Monday Roundup: Barkley, Zilker combine to twirl 1-hit shutout for B-R to open season with 10-0 blank of C-S; Vogel fans 10 to start Wellsville’s Class B title defense with win at A-L
BOLIVAR — There was plenty of magic to go around last Spring when the Bolivar-Richburg Wolverines mounted and rode their high horses all the way back to Binghamton for the first time in 10 years on the baseball diamond.
Now after another remarkable postseason run on the hardwood has officially entered the school’s history books as one of monumental eminence, the hope for the Wolverines is that their recent success this past winter translates to their reintroduction to the great outdoors, starting with Opening Day on Monday on their home confines for the first time as defending Class C State Semifinalists.
One of those key pieces to the puzzle for the Wolverines was senior Landon Barkley. After a memorable final season leading the charge for the team indoors, he was then given the ball nearly a month later as Bolivar-Richburg’s starting pitcher against Campbell-Savona on the final day of March.
The momentum for the Wolverines did not slow down one bit.
Alongside Braden Zilker later on in the contest, Barkley pieced together a phenomenal outing for the Wolverines on the hill, as the two hurlers combined to hold the visiting Panthers to just one hit while collecting a combined four themselves at the plate out of Bolivar-Richburg’s eight total along the way, setting up shop for what was a 10-0 season-opening shutout.
The Wolverines (1-0) jumped the gun early against Campbell-Savona with some key special teams play, beginning with a three-run first at-bats — their first off heads-up baserunning from Landon Barkley at third base after a ball was propelled into the outfield on an attempted throwdown. A passed ball behind the plate along with an RBI put-out from the bat of Charlie Millitello helped finish off the team’s anchoring of a 3-0 lead over Campbell-Savona.
After both teams came up empty in the second inning, Bolivar-Richburg resumed play with two more big runs, both of which stemming off the bat of Mason Baldwin and his two-run single into shallow right field. The team’s big third inning sequence served as a momentum builder going forward into the final three innings of play, where they put the game on ice with five more runs to force an early end to the contest on their way to win No. 1 on the campaign.
Barkley was awarded the victory on the rubber for the hosts in black and red, as he went the first five innings with three strikeouts. Zilker closed the door on Bolivar-Richburg’s win in relief, adding one more strikeout in the team’s combined one-hitter. At the plate, Barkley led the bats with a perfect 3-for-3 outing with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Maddox Davison had two hits, including a double, and one run scored.
Adding more damage was Ryder Iantorno, who also chipped in two RBI of his own along with a run scored. Tavyn MacDonell scored three runs.
Bolivar-Richburg will now sail into Wednesday night for their next battle back on their home field, as they host Friendship/Scio at 5 p.m.
Campbell-Savona 000 000 — 0 1 3
Bolivar-Richburg 302 122 — 10 8 0
C-S – Liam Maddock (LP) (5K, 6BB), Rece Jamison (3) (3K, 2BB), Chace Priset (6) and Lucas Corey.
B-R – Landon Barkley (WP) (3K), Braden Zilker (6) (K) and Ryder Iantorno.
Wellsville 7, Allegany-Limestone 2
ALLEGANY — The defending Class B Champions of Section V saw a complete team effort unravel across their first road trip of the young campaign on Monday. Despite the chilly conditions during their visit to the Swamp at Allegany-Limestone, the Lions of Wellsville were on fire right from the start.
Led by stellar pitching provided by Ty Vogel, along with some aid in relief from both Trent Green and Gavin Haggerty, the defensive efforts allowed the Lions to shift the firepower to the plate, where they commenced the festivities with a 4-0 lead they never lost against the Gators to warrant a 7-2 road victory to kick off their title defense on the right foot.
“I was very happy with the start of the season,” Lions coach Tom Delahunt said. “It's difficult playing in weather and temperatures like this. But we battled through it and had some really quality pitching to go with it with 18 strikeouts. We hit the ball pretty well too and reached the bases well, although we left some runners on base. It was a complete team effort every way you look at it. We did just enough to pick up the win in the end.”
