Saturday Roundup: Fillmore rallies back after early deficit, score 5 unanswered to record impressive win at Ark/Can; Wellsville softball clinches Class B2’s top seed in win over Bishop Kearney

ARKPORT — They continue to inch closer and closer towards clinching Class D1’s top seed going into Sectionals around the corner. With stellar performances across the board all this week and into the last, it’s safe to say that the defending D1 champion Eagles of Fillmore have found their stride.

Saturday afternoon brought forth another challenge from Arkport/Canaseraga, who fought tooth and nail with the Eagles until the end in their last battle in the last week of April. The Wolves succumbed to a late stage comeback after originally taking a 3-1 lead into the last two innings in Fillmore.

They say that history tends to repeat itself. For the Eagles, they would do it again to the Wolves.

Down by one after three complete innings, the rally was on. Starting in the top of the fourth and going until the end, the Eagles fought all the way back with five unanswered runs to take the lead away from Arkport/Canaseraga. In the midst of the offensive resurgence, Damon Potter would keep the hosts in black and teal at bay across five dominant, shutout innings to help record a 5-1 win, sweeping the season series.

The Eagles (12-1) had to fight their way back from being down 1-0 to the Wolves early on after two innings. After a switch to the mound from Mitch Ward to Damon Potter, the visitors in green and black would feed off the momentum Potter provided in relief, as he went on to shut down Arkport/Canaseraga across five shutout innings.

In turn, the offense came alive with a game-tying run in the top of the fourth before Ward himself delivered a go-ahead RBI single into the outfield to break the door open on a three-run fifth inning that gave them the lead for good, cruising towards a season-series sweep.

The Fillmore pitching duo of Ward and Potter held the Wolves to just two hits in the game, with Potter scoring the win behind nine strikeouts and four walks, while Ward countered with five strikeouts and three walks of his own during his start. As for the offense, they collected eight hits, with Brent Zubikowski laying the lumber down on a 3-for-4 outing at the dish, which included a double. Aiden Wagner added two hits and drove in a pair of runs, while Zach Sisson had a hit.

Arkport/Canaseraga’s hits were collected by both Briar Drake and Logan Hoyt, each recording a single. On the mound, Hoyt went the first four innings, fanning five and walking two.

The Eagles are back on the road to Andover on Monday, as they pay a 6 p.m. visit to Andover/Whitesville.

Fillmore 000 130 1 – 5 8 1

Arkport/Canaseraga 010 000 0 – 1 2 2

FIL – Mitch Ward (5K, 3BB), Damon Potter (WP, 3) (9K, 4BB) and Nolan Krzeminski.

A/C – Logan Hoyt (5K, 2BB), Micah Marvin (LP, 5) (3K, 2BB) and Briar Drake.

Wellsville 12, Red Jacket 3

SHORTSVILLE — It took some time for both teams to fire up their engines on Saturday, but for one team when the engine kicked on, there was no turning back.

The Lions of Wellsville navigated their way back into the win column during their road trip to Red Jacket, as they broke the ice with the game’s first nine runs, setting a tone that the host Indians could not match as time went on, as they strolled towards an eventual 12-3 victory to close out the week of action on a positive footnote.

After both starting pitchers, Gavin Haggerty and Johnathon Hegarty worked their respective teams through a pair of scoreless innings, the runs then began to filter in. For the Lions (7-10), strung together a strong third inning to open the game up, scratching off four enormous runs to use as a tone-setting inning against Red Jacket.

The frame would allow Wellsville to go on and net nine straight runs from that point forward, recording a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go with their last unanswered runs later on in the sixth. Red Jacket would respond for the first time during the battle in the bottom half of the sixth, breaking through Haggerty’s grasp with their three lone runs to cut the deficit to six.

But in the seventh, the Lions were able to match that with another mean right hook that would serve as the final blow to the Indians, branching their lead back out to where it originally was to keep them off their coattails permanently.

The Lions totaled 12 runs off nine total hits at the plate, with Cooper Brockway (three runs), Trenton Green (double, two RBI) and Gavin Haggerty (RBI) all charging the bats with a pair of hits each. Andrew Ordway drove in two more additional runs along the way to further the team’s cause. On the mound, Haggerty went all seven innings, handing out six chairs and walking three.

