Tuesday Roundup: In return to Allegany County, GV/Belfast hurls one-hit shutout over Hammondsport to garner 1st win for Dennie Miles; 3-run 7th allows A-L to walk-off vs. Fillmore

BELFAST — After taking the reins on the diamond at Avoca-Prattsburgh, claiming championship glory twice in four straight appearances in the Finals along the way, one of the most decorated baseball coaches in New York State has made his return back home to Allegany County. This time, donning a new color pallette.

In exchange for the gold belonging to the Titans, the newest acquisition to couple with the same shade of black he donned in Steuben County was two new colors — Genesee Valley Jaguars green and Belfast Bulldog red, as New York State Baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Miles officially ignited the ceremonial torch to a new era of baseball to the combined program on Tuesday at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast.

With a cloudy landscape and some early Spring chills setting the stage for Opening Day, the aim for game one of the Miles regime was to raise the temperature to an uncontrollable degree against the visiting Lakers of Hammondsport.

Right from the very first at-bat, Genesee Valley/Belfast’s offense began to click on all facets. With a weapons-grade detonation off the hop from Evan Turybury to the deep portion of the outfield, the pistons fired on all cylinders for an attack that accounted for at least a pair of runs in each of the first four innings of play.

All while freshman hurler Ben Cater kept the Lakers on their feet in his four-inning tenure on the rubber, handing out seven chairs and walking just one, as he combined with Fisher Herdman to toss a one-hit shutout of Hammondsport to open the 2024 season with a bang behind an 11-0 triumph.

“It was a good start, not knowing what we have out of the gate,” GV/Belfast coach Dennis Miles said. “The two pitchers pitched well, with it being the first game out. Ben Cater gave us a great start as a freshman. He had some composure issues early on, but he gave us a great game. Then, we were looking at Fisher in more of a closer role, because he throws hard. He came in and when that situation comes, you have to pound the zone, and he did that. They swung the bats well too, zeroing in on that fastball. This is what we needed. There were a lot of good things and there were some things we still need to iron out. For the most part, I was pleased.”

Before Genesee Valley/Belfast (1-0) was able to garner the fiery start in their opening at-bats, the defense would have to work their way out of an early jam against the Lakers with their lead-off hitter reaching on a walk. Despite the first of just two baserunners that would reach the infield the entire game, Cater would strike out the next three batters in consecutive fashion to leave the visitors in purple at a standstill.

That would construct a three-run bottom half of the first inning for the host to break the ice with, led by Turybury’s lead-off double to the outfield. After a lengthy at-bat for Kyle McCumiskey resulted in a walk to place him on base, they were both driven home on a drive into right center field from Matt Cater. The inning would conclude with one more run scratching across off a sacrifice back to the outfield from Ryan Daciw to make it a 3-0 lead for Genesee Valley/Belfast.

The momentum would keep on building steam entering the second after another scoreless frame dished out by the defense, as Matt Cater aided the efforts with two of the team’s three runs, bringing one in on a hit into right center before scoring himself on the very next at-bat on a wild pitch straight to the backstop to help provide further coagulation to their advantage outwards to six on Hammondsport.

Genesee Valley/Belfast went on to score five more runs across the next two innings of play to further cement their lead, forcing an early final tenure at the plate for the Lakers — one that Fisher Herdman came on and took full advantage of in the top of the fifth to close out an exceptional start to the season, fanning all three batters in order to encapsulate their one-hit shutout.

For game one back down in Allegany County, Miles says it was great to be back home.

“It’s kind of like coming back home again. It’s been good coming back down this way again. The driving is not what it nearly was, but it was a great experience at Avoca-Prattsburgh that I was honored to be a part of. We went to the Finals all four years I was there, and we won the title twice. It was a very good experience, but I certainly didn’t leave for any other reason than to be closer to home.”

The hosts gathered 11 runs off eight hits, with four different hitters all posting at least a pair of knocks. Leading the way was Matt Cater, who had a perfect 3-for-3 outing at the plate. Turybury, Ian McKenzie and Owen Heaney each had two hits.

Coming up on Thursday, if weather permits, Genesee Valley/Belfast will hit the road for an early-season test against the C.G. Finney Falcons beginning in a 5 p.m. first pitch.

