Friday Roundup: Zubikowski walks off with bases-loaded single to lift Fillmore to 10-9 victory over B-R in extras; Lady Wolverines hit four homers in 20-2 rolling of Lady Eagles
FILLMORE — You could say that Friday night’s mighty Allegany County Division I tussle was one Fillmore was looking for redemption in. In their last battle in Bolivar, the Eagles were on the cusp of taking away the lead from the Wolverines with all the momentum in their favor. But a heavy downpour started, and the game was officially called.
The game reverted back to the last complete inning of play, which saw Bolivar-Richburg in the lead with a 5-4 advantage in their back pocket, ultimately winning due to the inclement weather. But in Fillmore, a different scenario — gorgeous, hot weather on a day at the park. Rather than finish the game in just seven innings, the Wolverines and Eagles would go the distance in their second and final clash of the season.
And in the end, one batter had the stick to end it. That was Brent Zubikowski, as the Eagles catcher delivered a massive blow to the Wolverines with the bases jammed, as he ripped a single into the outfield to score a run, ending the game in walk-off fashion with a 10-9 home victory to see their redemption, redeemed.
The game started with some early fireworks from the Wolverines in the second inning. After both teams exchanged a pair of scoreless first innings, a flood of runs came across to break the game open with a 6-0 lead. After the lead peaked for Bolivar-Richburg at 8-3, it was close to 8-5 with the help of Zach Sisson in the fourth, as he blasted a two-run homer, his first of the season, off Wyatt Karnuth to keep the Eagles (5-2) well within striking distance.
The runs continued to flow through for Fillmore in the later innings. Despite Bolivar-Richburg (6-3) adding on with their final run coming in the top of the sixth, the lead they held onto for the majority of the contest disappeared in the seventh inning when the Eagles came up with three humongous runs in their final at-bats to stay alive, and force extra innings.
And in that extra session, it would go no further, as Zubikowski had his Superman cape at the ready with the bases jammed for the hosts in gray and green, connecting on a walk-off single into the outfield to score the winning run from third to take the 10-9 comeback victory all for themselves.
Helping the cause on offense behind Zubikowski and Sisson, were Mitch Ward, who also picked up the win in five innings worth of relief for Fillmore, as he belted two doubles, and drove in three runs in all to help the bats stay alive. Ward would also strike out five and walk four in his victory on the rubber. Graham Cahill would add two hits of his own to round off the hosts.
Bolivar-Richburg was led by Cam MacDonell, who totaled three hits. Trey Buchholz added in two hits of his own. On the mound, Landon Danaher struck out four and walked three in his two-inning start.
Both teams are back in action Monday night, as the Eagles look to maintain their momentum with a 5 p.m. contest against Friendship/Scio, in Scio. As for the Wolverines, they will turn the lights on at home and play host to Wellsville in a 7 p.m. battle in the night.
Bolivar-Richburg 062 001 00 – 9 8 2
Fillmore 021 210 31 – 10 8 6
B-R – Landon Danaher (4K, 3BB), Wyatt Karnuth (3) (4K), Caden Allen (6) (2K, BB), Trey Buchholz (LP, 7) (2K, 2BB), and Brayden Ellis.
FIL – Connor Potter (K), Graham Cahill (2) (K, 2BB), Mitch Ward (WP, 4) (5K, 4BB), and Brent Zubikowski.
Belfast 24, Andover 9 (F-6)
ANDOVER — In what was a battle taken over by Andover for much of the night in the first three innings, the tables were turned upside down, as Belfast came back with a massive rally, scoring a enormous 17-run top of the sixth inning to ultimately force the 10-run rule on the host Panthers, Friday night by a 24-9 count.
After garnering the 5-1 lead on the Bulldogs, the lead for Andover (2-5) was extended to six behind Layton Miller’s two-run blast to propel the team even further ahead. But in the top of the fourth, a rally began for the Bulldogs (4-3), as they netted a four-run fourth to cut the deficit down to just two runs. That came before the Panthers jumped back out to a four-run lead with two runs scratching across in the bottom half to conclude the fourth.
It was the last of the runs the home offense would fuel, as Belfast continued to swing the momentum back their way after a brief back-and-forth battle, as they scored the last 19 runs of the game to spring again permanently to pick up the victory.