Wellsville is back on the road for the first of two meetings against Cuba-Rushford in three games, as they prepare to take on the Rebels in a 5 p.m. first pitch on Monday.

Wellsville 004 221 3 – 12 9 5

Red Jacket 000 003 0 – 3 8 4

WLSV – Gavin Haggerty (WP) (CG, 6K, 3BB) and Matt Ritter.

RJ – Johnathon Hegarty (LP) (2K, 4BB), Leah Batterson (4) (K, 2BB), Liam Trick (7) (K, 3BB) and Jack McHugh.

Alfred-Almond 4, Genesee Valley/Belfast 0

BELFAST — Like the previous meeting between Alfred-Almond and Genesee Valley/Belfast back in late April, Nolan Tormey was at his absolute best once again for the visiting Eagles on Saturday, as he delivered another phenomenal performance to keep the opposition off the board permanently, fanning 14 and walking just one in the team’s 4-0 shutout at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast.

“It came down to the first inning. We just couldn’t find a way to handle it. The Tormey kid had it again against us. You tip your hat to thim, he had great control all game to keep us off balance,” said GV/Belfast coach Kevin Scott. “He stymied us. We couldn’t get our bats on the ball. This one hurts, and we have to look to rebound after the weekend so we can head into Sectionals on a better note.”

All four of the Eagles’ runs came in the first inning of play, as they struck while the iron was hot in a big way. Two of those runs would come off one swing provided by Brogan Donlon, smacking a single into the outfield to help break it open. The rest would lie on the shoulders of Tormey, as he went toe-to-toe with Ryan Daciw, who provided an outstanding outing of relief for Genesee Valley/Belfast (6-8).

Daciw wound up finishing with nine strikeouts and just one walk, tossing six shutout innings along the way.

The Genesee Valley/Belfast was allowed only three hits at the plate by Tormey, with Matt Cater’s double leading the way. Garrett Miller and Max Wedge each recorded a single. For Alfred-Almond, they scored five hits, two from Nathan Munson.

Genesee Valley/Belfast will look to bounce back down the road in the Jungle in Belmont, as they prepare for another home tussle, this time against Friendship/Scio in a 5 p.m. first pitch, Monday night.

Alfred-Almond 400 000 0 – 4 5 1

Genesee Valley/Belfast 000 000 0 – 0 3 2

A-A – Nolan Tormey (WP) (CG, 14K, BB) and Nathan Munson.

GVB – Garrett Miller (LP) (K, 2BB), Ryan Daciw (1) (9K, BB) and Evan Turybury.

Cuba-Rushford 12, Andover/Whitesville 1 (F-5)

CUBA — Saturday morning was the perfect time to author some no-hit fever. For Jacob Smith, that was his story to tell for the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford over the road, as he held host Andover/Whitesville at a complete standstill at the plate despite giving up a run, scoring one of his best games of the season in the team’s 12-1 win after five innings.

“It’s kind of neat to see a no-hitter. Jake had command and attacked hitters, and pitched to contact to let the defense do their job,” Rebels coach Pat Wight said. “He pitched great and he threw a ton of strikes. He didn’t walk anyone and he had very few three-ball counts. The defense played really well behind him. Offensively, we jumped out and hit the ball hard to get the start we wanted. We had solid bats all around, and we played well.”

The Rebels (11-6) were on the button early in their first outing at the plate, plating five of their 12 runs off four swings that produced an RBI, with Braeden Wight and Finn Ricketts delivering the first punch with theirs in back-to-back fashion, with Wight scoring Smith on a single, and Ricketts plating Wight on a double.

Andover/Whitesville (4-9) found their way onto the board off Cuba-Rushford’s only error in the game, as Landon Cook ultimately used a fielder’s choice to his advantage to score CJ Estep, trimming the deficit down to four.

