Tuesday Roundup: B-R claims massive victory off back-to-back 6th inning RBIs to end Fri/Scio’s 10-game win streak; Potter outlasts Ark-Can’s Marvin to deliver massive 3-0 shutout for Fillmore baseball

RICHBURG — After another dynamic pitching spectacle took the surrounding area by storm this past weekend, Nevaeh Ross would engage in another duel to the finish on Tuesday. Next on the docket: Rylee Whiting and the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg, a team that Friendship/Scio has not defeated over the road since Ross’ arrival to the Varsity scene.

Like the battles that the two three-peat Section V champions have had in the past, it was no different again, as Friendship/Scio and Bolivar-Richburg kept it close each and every single step of the way. Compared to their most recent battle against Genesee Valley/Belfast, it would narrow down to who blinked first.

With the go-ahead run right out of the gate in their back pocket, the game was Ross’ to control for the next several innings. But then, a revelation for the Lady Wolverines.

After being held to one hit in their previous battle against Friendship/Scio, Bolivar-Richburg would go on to take their hits and runs in any way, shape or form they could get them. They would use a dropped third strike to their advantage to tie the game. Two innings later, the bats emerged, as they recorded three straight hits in the top of the sixth inning — their first hits of the contest, to create their inaugural degree of separation from the Class D champions permanently, as they went on to pull ahead and ultimately towards an incredible 3-1 victory at Stan Harris Field.

“Friendship/Scio is a good team with the best pitcher in the area, so being able to pull off the win is huge,” said Lady Wolverines coach Brooke Lovell. “Rylee (Whiting) threw a great game and mixed her pitches well, keeping hitters off balance. We made the plays behind her and it gave us an all-around team effort. I am proud we were able to execute when we got the chance.”

Off back-to-back hits to open the ledger on the contest, Friendship/Scio was able to garner the first run right away off an RBI from Morghyn Ross to the left side of the infield, plating Nevaeh Ross from third base to break open the scoring. With the lead in hand, the game would rest with the defense to play with the advantage intact, as Ross shelled out nine straight strikeouts to the Lady Wolverines (9-8) across the first three scoreless frames.

It would close up however in the bottom of the fourth with some massive special teams play, as Rylee Whiting came home from third to score on a dropped third strike issued to her younger sister Kylee, tying the game at one on each side. The run would also serve as a large piece of momentum they now carried until the very end of the game.

When the sixth inning settled in, the Whiting sisters came in through the clutch, posting back-to-back RBI singles off their three-hit frame to push Bolivar-Richburg towards ultimate victory that had awaited in the end. To aid in closing out the game for good, Rylee Whiting went back into the circle and took care of business with a 1-2-3 all with her arm to secure a monumental victory.

The Lady Wolverines posted three runs off just three hits, while Friendship/Scio (11-3) scored their lone run in the first inning off four hits. Whiting captained the battery for the winning team in black and red, as she struck out 11 batters in all to complete a four-hit victory in the circle.

As for Friendship/Scio, Ross delivered another outstanding performance, holding Bolivar-Richburg to just three hits across 14 strikeouts.

Both teams will look to do it all over again tonight in a pair of 5 p.m. battles, as Bolivar-Richburg looks to eclipse the 10-win mark with a visit to Avoca-Prattsburgh, while Friendship/Scio prepares to welcome in Fillmore — winners of five of their last seven games, for battle in Scio.

Friendship/Scio 100 000 0 – 1 4 2

Bolivar-Richburg 000 102 X – 3 3 0

F/S – Nevaeh Ross (LP) (CG, 14K) and Morghyn Ross.

B-R – Rylee Whiting (WP) (CG, 11K) and Sydney Faulkner.

Cuba-Rushford 5, Andover/Whitesville 1

CUBA — Clutch defense can win big games. In another tight battle right alongside Andover/Whitesville, the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford would need every bit of it if they wanted to keep the momentum swinging in their direction following a strong performance up north at Pioneer this past weekend.

On Tuesday, Molly Kunz helped that cause out.

With a 1-1 tie on the board and Andover/Whitesville threatening with a fourth-inning look, a line drive zapped to the right side of the Cuba-Rushford infield where Kunz made a remarkable heads-up play on the ball, catching the caboose runner at first base off guard in the same swing with a quick throw to the primary bag to record the double play.

That stand of defense would allow the Lady Rebels to push back at the plate, as they wound up finishing the contest with the game’s last three runs after taking the 2-1 lead away from their opposition, solidifying it for good to record the season-series split with Andover/Whitesville by a 5-1 count.