Matt Weaver earned the start for the visitors in red, fanning nine and walking two, Nick Ellison added four strikeouts in winning relief appearance. At the plate, Matt Cater tallied his first home run of the season on a solo blast. Connor Stork recorded a double, while Max Miller had a double. For Andover, Aidan Meehan and Spencer Cook each tallied two hits. On the hill, Miller fanned five and walked four in his three-inning start.
Belfast will head back home to welcome in Cuba-Rushford for a 7 p.m. meeting under the lights on Monday, while Andover performs a quick turnaround back on their home turf this afternoon with a 12 p.m. contest against Avoca/Prattsburgh.
Belfast 100 42(17) – 24 8 3
Andover 322 20 0 – 9 7 7
BEL – Matt Weaver (9K, 2BB), Nick Ellison (WP, 5) (4K), and Justin Hill.
AND – Layton Miller (5K, 4BB), Kayden Zengerle (4) (K, BB), Brody Carlin (5) (2K), Jacob Wagner (LP, 6) (3BB), Cormac Brown (6) (6BB), Aidan Meehan (6) (4BB), Landon Cook (6) (2K), and Spencer Cook.
SOFTBALL
Bolivar-Richburg 20, Fillmore 2 (F-5)
RICHBURG — After coming back to knock off Addison back on Tuesday, the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg remained on fire when the weekend approached.
Although they had to fight from behind with Fillmore in for a visit on Friday, the offense found a way to slug the bats, as they scored the last 20 runs of the game, 15 of them coming from within the fourth inning to branch their lead insurmountably toward a 20-2 home victory over the Lady Eagles in five innings to win their sixth straight game, and their eighth in last nine.
In all, the Lady Wolverines (8-1) compiled 20 runs off 21 total hits with multiple batters getting involved with at least a pair of hits. It all would stem after Fillmore got on the board first with a 2-0 lead in the first two innings, with Lizzy Nugent leading the pack with her solo blast to the outfield in the first inning to open the scoring.
Then, the hosts went to work with five runs coming in the bottom of the third to take the three-run lead heading into the fourth, when the floodgates broke open with 15 more runs led by an avalanche of home runs with Jessica Majot, Jianna Nix and Kelsey Pacer hitting three straight home runs for Bolivar-Richburg, with Majot starting the festivities with a two-run shot. Nix and Pacer followed with solo homers. Later in the inning, Madigan Harris would add a home run herself with two on, blasting at three-run bomb to branch the lead further.
Five different Lady Wolverines recorded at least a pair of hits at the plate, with Paityn Johnston leading the pack with a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate with a double, an RBI and three runs scored. McKinlee Harris added three hits to go with three RBI, and two runs scored. Raina Bowen added a pair of RBI singles to the mix while Nix and Madigan Harris each finished with two hits total.
In the circle, Nix would pick up the win in a complete game five-hitter, fanning seven Fillmore (2-2) batters. As for the Lady Eagles, Nugent would record two of the team’s five hits, adding a single to go with her home run. Harley Miller, Kada Frazier and Kaleigh Kinnicutt all had a hit to chip in. In the circle, Kirstin Frazier fanned three and walked three in her complete game.
Both teams are back in action Monday night in a pair of 5 p.m. first pitches, with the Lady Wolverines heading to Tullar Field to search for their seventh straight win, taking on the Lady Lions of Wellsville, while Fillmore heads back home to host Friendship.
Fillmore 110 0 0 – 2 5 1
Bolivar-Richburg 005 (15)X – 20 21 0
FIL – Kirstin Frazier (LP) (CG, 3K, 3BB), and Kada Frazier.
B-R – Jianna Nix (WP) (CG, 7K), and Madigan Harris.
Belfast 15, Andover 14
BELFAST — 29 runs off 22 hits were plated in what was deemed a barnburning affair over the road in Belfast, Friday night. Both the Lady Panthers of Andover, and host Lady Bulldogs went back and forth all throughout the night. But in the end, one massive inning paid off.
That inning came in the bottom of the sixth, when the Lady Bulldogs provided their biggest bats of the night to pull ahead of Andover one last time while keeping the Lady Panthers last threat in the seventh inning on base, as they held on to everything they could to secure a 15-14 home win under the lights.