But despite climbing aboard, no more offense was produced by the hosts, as Smith went back to work and buckled down the team’s victory with a no-hit performance, fanning six batters in all to do so. As for the Rebels offense themselves, they scored 12 runs off 12 total hits, with Smith and Ricketts leading the bats with a pair. Smith would record a triple and score three times, while Ricketts totaled three RBI. Braeden Wight added in a hit, driving in two and scoring two more runs.

On the mound for the hosts, Estep went the first four innings, fanning one and walking two.

Both teams are back in action Monday night on their home fields, as Cuba-Rushford heads back home to welcome in Wellsville for a 5 p.m. first pitch, while Andover/Whitesville gets set for battle with red hot Fillmore at 6 p.m. in Andover.

Cuba-Rushford 500 16 – 12 12 1

Andover/Whitesville 100 00 – 1 0 2

C-R – Jacob Smith (WP) (CG, 6K) and Dean Frank.

A/W – CJ Estep (LP) (K, 2BB), Skyler Orpet (5) (K, 4BB), Brody Vance (5) and Colton Calladine.

SOFTBALL

B-R slowed by Pitt-Sutherland, scorch past Aquinas in Waterloo Consolation

WATERLOO — The Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg were tasked with some of their most fierce competition of the season, Saturday afternoon on a lengthy road trip up north to Waterloo, where they partook in the Lady Tigers’ annual Strike Out Cancer Tournament.

The chance to compete in perhaps their toughest doubleheader in their season, would come at perhaps the most perfect of times — right before Sectionals, as they aimed to continue furthering their momentum shift into their title defense in Class C2 tournament. At the end of the day, the Lady Wolverines would perform a split of the action, falling to Class A superpower Pittsford-Sutherland in the opening round before rebounding in a big way to end their tenure strong with a dominant finish against Aquinas in the Consolation round.

In game one, Pittsford-Sutherland wasted no time getting the early hop of Bolivar-Richburg, as they used a three-run blast off the bat of Julianna Lyons — one of two she would hit off Malayna Ayers in the game, to set the tone right away from within an eight-run first inning. Tia Lehtonen would add to the damage later on with a two-run triple to complete the massive offensive outburst for the Lady Knights.

The Lady Wolverines would score two of their three runs in the bottom half of the first off a two-run blast from Ayers — her 10th of the season, to trim the deficit down. But it would ultimately prove to be too much to overcome, as the Lady Knights added five more runs across the next two innings, including back-to-back homers from Julianna and Gabrielle Lyons in the third inning to solidify their trip to the championship game.

Bolivar-Richburg was held to six hits, with Rylee Whiting leading the way with two hits. On the mound, Ayers went the distance behind three strikeouts and eight walks.

Although the Lady Wolverines fell victim to one of the top Class A schools, their rebound in the Consolation game was one that allowed them to end the day on a positive note, as they used a 10-run second inning against Aquinas to build a lead they never looked back on, coasting past the Lady Lil Irish with a 22-3 win after six innings.

Eight different Lady Wolverines (15-2) all recorded at least a pair of hits at the plate, with Ayers chiming in with four hits. Haley Mascho, Rylee Whiting and Jayna Thomas collecting three hits, while Madigan Harris, McKinlee Harris, Allie Zilker and Madison Carney all posted two hits.

In all, 24 hits were accounted for by the Bolivar-Richburg offense.

The tone was set immediately in their first term at the plate off Madigan Harris’ two-run blast to help produce a 4-0 lead on Aquinas. Later on, the damage would soon be done, as they posted 10 more runs to solidify their lead, led by a series of RBIs, as well as perhaps the biggest one of them all — a bases-clearing triple to the outfield by Mascho.

With the big hit in her back pocket, Mascho would add the team’s victory from within the circle, as she twirled a phenomenal gem consisting of 12 strikeouts.

The Lady Wolverines are back on the road again Monday night, this time in a 5 p.m. visit to Avoca/Prattsburgh.

First Round

Pittsford-Sutherland 814 000 1 – 14 9 1

Bolivar-Richburg 200 010 0 – 3 6 3

P-S – Madeline Ward (WP) (CG, 3K) and Alexandra Sippel.

B-R – Malayna Ayers (LP) (CG, 3K, 8BB) and Madigan Harris.

