Friday Roundup: Wellsville tennis shines in season debut with 3-2 win over A-A; Franklinville topples game-long deficit, scratch across 3 7th inning runs to complete rally against Lady Wolverines
WELLSVILLE — Grabbing that all important first victory right out of the gate is not an easy task by any means. For the Wellsville boys tennis team against one of Section V’s best in Alfred-Almond, their season-opening matchup on Friday in the Lion’s Den was direct evidence of that.
Despite the visiting Eagles claiming two tough victories in the singles department, it was a complete sweep of both doubles matches alongside a third singles win for Jeremiah Pensyl that helped ignite Wellsville’s first night back outdoors for the Spring in victorious style, as they squeezed their way towards a razor-thin 3-2 decision.
Pensyl was the lone competitor in singles competition to register a victory for the Lions (1-0), as he started with a dominant first set victory and kept it glued together to record a 6-1, 6-3 decision over Alfred-Almond’s Gabe Fioretto.
To finish off the match win, Wellsville took complete command in thrilling fashion across both doubles matches, with the first doubles team of Liam Smith and Caydon Grimes collecting a close 6-4, 6-3 edge over Caleb Diaz and Luca Reginio, while the second doubles duo of Brayden Ketchner and Ben Germain-Tardieu cashed in on a marvelous and resilient 6-4, 6-4 win over Leon Beaudry and Jamison Snyder.
Alfred-Almond claimed a pair of singles victories from both Patrick Power and Will Lawrence at first and second singles, respectively. With Power outlasting Wellsville’s Wheeler Dahlgren across all three sets to claim a comeback victory.
The Lions will return to their home court Tuesday night to host the Eagles of Fillmore at 5 p.m.
Singles
1. Patrick Power (A-A) def. Wheeler Dahlgren (WLSV), 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
2. Will Lawrence (A-A) def. Michael Bidzerkowny (WLSV), 6-3, 6-3.
3. Jeremiah Pensyl (WLSV) def. Gabe Fioretto (A-A), 6-1, 6-3.
Doubles
1. Liam Smith/Caydon Grimes (WLSV) def. Caleb Diaz/Luca Reginio (A-A), 6-4, 6-3.
2. Brayden Ketchner/Ben Germain-Tardieu (WLSV) def. Leon Beaudry/Jamison Snyder (A-A), 6-4, 6-4.
SOFTBALL
Franklinville 6, Bolivar-Richburg 5
RICHBURG — The balance of power can shift many directions in the game of softball, acting as an element that usually will settle in right at the beginning of the game. For the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg on Friday, they were entangled in one of those very battles against Franklinville back on their home turf at Stan Harris Field in Richburg.
Through the first four innings between both teams, the advantage on the scoreboard changed hands three different times, with the Lady Wolverines forcing the latter of the trio into the homestretch of battle. But on the other side of the field, the momentum began to rise again for the visiting Lady Panthers, who used a dynamic fanning of the Bolivar-Richburg side to set up shop for an incredible finish straight to the finish line.
How about a comeback victory?
Trailing by a 5-3 count going into their final term at the plate, Franklinville made the most of the opportunity and kissed their deficit goodbye with trio of runs to flip the game completely on its head, as they went on to secure the comeback victory with next to no wiggle room left to work with, locking down what was a 6-5 victory to spoil Bolivar-Richburg’s home opener.
Before Franklinville provided the game’s biggest bounce back, the Lady Wolverines (0-2) were the first to strike almost immediately during their first term at the plate, with Teegan Sibble and Jayna Thomas going back-to-back with a couple of singles to reach base. The next two hitters at the dish — Kylee Whiting and Sydney Faulkner, both posted an RBI to break the ice on the scoreboard, with Faulkner registering a one-out double to grant a 2-0 lead for the hosts.
In return, the Lady Panthers bounced right back with three unanswered runs to take their first lead of the game, cutting their deficit in half in the second inning before using their base-running capabilities in the top of the third to carry a 3-2 advantage. In the bottom of the fourth, another lead change was dished out by the Lady Wolverines, deadlocking the game at three on a lead-off Cassidy Stives home run before taking the lead behind special teams play once again.