Despite the Lions (1-0) starting the contest with a 1-0 lead following their opening at-bats, the Gators fired right back with a vast amount of pressure against Vogel and the Wellsville defense in the field with an immediate loading of the bases. The Lions defense was able to exit the jam unscathed with their senior star on the rubber, as he rebounded with a pair of strikeouts in the midst of their first three-out sequence.
The offense then built off their resilient finish to the opening frame with two big hits off the bats of Vogel and Aiden Cowburn, along with the addition of some big baserunning, adding three more runs in the top half of the second to lock up a 4-0 lead on the Gators.
After a fanning of the side by Vogel in the third, the Lions kept firing on all cylinders with six more unanswered runs in the middle frames. Their first coming in the top of the fourth off an Anthony Button RBI, all before adding two more runs in the sixth off two more huge hits from Cowburn and Vogel.
Allegany-Limestone would put an end to Wellsville’s potential shutout bid in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs off just one hit at the plate, but the door was ultimately slammed shut from any further activity behind three big strikeouts from Green in relief.
Vogel led the way on the mound through the first four innings for the Lions, garnering the win with 10 strikeouts and two walks while allowing just two hits. Green and Gavin Haggerty combined to hand out eight more strikeouts, walking two along the way. At the plate, Cowburn and Matt Ritter each had two hits, with Ritter posting a triple, and Cowburn stealing four bases and scoring three runs.
Leading the bats for the Gators was eighth grader Tayden Margeson, who recorded a double.
Additional statistics and a complete box score were not made available to report upon publication.
Wellsville is back home for their home opener coming up on Thursday, hosting Bath-Haverling at 5 p.m.
Wellsville 130 102 0 – 7
Allegany-Limestone 000 002 0 – 2
Genesee Valley/Belfast 17, Hinsdale 1 (F-5)
BELFAST — An absolutely sterling display of pitching from Ethan Davenport, along with a fiery bat belonging to Ben Cater were just two of the ingredients the Genesee Valley/Belfast boys brewed together for season-opening success at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast on Monday, as the hosts in black kicked the tires on a gigantic 17-1 five-inning victory over visiting Hinsdale.
Everything was clicking on all fronts across the board for Genesee Valley/Belfast (1-0) in their first game out on the diamond, as they used a 17-run, nine-hit display of offense to set up shop on one front — 11 of those runs coming in the bottom of the first to ultimately dismantle the floodgates from that point onwards with an advantage they never relinquished.
From within those efforts at the plate, the mighty bat of Cater was unleashed to lead the way on the attack, as he went 3-for-4 with a triple, double and six total RBI. Trent Hutchison added two hits, including a double of his own, pairing them with two additional RBI. Damon Davis, Derek Calanni and Ryan Daciw all had a hit each to pitch in.
As for Davenport on the hill, he was sublime through all five innings of work in his first game with Genesee Valley/Belfast, holding Hinsdale (0-1) to a single hit — a Tim Ribble double in the top of the first inning, fanning a dozen Bobcats while walking just one to score the victory.
The Bobcats will hit the road once again tonight for a 5 p.m. visit to Cuba-Rushford.
Coming up Saturday morning, if weather permits, Genesee Valley/Belfast will host their annual Early Bird Tournament with a first round battle against the Elba Lancers beginning at 11 a.m. right back at the Rich Sullivan Complex.
Hinsdale 1 00 00 — 1 1 2
Genesee Valley/Belfast (11)02 4X — 17 9 0
HIN – Chris Forney (LP) (K, 8BB), Tim Ribble (1) (2K, 6BB), Jackson Jones (4) (K, BB) and Caleb Elliott.
GVB – Ethan Davenport (WP) (CG, 12K, BB) and Donivan Fields.
SOFTBALL
Genesee Valley/Belfast 12, Hinsdale 0 (F-6)
BELFAST — Hannah Southwick-Powers was simply lights out for the Genesee Valley/Belfast ladies in their first term of the Spring season on Monday, as the senior star hurler allowed just three runners on base in the midst of a dominant 12-strikeout performance against the visiting Lady Bobcats of Hinsdale, headlining the evening with a 12-0 shutout for victory No. 1 on the campaign.