“We haven’t played in a week, and it showed tonight. We trailed the whole game up until the sixth,” Lady Bulldogs coach Mark Sullivan said. “I was pleased with the girls and the way they were able to come back. Andover would get two runs, and then we got two runs, and then we started to get some hits of our own to get things going. Five hits in the sixth inning, but give Andover credit, the (Makaila) Brewster girl threw the ball right over the plate to keep us off-balanced all night.”
The first three innings, the runs would come across left and right, with 15 of the 29 combined between the two foes being accounted for. After it all, it was the Lady Panthers that sprung out on top with an 8-7 lead of the Lady Bulldogs (5-2). In the middle innings, a back-and-forth affair began, with the visitors maintaining their lead each time.
It was all brought together by the Lady Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth with five big hits, scoring five runs to tie and pull ahead in the driver’s seat for the first time in the game. The Lady Panthers would not go down without one last fight with the game-tying run on third base with two outs in the top of the seventh. But with some heads-up fielding, Belfast was able to get the force out at first to conclude the night in the win column, finishing their come-from-behind rally.
The offense was assisted by Sondra Guilford, who had a big night behind four hits including a pair of doubles. Mary Hamer and Anna Drozdowski each had two hits to add in. In the circle, Emma Sullivan fanned six and walked two in her complete game win.
For Andover (1-5), Kelsie Niedermaier and Gabby Terhune each had two hits. Makaila Brewster struck out six and walked six in her complete game on the mound.
Both teams are back in action Monday night with 5 p.m. first pitches, as Belfast hits the road to visit Cuba-Rushford, while Andover hops on the bus to take on Alfred-Almond over the road.
Andover 602 222 0 – 14 11 6
Belfast 412 305 X – 15 11 5
AND – Makaila Brewster (LP) (CG, 6K, 6BB), and Katie Calladine.
BEL – Emma Sullivan (WP) (CG, 6K, 2BB), and Harley Proctor.
GOLF
Wellsville 201, Cuba-Rushford 223
RUSHFORD — The Lions of Wellsville continued to march along in the win column back over the road Friday night at Allegheny Hills, as they saw Ethan Bailey and Lance Grantier lead the pack with two of the match’s lowest scored, as they helped propel the visitors to a 201-223 victory over host Cuba-Rushford.
Bailey led all golfers with the medalist round on the day, recording a match-low round of 45. Grantier would follow suit with his round of 47 to help the cause. Mason Parks chipped in with a round of 54, while Kailob Phelps rounded off with a 55. As an added bonus, the Lions (8-3) saw Grantier, along with Aidan Hart qualify for the Individual Sectional tournament.
Both Wellsville golfers will head for the Stafford Country Club this afternoon to compete.
As for the Rebels (4-2), Ethan Rix led the way with his team-low round of 50. Benson McCumiskey and Landon Wight followed behind with round of 56, and 57. Caden Granger had a 61 to add in.
Both teams will return to action on the links Monday night at the Wellsville Country Club, as the Lions prepare to host Bolivar-Richburg, while Cuba-Rushford will “visit” Genesee Valley. Both matches will begin at 4 p.m.
Hinsdale 227, Bolivar-Richburg 239
BOLIVAR — In a close affair on the green, it was Hinsdale’s Parker Keenan and Caden Miller that made all the difference, as they recorded the team’s lowest scores at the top of the scorecard to fuel what became a narrow 227-239 win at the Bolivar Golf Club over the host Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg, Friday night.
Keenan led all golfers with the medaling round for the Bobcats (1-6), tallying a match-low round of 53 to assist in the team’s first victory of the season. Miller was not far behind, as he chipped in with a round of 54. Brett Bergstrom added a 59, while Henry Schwartz rounded off with his round of 61.
For Bolivar-Richburg (2-3), Ryan Greeson led all Wolverine golfers with a team-low round of 57. Brennan Gilliland chipped in with a 59. Maddox Day provided a 60, while Gauge Robinson, Parker Worth and Hunter Stuck all carded a 63.
Both teams are back on the links Monday with a pair of 4 p.m. tee times, as Hinsdale heads back home to the Ischua Valley Country Club in Franklinville to host Archbishop Walsh, while Bolivar-Richburg heads for the Wellsville Country Club to take on the host Lions.