Stives was also responsible for Bolivar-Richburg’s fifth and final RBI of the game, as she allowed Kylee Whiting to score during her term at the dish. Although they now faced a two-run deficit to make up for going down the stretch, it was no problem for Franklinville, who utilized a giant fanning of the side in the bottom of the sixth to put towards changing the complexion of the game completely.
The Lady Panthers officially went on to springboard ahead of the Lady Wolverines with the game’s last three runs from the top of the order, as they used three hits and three walks to strike the game-winning match while holding the hosts to a short final term at the plate along the way.
Bolivar-Richburg totaled five runs off seven total hits on the attack, with Teegan Sibble and Jayna Thomas each paving the way forward with a pair of hits. In the circle, Sommer Beckwith went the distance behind seven strikeouts and eight walks.
The Lady Wolverines will look to bounce back on Monday, visiting the Lady Eagles of Fillmore in a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Franklinville 012 000 3 — 6 6 1
Bolivar-Richburg 200 210 0 — 5 7 2
FRA – Grace Cornell (WP) (CG, 6K) and Mya Sullivan.
B-R – Sommer Beckwith (LP) (CG, 7K, 8BB) and Sydney Faulkner.
Avoca-Prattsburgh 5, Genesee Valley/Belfast 2
AVOCA — To say that Genesee Valley/Belfast and Avoca-Prattsburgh were stride for stride with one another across their Friday night battle, would be an understatement to say the least. Each time the Genesee Valley/Belfast ladies scored, the host Lady Titans bounced right back and provided a massive response in return to keep the playing surface level.
But down the stretch, the tide was turned. With immense thanks stemming off a pair of massive special teams plays in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lady Titans made their final at-bats of the night worthwhile, as they pulled ahead of Genesee Valley/Belfast one last time. That, while the defense in turn forced a rapid conclusion to the battle in the field shortly after to finish off what was a 5-2 home victory.
Both teams assembled quite a conflict through the first three innings of play, with Genesee Valley/Belfast (2-1) finding their way onto the scoreboard despite a short inning at the plate, as Hannah Southwick-Powers utilized some excellent base-running to work around the bases and then to home plate off an error to break the ice before Avoca-Prattsburgh responded in similar fashion in the bottom half of the opening frame, with Meyah Putnam delivering the game-tying run off a Genesee Valley/Belfast error.
After a scoreless frame that saw the Lady Titans put runners on base in the bottom of the second, the visitors in black responded by jumping back ahead and into the driver’s seat with their second and final run of the game.
But the advantage was short-lived, as Avoca-Prattsburgh took over the scoring for the remainder of the game, with Celine Switzer garnering a game-tying RBI single before the special teams efforts resurfaced down the stretch with their last three runs in the bottom of the sixth — one off an RBI fielder’s choice from Putnam and another off a sacrifice to right field by Payton Hopkins.
The Genesee Valley/Belfast offense saw no more than four batters approach the plate across all seven innings of play, as the Lady Titans battened down the hatches with a rapid fire 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to officially close out their victory. The offense generated just two hits to go with their pair of runs in the early stages of battle, with Southwick-Powers and Morgan Yackeren each posting a single.
In the circle, Southwick-Powers went the distance, striking out seven and walking five for the visitors.
Avoca-Prattsburgh saw Putnam claim the victory in the circle, as she fanned six and walked one in her twirled two-hit performance. She, as well as Brooke VanSkiver, led the bats with a pair, with VanSkiver driving a lead-off double in the bottom of the sixth.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will look to rebound back home Monday night at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast, as they host Cuba-Rushford at 7 p.m.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 101 000 0 — 2 2 1
Avoca-Prattsburgh 101 003 X — 5 6 2
GVB – Hannah Southwick-Powers (LP) (CG, 7K, 5BB) and Jenna Hill.
A-P – Meyah Putnam (WP) (CG, 6K, BB) and Ellie Harrell.
Don Jordan Memorial Tourney: Portville 6, Cuba-Rushford 4
PORTVILLE — The offenses brought the heat right out of the gate on Friday in Portville.