“We picked up a good win tonight and I hope we can keep it rolling,” Lady Rebels coach Mary Keesler said. “It took awhile for our bats to get going, but we just kept working to score runs. We had two great double plays, with Molly’s helping lead us off to turn the momentum in our favor a bit. Aubrey (Williams) also had one later on in the game that really helped bail us out again. I’m really happy with how these young kids are maturing and making big time defensive plays.”

Andover/Whitesville, despite two quick outs from Jordyn Radomski near the circle for the Lady Rebels, amplified some early pressure during their first stance at the plate, placing a pair of two-out runners on base, including Olivia Waters who reached on a big double to the outfield gap. Both runners would be left on after a groundout to the right side closed up the frame.

Cuba-Rushford (6-7) would come right back with an aggressive approach of their own. With one runner waiting on base, Aubrey Williams placed down a bunt straight in front of the plate, reaching in the midst of a defensive error that saw the ball squirt wide of first base. In the midst of it, Arlah Shaffer would navigate her way home, beating out the throw in the same direction to get the engines for the Lady Rebels off and running.

Both teams would continue to apply their fair share of pressure across a scoreless second inning before the scoring resumed a short time later, with Andover/Whitesville (3-9) tying the game at one each side on an error in the infield following a Lilly Ordway bunt, as the throw went wide of first base to score a speedy Ava Grice.

The Lady Rebels would respond by loading up the bases behind the Andover/Whitesville defense for the first time in the bottom half of the stanza, as Gianna Loiacono slugged a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring one run from third to give them the 2-1 lead right back.

The sacrifice along with Kunz’s huge double play turned in the field to start the fourth inning allowed the hosts in gray and blue to syphon a big burst of momentum out of it, as they overcame another scoreless transaction to account for the game’s final three runs in a two-inning span — two of them off a single issued by Sydney Howard in the bottom of the sixth inning to officially put the game away for good.

Cuba-Rushford posted five runs off eight hits, with a pair of Lady Rebels both scoring two hits each. Leading the charge was Williams, who recorded a double in the midst of her two-hit tenure, an RBI and two runs scored. Mireya Rutkowski chipped in with two hits of her own. On the mound, Radomski was given the win in her four-inning start, fanning two and walking just one.

Andover/Whitesville was led by Ordway and Olivia Waters, who each posted a double in their four-hit presence at the plate. In the circle, Makaila Brewster went all seven innings, fanning two and walking one. The team will return to action on Thursday back home in Whitesville for a 5 p.m. visit from Genesee Valley/Belfast.

Next Tuesday night, the Lady Rebels are back in action over the road with a field trip to the east, as they pay a visit to the Campbell-Savona Lady Panthers in a 5 p.m. first pitch of their own.

Andover/Whitesville 001 000 0 – 1 4 2

Cuba-Rushford 101 012 X – 5 8 3

A/W – Makaila Brewster (LP) (CG, 2K, BB) and Reece Winters.

C-R – Jordyn Radomski (WP) (2K, BB), Sydney Howard (5) (K) and Arlah Shaffer.

BASEBALL

Fillmore 3, Arkport-Canaseraga 0

ARKPORT — It was the very definition of a war between two of Class D’s finest on the mound, Tuesday night. In the second meeting in just over a week’s time, Fillmore’s Damon Potter and Arkport-Canaseraga’s Micah Marvin would dance that beautiful dance on the mound from start to finish in a compelling pitcher’s duel that would ultimately leave absolutely no room for error.

As the Eagles and Wolves attempted to chip away at the ice from beneath their feet, the pitchers remained ever so resilient during their complete games across the board. When the final numbers were tallied, just five hits were garnered between the pair of offenses at the plate, with Fillmore garnering the narrow advantage.

The hits didn’t come right away, but when they did, the Eagles made sure they hurt big time.

After three scoreless innings were dealt, Fillmore jumped into the conductor’s chair and orchestrated the turning point in the game — Potter’s big bat, as he delivered a massive strike to the outfield to completely shift the momentum in their favor while remaining in complete command of his game in the same swing, as the Eagles hurler outlasted Arkport-Canaseraga’s ace in a wild race to the finish line to claim a redeeming 3-0 shutout in Arkport.

“Damon Potter was elite tonight. He was efficient, he was effective, but the best part of his game was his mentality,” said Eagles assistant coach Jordan Mullen. “His teammates fielded well from the start of the game and he had a swagger about him on both sides of the ball that led our team. The boys played loose, they fed off the confidence and it spread throughout our lineup. Games like these, especially this late in the season, can change its trajectory. Tonight was a huge step forward for us. We saw that Fillmore baseball is here to compete and the goal is still to be number one. We now beat the top two teams in our class, so we know we belong in that conversation. The boys know it too after tonight.”