The damage for Genesee Valley/Belfast (1-0) came right out of the gate with five straight runs across a two-inning sequence — three of which served as the game’s genesis during their first at-bats at the dish. Along with some key baserunning, the hosts in black collected a pair of big RBI from both Morgan Yackeren and Madison Tarar to help open the scoring with a 3-0 lead on their visiting opposition.
In the second, the momentum carried on for Genesee Valley/Belfast behind the bat of Yackeren once more, as she delivered a big two-run smack to right center field to score both Keanna Sands and Hannah Southwick-Powers to branch out their advantage.
After the next two innings saw no more than four hitters approach the plate on each side, including a fanning of the order by Southwick-Powers in the top of the fifth, the hosts went on to put a game-ending exclamation point across the final two frames, all generated by special teams, scoring the last seven runs off heads-up baserunning to force an early end to the contest due to the new implementation of the 12-run rule.
Genesee Valley/Belfast totaled 12 runs off seven hits at the plate, with Madison Tarar and her 3-for-4 outing charging the bats, as she finished with two RBI and three runs scored. Morgan Yackeren also had three RBI total, while Southwick-Powers finished with two hits and three more runs scored.
Hinsdale (0-1) saw Amaya Russell collect their lone hit in the top of the second, as she posted a single. On the mound, Jen Tuttle went the distance with three strikeouts and 10 walks. The Lady Bobcats will turn around and hit the road for Cuba-Rushford tonight at 5 p.m.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will also have a quick turnaround tonight back in Belfast, as they play host to Andover/Whitesville in a 5 p.m. first pitch at the Rich Sullivan Complex.
Hinsdale 000 000 — 0 1 0
Genesee Valley/Belfast 320 052 — 12 7 1
HIN – Jen Tuttle (LP) (CG, 3K, 10BB) and Jaylynn Wade.
GVB – Hannah Southwick-Powers (WP) (CG, 12K, BB) and Jenna Hill.
Allegany-Limestone 13, Bolivar-Richburg 3
ALLEGANY — Although the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg broke the ice first to start their season back outdoors on Monday, the response they received in return from host Allegany-Limestone was multiplied insurmountably, as the Lady Gators took an early 2-0 deficit and turned it inside out going forward, setting the bar by rattling off 13 straight runs to coast away towards victory by a 13-3 count in the Swamp.
The bats for the Lady Wolverines (0-1) were working out of the gate despite falling into a two-out hole against the Lady Gators. With two runs aboard, the visitors made the most of the opportunity with Kylee Whiting supplying a big two-run double, scoring both Jayna Thomas and Sydney Faulkner on the play to grant an early two-run lead against the hosts in black and green.
But from the bottom half of the frame onwards, Bolivar-Richburg would remain frozen, as Allegany-Limestone went on to post seven straight runs across the next two innings, going ahead of the Lady Wolverines with a three-spot in a first at-bat sequence that was powered by a massive RBI triple off the bat of Abby Peck.
The Lady Gators added to their lead with four more runs off special teams in the second inning before the offense came alive down the stretch to put the game away for good with six additional runs in their last three terms of offense.
The Lady Wolverines assembled three runs off six hits at the plate, with Kylee Whiting’s 3-for-4 outing helping lead the charge. On the mound, Rylee Whiting went the first five innings in the circle, striking out one and walking four.
Bolivar-Richburg will look to rebound back home at Stan Harris Field in Richburg on Wednesday, hosting Friendship/Scio at 5 p.m.
Bolivar-Richburg 200 000 1 — 3 6 4
Allegany-Limestone 340 213 X — 13 7 0
B-R – Rylee Whiting (LP) (K, 4BB), Kylee Whiting (6) (3K, 4BB) and Sydney Faulkner.
A-L – Kailey Truman (WP) (CG, 6K, 4BB) and Peyton Truman.
GOLF
Cuba-Rushford vs Canisteo-Greenwood at Twin Hickory - No report.