With a combined 10 runs being produced by both the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford and the host Lady Panthers, seven of them came immediately in the game’s opening sequences, with the Lady Rebels charging forward towards the early lead.
The response waiting on the other side was a big one for Portville, as they matched Cuba-Rushford’s offensive output and added one more on top of it to perform a changing of the guard that ultimately allowed the hosts in maroon to remain out in front, securing what became a 6-4 victory for the Lady Panthers to open up weekend tournament action.
Right off the bat, the Lady Rebels made no mistake in making their presence known to Portville, as the offense came together and assembled a rapid 3-0 lead. But just as quick as the visitors in blue and gray grabbed the advantage, the Lady Panthers were just as fast at claiming it themselves with a strong response during their first at-bats, one-upping the Lady Rebels with a four-run sequence of their own to claim an advantage they never lost again.
The Lady Rebels despite it, kept the pressure on the Lady Panthers until the very end, posting a humongous run in the top of the fourth to close the gap back down to a single run. But through it all, the hosts grabbed a major piece of insurance in the fifth inning while riding the coattails of a brilliant performance in the circle by Ella Warters, who went on to score the victory behind 13 strikeouts and two walks.
In all, Cuba-Rushford totaled four runs off three hits — two of them being doubles both delivered by Aubrey Williams and Claire Moyer, with Williams driving in a run in the process. On the mound, Lizzie Kocsis struck out four in her five innings of relief.
To finish off their tournament tenure, the Lady Rebels will return to Portville this morning, weather permitting, to face off against the Randolph Lady Cardinals at 11 a.m.
Cuba-Rushford 300 100 0 — 4 3 4
Portville 410 010 X — 6 4 4
C-R – Jordyn Radomski (LP) (K, 3BB), Lizzie Kocsis (2) (4K) and Arlah Shaffer.
PORT – Ella Warters (WP) (CG, 13K, 2BB) and Ella Zeigler.
Andover/Whitesville 16, Hinsdale 7
HINSDALE — The Andover/Whitesville ladies were on the rebound following a season-opening shutout to the hands of Genesee Valley/Belfast earlier this week. On Friday, their entrance into the weekend was one of victorious variety, as they jumped the gun early with a massive lead they never lost, despite additional pressure from host Hinsdale to ensure what was a 16-7 road win to score their first win of the campaign.
After both teams traded a scoreless inning, including a striking out of the side by Hinsdale’s Lily Bushnell to open the game, the Andover/Whitesville (1-1) bats came alive beginning in the top of the second with their first run, adding onto it a short time later with seven more runs in the top of the third, with an RBI single by Reece Winters and a two-run single from Julianna Phelps aiding in propelling the efforts towards the granting of an 8-0 lead over the Lady Bobcats.
The visitors ultimately eclipsed double figures for the contest in the fourth inning courtesy of a gigantic two-run blast off the bat of Olivia Waters. But the home run did not faze Hinsdale (0-3) and their ability to respond to it, as they poured on the offense in the bottom of the fourth with their largest frame of offense in the game — a six-run stanza highlighted by a two-run single from Karissa Keller to close the gap down to four entering the homestretch.
WIth the Lady Bobcats quickly closing in after a heroic stand of offense, Andover/Whitesville went right back to work by scoring six unanswered runs in return to score a double-digit lead once again, with Waters adding two more RBI onto her resume off a big single up the middle, while Lilly Ordway pitched in with two big RBI hits — a single and double across the pair of electric innings to help finish off the team’s victory over the road.
Andover/Whitesville totaled 16 runs off nine hits, with Waters and her three-hit night leading the way, totaling five RBI. Ordway also finished with three hits and registered four more RBI. In the circle, the win belonged to Waters across just over four innings of work, fanning four and walking five.
Hinsdale was paced by both Bushnell and Keller, who also served as the team’s battery in the field, each garnering a pair of hits. On defense, Bushnell went all seven innings with seven strikeouts and 10 walks. The Lady Bobcats are back in action Tuesday night, hosting Hammondsport at 5 p.m.
If weather permits this afternoon, the Andover/Whitesville ladies will be in action with a 1 p.m. contest against Arkport-Canaseraga in Andover.