The duel between the two Class D heavyweights witnessed absolutely no scoring across the first three innings of play, as the Fillmore (7-6) and Arkport-Canaseraga offenses were kept completely frozen at the plate. But in the top of the fourth inning, the Eagles would unthaw behind the dual threat presence of Potter, who used his big bat to slug a humongous RBI triple straight into the outfield to provide a massive fissure into the ice with the game’s first lead.

The momentum stemming off the triple would remain in Fillmore’s favor, as Potter went back to work holding the Wolves at bay for the remainder of the game. In the thick of his tossed gem, the Eagles would manage to collect two more runs in the top of the sixth to tack on as insurance to officially solidify the victory.

The three runs for the visitors in green were accounted for off three hits, with Jude Beardsley and James Hillman each chipping in one to go with Potter’s double. Isaac Wilcox drove in a run in the sixth inning to further the team’s offensive cause. As for Potter on the mound, he went all seven innings by holding Arkport-Canaseraga to just two hits, fanning six Wolves batters to lay claim to the victory.

For Marvin, he would also shell out a complete game three-hit gem against the Eagles, as the Wolves ace fanned 11 and walked just two. At the plate, he would garner a hit along with Ben Leibham.

Fillmore will look to keep that foot down on the gas pedal tonight with another road trip, this time a 5 p.m. visit to Scio to battle host Friendship/Scio.

Fillmore 000 102 0 – 3 3 2

Arkport-Canaseraga 000 000 0 – 0 2 2

FIL – Damon Potter (WP) (CG, 6K) and Nolan Krzeminski.

A-C – Micah Marvin (LP) (CG, 11K, 2BB) and Bryer Drake.

Cuba-Rushford 17, Andover/Whitesville 7 (F-5)

CUBA — Following tough defeats to open the week on Monday, both Andover/Whitesville and Cuba-Rushford were hunting for a win to put them back into the win column when the two teams collided the very next day in Cuba.

It was a start that Andover/Whitesville capitalized on from all fronts, pushing and shoving their way to the front of the line with a lead that grew to as large as five at one point during the beginning sequences.

The Rebels would claw their way back bit by bit until the action reached a torrid boiling point. In the bottom of the fifth, the offense brought their sticks to life and hit the bullseye on the dartboard over and over again, scoring a massive 14-run stanza to take a 7-3 deficit and turn it upside down with a 17-7 five-inning victory to finish off their rally from behind.

“We didn’t look good at the start,” Rebels coach Pat Wight said. “We were still hung up on our performance last night. Andover/Whitesville made us pay early and came out ready to go. We were able to hang around until the fifth, where we put together a heck of an inning. Braeden (Wight) did enough on the mound and worked out of some big jams. Landen Schappacher had a heck of a game. Braxton Clark and Dean Frank had big RBIs to put us ahead. There were some pretty solid at-bats throughout the lineup, and at this point in the year, we will take any win we can. I’m proud of the effort and focus after the rough start.”

Right out of the gate, Andover/Whitesville powered their way towards a 4-0 lead of Cuba-Rushford, led by an RBI double from Vinny Joyce and some special teams play that helped ignite a three-run opening stand. After the visitors extended their lead again on the Rebels (7-7), the hosts closed the gap in the bottom of the third off back-to-back RBI smacks from Finn Ricketts and Eli Sleggs, with Ricketts getting the scoring starting on a double.

Both teams would trade a scoreless fourth inning before Andover/Whitesville (3-10) found their final run in the fifth to take a 7-3 lead. It would be the last time they would remain in the driver’s seat of the contest, as Cuba-Rushford recorded half of their hits at the plate in their 14-run bottom half of the frame to pull ahead and out of reach for good.

In all, the Rebels posted 17 runs off 16 hits, with five different hitters all recording at least two hits. At the front of the pack was Landen Schappacher in the lead-off spot, as he went a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Eli Sleggs finished with three hits, including his double, driving in three runs in the process and scoring twice. Braxton Clark totaled two hits and three RBI, while Dean Frank and Hayden Schappacher each had two hits to chip in.

On the mound, the win belonged to Braeden Wight, who went all five innings while holding Andover/Whitesville to just four hits, fanning nine and walking just one.

Andover/Whitesville was paced by Derek Perkins on the hill, going into the fifth inning during his start to record four strikeouts and two walks. At the plate, Brody Vance recorded two hits, while Colton Calladine had a triple and RBI. The team will return to action this weekend over the road for a special matchup in store, as they travel to Doubleday Field in Cooperstown to take on Genesee Valley/Belfast in a 1:30 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.