Hammondsport 000 00 – 0 1 1

Genesee Valley/Belfast 332 3X – 11 8 0

HAM – Silas Scofield (LP) (2K, 2BB), Hunter Farley (3) (2K, 3BB), JD Hoerder (4).

GVB – Ben Cater (WP) (7K, BB), Fisher Herdman (5) (3K) and Evan Turybury.

Allegany-Limestone 4, Fillmore 3

ALLEGANY — In a closely-knit affair across the board, Fillmore and Allegany-Limestone gave one another everything they had to open the 2024 campaign on Tuesday in the Swamp.

With the defenses settling in across the first six innings of play and a 1-1 deadlock on the board, the bats would come alive for an explosive and thrilling Opening Day finish.

With the Eagles garnering the seventh inning’s first word to break the tie, they would force the host Gators on their feet for their final at-bats. But the pressure that was built against them, Allegany-Limestone chomped every bit of it to amass a three-run final tenure to rip possession of the lead away from Fillmore and claim it as their own to record the 4-3 walk-off victory in front of their home crowd.

After both teams dealt a pair of scoreless frames on the field to start the action, the scoring soon scratched its way across the plate, beginning with a third inning breaking of the ice for Fillmore (0-1), as they provided the game’s first marker, holding the advantage straight into the sixth inning when the Gators navigated their way onto the board for the first time off a double from AJ Riordan.

With the game all deadlocked for the first time in the midst of battle, the Eagles would tilt the momentum back in their favor at the most crucial of times in the top of the seventh, plating a pair of scores to claim a 3-1 lead. The bats were led by James Hillman, who went 3-for-3 with an RBI, and Jude Beardsley’s two-RBI performance.

But with Allegany-Limestone now pinned against the wall, the Gators fought back and chomped at the deficit in resilient fashion, posting the next three runs in a row — one of them off a walk-off single delivered by Zane Gleason to end the game in heroic fashion.

Despite the defeat, the Eagles witnessed a fine first start of the season for Damon Potter on the hill, as he fanned seven and walked four in his five innings of work.

Fillmore will return to action after Spring Break, as they head home to welcome in Andover/Whitesville for their home opener at the Town Park on April 9 at 5 p.m.

Fillmore 001 000 2 – 3 4 1

Allegany-Limestone 000 001 3 – 4 3 1

FIL – Damon Potter (7K, 4BB), Kalen Beardsley (LP, 6) (K, 2BB), Jude Beardsley (7) and Nolan Krzeminski.

A-L – Caleb Strade (9K, 5BB), Evan Johnson (WP, 5) (2K, 2BB) and Zane Gleason.

SOFTBALL

Genesee Valley/Belfast 23, Hammondsport 3 (F-5)

BELFAST — With a perfect combination of hitting and pitching from the dynamic Hannah Southwick-Powers from within the circle, the Genesee Valley/Belfast ladies were unstoppable right from the start on Tuesday, as they posted at least seven runs in the first three innings of play to set the tone immediately in what was a 23-3 home win over Hammondsport after five innings.

“I was glad we got outside finally and got this one in. It’s a great way to start the year,” said GV/Belfast coach Mark Sullivan. “We hit the ball well, and we had some great discipline at the plate. We did some good things being our first game out, despite some blunders. But overall, Hannah threw it well and we had six or seven girls with two hits each to compliment that.”

Genesee Valley/Belfast’s (1-0) offense was red hot right from the start, as the team posted 23 runs off 15 hits at the plate. In the midst of production, five different hitters all posted at least a pair of hits, with Southwick-Powers, Jenna Hill, Abby Sullivan, Keanna Sands and Daphne Gugino all leading the way for the offense in claiming an 8-0 advantage after the opening frame and never looking back.

On the field, Southwick-Powers kept Hammondsport off the board with a divine performance to start her junior campaign, as she posted 13 strikeouts and two walks in her twirled three-hit bid for the hosts in black and gray.

Next up on Thursday, if weather permits, is Genesee Valley/Belfast’s first road trip of the season, as they get set for a 5 p.m. visit to Arkport-Canaseraga.

Hammondsport 000 21 – 3 3

Genesee Valley/Belfast 878 0X– 23 15

HAM – Nicole Pratt (LP) (K, 11BB), Morgan Conley (3) (2K, 2BB) and Sam Pratt.