Consolation

Bolivar-Richburg 4(10)0 125 – 22 24 2

Aquinas 0 1 2 000 – 3 6 7

B-R – Haley Mascho (WP) (CG, 12K) and Madigan Harris.

AQU – McKenna Verhagen (LP) (CG, 6BB) and Riley Madigan.

Wellsville 11, Bishop Kearney 2

ROCHESTER — A night removed after another challenging fight was deposited into the win column, the Lady Lions would ensure that the momentum continued on into Sectionals for their Class B2 title defense, as they traveled north to visit Bishop Kearney and left town victorious with their final win of the regular season, rolling towards an 11-2 win over the Lady Kings on Saturday.

The Lady Lions (17-1) provided an outstanding performance on all fronts against Bishop Kearney, with eight different batters all recording at least two hits in the midst of the team’s 18-hit barrage. After going up by a 3-1 count through the first three innings of play, the visitors in orange and black continued to add onto their lead to ensure its security, as they went on to score eight of the last nine runs, including a six-run top of the sixth to put it away for good.

Leading the bats were Brazen Beckwith and Emma Dunaway, both recorded three hits each. Sawyer Burke, Averee Palmatier, Natalie Adams, Makenzie Cowburn and Makenna Dunbar all furthered the team’s cause with two hits. On the mound, the win belonged to Dunbar after a dominant performance, fanning 13 Bishop Kearney batters and walking five.

“Overall we played well today. We swung the bats well against a very good pitcher. I’m looking forward to the playoffs.” said Lady Lions coach Matt Burke.

Wellsville has put a ribbon in their regular season, as they officially laid claim to Class B2’s top seed for a second straight year, finishing with a record of 17-1 overall.

Wellsville 030 116 0 – 11 18 1

Bishop Kearney 001 000 1 – 2 4 2

WLSV – Makenna Dunbar (WP) (CG, 13K, 5BB) and Lindsay Stuck.

BK – Carmella Phalan (LP) (CG, 4K, 2BB) and Alaina Ruffino.

Cuba-Rushford 7, Campbell-Savona 1

CUBA — All the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford needed was the game’s opening sequences. The bats would come alive to put them on the board first, but in the midst of the offensive success, Jordyn Radomski and Sydney Howard came together to record a combined no-hit victory against visiting Campbell-Savona, as they strolled towards a 7-1 home victory Saturday afternoon.

“We definitely play at our best when we find a way to start out hot. We had some big hits from through for us today to go with some excellent pitching on the mound from Jordyn and Sydney. We hope to use this to help us continue moving in the right direction.” said Lady Rebels coach Mary Keesler.

Out of the seven runs they would scratch across the plate, Cuba-Rushford (9-7) took advantage of the opportunity masterfully by playing six runs in the first two innings. It would start with a quick icebreaker during the team’s opening at-bats, collecting a 2-0 lead on the Lady Panthers right away. From that point, they constructed more on top of the foundation they had surfaced below them, using big days from Taylor Searle and Aubrey Williams at the plate to conduct a four-run service in the second to push their lead insurmountably.

As the offense continued to fire on all cylinders, the defense rested on the shoulders on Radomski and Howard, who allowed just one run to come across in the top of the fifth, handing out a combined 11 strikeouts to Campbell-Savona. Radomski would record the victory through her start that expanded across five innings of play, as she shelled out six strikeouts.

Searle and Williams would each record three hits to pace the Lady Rebels offense, with Williams bat being the biggest of the bunch, posting two triples, a double, one RBI and two runs scored. Searle would add two more runs across the plate herself, while Arlah Shaffer drove in a pair of runs and scored one of her own.

Cuba-Rushford will look to continue the momentum after the weekend, as they prepare to welcome in Bolivar-Richburg for a 5 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday.

Campbell-Savona 000 010 0 – 1 0 3

Cuba-Rushford 240 010 X – 7 10 5

C-S – Jenna Machuga (CG, 9K) and Hannah DeMong.

C-R – Jordyn Radomski (WP) (6K), Sydney Howard (6) (5K) and Arlah Shaffer.