As for Cuba-Rushford, they will look to keep their foot down on the gas pedal come Thursday night, hosting the Hinsdale Bobcats in a 5 p.m. first pitch.

Andover/Whitesville 312 0 1 – 7 4 1

Cuba-Rushford 012 0(14) – 17 16 0

A/W – Derek Perkins (LP) (4K, 2BB), Rees Baker (5) (2BB), Jake Mattison (5) (BB) and Colton Calladine.

C-R – Braeden Wight (WP) (CG, 9K, BB) and Adam Shaffer, Braxton Clark (3).

Genesee Valley/Belfast 16, Hinsdale 1 (F-5)

BELMONT — As time progressed, the Genesee Valley/Belfast offense gradually increased the temperature and the pressure at the plate against visiting Hinsdale on Tuesday, slowly building a lead that the Bobcats could not counter, as they finished off their victory in the Jungle with a massive fourth-inning final stand to force an early end to the battle with a 16-1 victory.

Genesee Valley/Belfast (13-2) fired the engines up to the roar of eight hits on offense, as they used some additional capitalization to the tune of three Hinsdale errors and eight walks along the way. The hosts in black accounted for runs in each of the first four innings of play, building a 6-0 lead of the Bobcats before finishing off the win with a massive 10-run bottom of the fourth inning to force an early end to the contest.

Leading the bats was Ryan Daciw, who had three of the team’s eight hits, including a double, and two RBI. On the mound, Matt Cater was outstanding for Genesee Valley/Belfast, as he fanned 10 and walked just two across his four-inning start.

For Hinsdale (3-7), Henry Schwartz struck out three and walked one in his two-inning outing on the rubber. At the plate, he also garnered a hit along with Peyton Keller and Robert Childs.

Both teams are back on the diamond Thursday night in a pair of 5 p.m. first pitches, with Genesee Valley/Belfast meeting up with the Marion Black Knights at Houghton University, while Hinsdale looks to rebound with a visit to Cuba-Rushford.

Hinsdale 000 0 1 – 1 3 3

Genesee Valley/Belfast 123 (10)X – 16 8 1

HIN – Henry Schwartz (LP) (3K, BB), Cody Hand (3) (K, 7BB) and Peyton Keller.

GVB – Matt Cater (WP) (10K, 2BB), Fisher Herdman (5) (K, BB) and Owen Heaney.

Bolivar-Richburg 20, Friendship/Scio 0 (F-5)

BOLIVAR — Senior Night for the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg was a complete success Tuesday night, as they scored all 20 of their runs in the first three innings of play to bring the hammer down on visiting Friendship/Scio, rolling towards a 20-0 shutout to keep their foot down on the gas pedal entering tonight’s monumental showdown with Wellsville.

All seven seniors for the Wolverines (15-1) were sent out with a clamorous bang right from the get-go, as they fired on all cylinders with an explosive 6-0 lead of Friendship/Scio that they never looked back on. To go with their scores across the plate, the hosts in white and red collected a dozen hits to propel their offense even further beyond.

Leading the way was Reiss Gaines, who went 2-for-3 with a lead-off inside-the-park home run, pairing it with a triple, three RBI and three runs scored. Following up was Caden Allen, who had a triple of his own to go with two RBI and a run scored. Trey Buchholz chipped in with two hits, driving in one more run while scoring two himself, while Aydin Sisson, Tavyn MacDonell and Caleb Miller all scored three runs.

On the mound, the win belonged to Landen Arnold, who walked one across his three-inning start.

For Friendship/Scio (0-13), Daejin Langdon, Cooper Greenman and Charlie Taylor all recorded a hit each at the plate. On the mound, Aiden Golden struck out three and walked one during his tenure of relief.

Both teams are back on the field tonight in a pair of 5 p.m. contests, with the Wolverines heading over the summit to square off with the Wellsville Lions in perhaps their biggest clash of the season, while Friendship/Scio heads back home to host Fillmore in Scio.

Friendship/Scio 000 00 – 0 3 9

Bolivar-Richburg 677 0X – 20 12 0

F/S – Matt Donohue (LP) (K, 2BB), Aiden Golden (3) (3K, BB) and Cooper Greenman.

B-R – Landen Arnold (WP) (BB), Caleb Miller (4) (BB), Aiden Smith (5) (BB) and Aydin Sisson, Tavyn MacDonell (3).