GVB – Hannah Southwick-Powers (WP) (CG, 13K, 2BB) and Jenna Hill.

Allegany-Limestone 8, Fillmore 4

ALLEGANY — The Lady Eagles of Fillmore remained in command for much of their battle over the road in the Swamp on Tuesday, scoring a lead as large as three crossing into the second half of their contest against host Allegany-Limestone to open up the campaign.

With the momentum riding in their favor, the hosts in green and white began to take aim at propelling the pendulum in their favor with a giant tilt. Down 4-1, their bats would come alive in tremendous fashion. Led by the bat of Carley Barrey, the Lady Gators provided that massive offensive jolt of electricity with a five-run stanza, setting the stage for victory that saw them score the game’s final seven runs in consecutive fashion to lock up an 8-4 comeback win.

The Lady Eagles (0-1) went to work after trading back-and-forth scoreless barbs with Allegany-Limestone across the first two innings of play, delivering the game’s first pair of strikes in the top of the third inning. The lead was cut in half in the bottom of the fourth inning when Allegany-Limestone responded with Barrey’s home run — a monumental smack that allowed the Lady Gators to re-enforce their momentum swing as time advanced forward.

Despite Fillmore bolstering their lead once more in the fifth with a pair of runs, the hosts fired right back with their biggest outburst on offense in the game — a five-run frame to aid a comeback effort that saw them record the contest’s final seven runs in a row to lay claim on the four-run win that awaited in the end.

Mylee Miller went all seven innings in the circle for Fillmore, as she posted five strikeouts and four walks in her first start of the season. At the plate, she helped lead the bats with a pair of hits, including a double, totaling three RBI. Mattie McCumiskey also chipped in with two hits, including a triple to further the offensive cause.

A quick turnaround will be had for the Lady Eagles tonight, as they hop onto their home turf for the first time with a 5 p.m. first pitch against the Lima Christian Lady Saints.

Fillmore 002 020 0 – 4 5 2

Allegany-Limestone 000 152 X – 8 7 0

FIL – Mylee Miller (LP) (CG, 5K, 4BB) and Oakley Frazier.

A-L – Kailey Truman (WP) (CG, 5K, 2BB) and Peyton Truman.

BOYS TENNIS

Wellsville 3, Addison 2

WELLSVILLE — Aided by a complete sweep of both doubles matches, as well as a hard-fought singles victory from Wheeler Dahlgren, the Lions of Wellsville were able to kick the tires on a successful start to their 2024 campaign on the court against visiting Addison, edging their way towards victory by a 3-2 decision on Tuesday.

Dahlgren was the lone representative in the singles department to come away with the victory for the Lions (1-0) to ignite their victorious season-opening efforts, as he posted a gritty 6-4, 6-1 win over Addison’s Fin Jacobson at third singles. Down in the doubles matches, the first doubles team of David Anderson and Michael Bidzerkowny collected a 6-3, 6-2 victory, while Jonah Mac and Caydon Grimes delivered a 6-1, 6-2 win to bring out the brooms for the hosts and help clinch the match victory.

The Lions nearly saw a fourth win develop in the first singles match featuring Adam Iantorno pinned against Addison’s Nick Wright. It would witness two different tiebreaks develop in their three-set match. Iantorno navigated his way through the first of two 7-6 set victories with a strong 7-2 tiebreak decision to garner the first upper hand.

Soon after, control went in Wright’s favor in the next two sets of play, as he posted wins of 6-4 and 7-3 in the third-set 7-6 tiebreak to rally from behind and claim victory.

Caleb Abbott added Addison’s second victory of the match with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Wellsville’s Jeremiah Pensyl.

If weather cooperates, the Lions hit the road Thursday night for a 5 p.m. visit to powerhouse Alfred-Almond.

Singles

1. Nick Wright (ADD) def. Adam Iantorno (WLSV), 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

2. Caleb Abbott (ADD) def. Jeremiah Pensyl (WLSV), 7-5, 6-1.

3. Wheeler Dahlgren (WLSV) def. Fin Jacobson (ADD), 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles

1. David Anderson/Michael Bidzerkowny (WLSV) def. Alex Dubois/John Clark (ADD), 6-3, 6-2.

2. Jonah Mac/Caydon Grimes (WLSV) def. Jason Zheng/Jax Donley (ADD), 6-1, 6-2.