Fillmore 23, Arkport/Canaseraga 12

ARKPORT — In a game that saw both Fillmore and Arkport/Canaseraga combine to record 35 runs, the fireworks started early with the Lady Eagles taking a one-run lead after three complete innings. Then the jets were turned up even more, as the visitors in black went on to account for at least three runs in the last four innings, pulling away from the Lady Wolves in an all-out offensive war by a 23-12 count.

The Lady Eagles (6-10) were able to strike first with a 6-0 lead out of the gate before it was narrowed down in the bottom of the second by Arkport/Canaseraga, as they trimmed the deficit down to a single run with their first five runs. The score would remain as such after a scoreless third inning before meeting in a one-run game once more, as each team exchanged a six-run fourth inning to make it a 12-11 Fillmore lead.

But the top half of the frame helped Fillmore in a big way, as the eruption continued all the way to the end, as they wound up recording 17 of the last 18 runs in the remaining four innings of action, while the defense held Arkport/Canaseraga off the board.

The win would belong to Mylee Miller for the Lady Eagles, as she went the distance with three strikeouts and four walks. At the plate, Mattie McCumiskey and Oakley Frazier each recorded four hits, while Miller had three hits. Grace Russell had two hits.

The Lady Wolves were led by Grace Groves and Summer Marcus, as they each tallied two hits. Groves fanned two and walked three in her start across three innings.

Fillmore is back on the field in Whitesville on Monday, as they travel to visit Andover/Whitesville for a 5 p.m. first pitch.

Fillmore 330 644 3 – 23 19 4

Arkport/Canaseraga 050 610 0 – 12 10 0

FIL – Mylee Miller (WP) (CG, 3K, 4BB) and Oakley Frazier.

A/C – Grace Groves (2K, 3BB), Autumn Frechette (4) (2K, 5BB) and Gabriella Shay, McKenzie Duthoy (4).

BOYS TENNIS

Fillmore competes at Class B4 Individual Sectionals at Pitt-Mendon

PITTSFORD — The opportunity to garner some hardware had arrived at Pittsford-Mendon for the Eagles of Fillmore, Saturday afternoon. Allegany County’s unbeatens would see the first doubles team of Joe Derck and Jack Boon make it all the way to the very end towards championship contention.

After a tough battle in the finals match, they would ultimately succumb to eventual champions Matthew Lincoln and Landon Gleichauf of Naples, who claimed glory for a second straight season, in a 10-5 decision. But the duo, along with first singles quarterfinalist Eben Schilke would record trips to the State Qualifier match next weekend.

“Eben had a tough day. He just never seemed to find his rhythm. I’m proud of him for bouncing back and winning his last two to finish third. That’s not always easy,” said Eagles coach Randy Crouch. “Joe and Jack played some of their best tennis of their season. They got ahead early against the defending champions, but ran out of gas towards the end. It was a great day for them.”

Derck and Boon’s journey began in the Round of 16, where they would take full advantage of the opportunity with a strong 10-1 win over Elba’s Amelia Brewer and Kathrine Madsen. They would then claim a spot in the quarterfinal round, where they would once more string together another dominant performance against Notre Dame-Batavia’s Chance King and Riley Yunker, taking the 10-2 victory to punch their ticket to the Semifinals.

In it, Derck and Boon would then receive the next punch on their Individual Sectional ticket directed towards the finals with a 10-3 win over Ian Kenney and Colin Kenney of Naples. But Fillmore’s dynamic first doubles duo would ultimately fall victim to the defending champions in Lincoln and Gleichauf, as they took the five-point decision.

Eben Schilke would also navigate his way towards State Qualifier next week with a third place finish after an impressive comeback through the playback bracket after falling out of the Quarterfinal stage in a difficult challenge presented by Terry Bayly-Henshaw of Wheatland-Chili, as he rebounded with wins over Honeoye’s Ethan Le (10-4) in the Semifinals, and Notre Dame-Batavia’s Ronin Hufmaster (10-5) in the Finals.

Fillmore will resume regular season play upon their return home, beginning on Tuesday at Houghton University with a 5 p.m. first serve against Bolivar-Richburg.