BOYS TENNIS

Bolivar-Richburg 3, Alfred-Almond 2

ALMOND — Anthony Densmore and Dustin Murray gave the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg two incredible battles on the tennis court on Tuesday, as they fought tooth and nail across a dynamic match of pro-set action to deliver two outstanding wins against host Alfred-Almond, setting the dinner table for an enormous 3-2 win to reach the .500 mark on the season once again.

Both Densmore and Murray were pushed towards the very edge in their respective matches in the singles department for Bolivar-Richburg (5-5), with Densmore narrowly coming away victorious with a close 10-8 victory over Alfred-Almond’s Patrick Power at first singles, while at second singles, Murray was forced into a pro-set tiebreak with Liam Carstens, where he prevailed by a 7-5 count to take the 10-9 match win.

The Wolverines collected their final win down in doubles action from the second doubles duo of Starlyn Kisel and Jamie Werner, as they took care of business behind a 10-1 win over Aeden O’Connor and Jaxon Heffley.

Alfred-Almond collected the remaining pair of victories, one in each division of action, with Noah Heffley claiming the final singles win with a 10-4 decision at third singles over Bolivar-Richburg’s Trevor Whitsell, while the first doubles team of Jack Deutsch and Calob Diaz also came away 10-4 winners over Alex Parker and Nebula Wilson-Smith.

The Wolverines are right back on the hop tonight at Houghton University, meeting the undefeated Fillmore Eagles in a 5 p.m. first serve.

Singles

1. Anthony Densmore (B-R) def. Patrick Power (A-A), 10-8.

2. Dustin Murray (B-R) def. Liam Carstens (A-A), 10-9 (7-5).

3. Noah Heffley (A-A) def. Trevor Whitsell (B-R), 10-4.

Doubles

1. Jack Deutsch/Calob Diaz (A-A) def. Alex Parker/Nebula Wilson-Smith (B-R), 10-4.

2. Starlyn Kisel/Jamie Werner (B-R) def. Aeden O'Connor/Jaxon Heffley (A-A), 10-1.

TRACK

GV/Belfast boys, B-R girls record split of meet in the Jungle

BELMONT — With the regular season beginning to wind down, Bolivar-Richburg and Genesee Valley/Belfast each were granted one last opportunity to make some noise before they make their appearance at the Wellsville Elks Spring Day meet — perhaps the biggest meet of the entire Spring season.

At the end of Tuesday’s clash in the Jungle, the Bolivar-Richburg girls team squeaked out a close victory from the grasp of Genesee Valley/Belfast, while the hosts saw complete dominance across the board with the boys team taking full advantage of the opportunity in front of them, as the two squads recorded a direct split down the middle.

Leading the way were the Bolivar-Richburg girls, who went on to score eight first place finishes to ignite a close battle with Genesee Valley/Belfast across all spectrums of competition, as they clinched a close 57-51 team victory behind the guidance of Raegan Giardini and her pair of wins in the distance events on the track — the 800 and 1500 runs.

Following behind was Brena Walp and her complete sweep of both throwing events from the pits, as she garnered the winning distances in both the shot put and discus. Kori Thomas provided her win on the track in the 100 hurdles, while Carmen Crowley and Hailey Gaines rounded out the triumphant individual finishes with gold in the triple jump and 3000 run, respectively.

The Lady Wolverines also put a claim to two relay victories along the way, collecting them in the 400 and 1600 relays.

Genesee Valley/Belfast countered Bolivar-Richburg’s eight victories with six of their own from two different competitors. Leading the way was Bayleigh Tallman, who had four of those victories — three of them on the track, as she placed first in the 100, 200 and 400 dashes to coincide with a winning distance from within the sand bunker, in the long jump.

Allyson Hazelton followed with the last two wins for the team, one in each field of competition, as she medaled in the 400 hurdles and in the high jump.

As for the boys matchup, Genesee Valley/Belfast scored first place finishes in all 13 of the events on the docket, with Brayden Cooper, Noah Miller and Callahan Tallman each placing first in a pair of events to catapult the team towards a dominant 112-13 win over the visiting Wolverines.

Cooper and Miller each led the way on the track for the hosts, as they each discovered gold at the finish line with their winning times in the 100 and 200 dashes, and 1600 and 3200 runs respectively to help lead the pack. Tallman took his talents into the field to record his first place finishes, scoring triumphs in the long and high jumps.

The team would also record a clean sweep of all three relay events, claiming first in the 400, 1600 and 3200 relays. Other individual winners for Genesee Valley/Belfast include: Wyatt Weaver in the 110 hurdles, Bryce Davis in the shot put, Kenton Shultz in the discus, Lannden Tilton in the 400 dash, Damien Rinker in the 400 hurdles, Sal Gambino in the 800 run and Thayne Cobb in the triple jump.