Red Raiders.
Wellsville (10) 02 101 3 – 17 25 0
Addison 0 00 002 0 – 2 2 1
WLSV – Makenzie Cowburn (WP) (CG, 16K, 2BB) and Brazen Beckwith.
ADD – Bregan Jones (LP) (CG, 3K, 4BB) and Hadleigh Watson.
BOYS TENNIS
Wellsville 5, Dansville 0
DANSVILLE — Among the electric highlights for the Lions of Wellsville on Wednesday was the first career singles victory drawn by Michael Bidzerkowny, as he weathered the storm from start to finish at third singles to come away with a huge score — one of five that the team would muster during their latest road trip to Dansville, as they raced past the host Mustangs with a 5-0 sweep.
Bidzerkowny was in the midst of a thrilling match alongside Dansville’s Wyatt Swift at third singles, fighting and navigating his way through two different tiebreaks before coming out on top with a strong 6-2 third-set clincher to claim the win by a 7-6 (2), 6-7 (8), 6-2 count.
Adam Iantorno and Wheeler Dahlgren provided wins of their own at first and second singles respectively, with Iantorno laying claim on a 6-3, 6-2 win over Zachary Heiman, while Dahlgren settled on a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win over Ethan Frazier.
In the doubles matches, the first doubles duo of David Anderson and Keenen O’Connor battled their way back and overcame a first-set tiebreak to Dansville’s Chelsie Tyler and Paige Masten, capturing the 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-2 win.
Liam Smith and Jonah MacCartney finished off the match win for Wellsville with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Casey Youngers and Addison Malto at second doubles.
The Lions are back on the court tonight, weather permitting, for a 5 p.m. visit to Avoca-Prattsburgh.
Singles
1. Adam Iantorno (WLSV) def. Zachary Heiman (DAN), 6-3, 6-2.
2. Wheeler Dahlgren (WLSV) def. Ethan Frazier (DAN), 6-1, 6-0.
3. Michael Bidzerkowny (WLSV) def. Wyatt Swift (DAN), 7-6 (2), 6-7 (8), 6-2.
Doubles
1. David Anderson/Keenen O’Connor (WLSV) def. Chelsie Tyler/Paige Masten (DAN), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-2.
2. Liam Smith/Jonah MacCartney (WLSV) def. Casey Youngers/Addison Malto (DAN), 6-1, 6-4.