Andover/Whitesville 017 233 0 — 16 9 1
Hinsdale 000 601 0 — 7 8 0
A/W – Olivia Waters (WP) (4K, 5BB), Lilly Harrington (5) (K, 4BB) and Reece Winters.
HIN – Lily Bushnell (LP) (CG, 7K, 10BB) and Karissa Keller.
BASEBALL
Olean 12, Bolivar-Richburg 7
OLEAN — The runs came from every single direction possible between the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg and host Olean come Friday night. Out of the 20 combined runs the two teams would ultimately muster across all seven innings of play, over half of them were recorded in an explosive opening stage of battle.
Despite the Wolverines navigating their way onto the scoreboard first and foremost, the response the Huskies gave in return was just over double, as a five-run bottom of the first inning allowed them to capture the lead and set the bar going forward with the visitors in black and red hot on their trail along the way. As a result, Olean managed to hang on and hand Bolivar-Richburg their first loss with a 12-7 victory of their own to close out the week.
The Wolverines (2-1) were left at a near standstill at the plate by the Olean pitching staff, as they used an array of special teams efforts to fuel their offense around the bases while being held to just a pair of hits. After they claimed a 2-0 lead to kick off the evening, the Huskies fired right back a monstrous five-run response off special teams firepower of their own during their first at-bats to rip the advantage away from Bolivar-Richburg.
Later on, the bats came to life for Olean across the next four innings, as they combined to record seven runs off seven total hits, posting three runs in the bottom of the second to build an 8-3 lead on the Wolverines before responding with a matching four-run frame in the fourth inning to keep their opposition in the rearview mirror for good.
Tavyn MacDonell and Ryder Iantorno both had a hit to lead the Bolivar-Richburg offense, with MacDonell posting a double to pair with two RBI. Charlie Millitello also had an RBI, while Landon Barkley scored two runs.
On the mound for the Wolverines, Connor Margeson handed out a chair in his two innings of relief.
Bolivar-Richburg will look to rebound on Tuesday, hitting the road for a 5 p.m. visit to Fillmore.
Bolivar-Richburg 210 400 0 — 7 2 4
Olean 530 400 X — 12 8 2
B-R – Charlie Millitello (LP) (3BB), Braden Zilker (2) (2BB), Connor Margeson (5) (K) and Ryder Iantorno.
OLE – Noah Cartmill (WP) (4K, 7BB), Landon Johnson (4) (2K, 3BB), Taylor Teachman (6) (3BB) and Caine DeGolier.
Andover/Whitesville 19, Hinsdale 1 (F-5)
HINSDALE — For their very first time out on Friday, the Andover/Whitesville boys cranked the volume up to the max against the host Bobcats of Hinsdale, as the offense caught fire right from the beginning to deliver a season-opening victory of epic proportions, rolling their way towards a 19-1 win after five innings of play.
The Andover/Whitesville (1-0) attack was red hot at the drop of a hat after taking command of an early 2-0 lead through the first inning, as they assembled seven more big runs to further cushion their lead out in front of the Bobcats. From within their 19-run effort, Andover/Whitesville compiled nine hits at the plate to go alongside them, with Brody Vance and his 3-for-4 outing and four runs scored helping lead the way.
Vinny Joyce furthered the team’s cause by adding two hits of his own, driving in a pair in the process.
To keep the Bobcats (0-3) at bay, the ball was given to Gavin Frungillo, who picked up his first Varsity win on the mound with an eight-strikeout, one-walk complete game three-hitter.
“This was definitely a good start to have,” Andover/Whitesville co-coach Jake Bannerman said. “It was great to have Gavin back after he missed all of last season with a torn ACL. For him to get back on the mound and have the game he had tonight, it was great to watch, especially with it being his first Varsity game."
For the Bobcats on the hill, Jackson Jones provided a stellar outing of relief by fanning seven and walking four across nearly three innings of work. The Bobcats will continue the search for their first win on Wednesday, visiting Bolivar-Richburg at 5 p.m.
If the weather permits this afternoon, Andover/Whitesville will look to keep their groove going back home in Andover with a 1 p.m. first pitch against the Jasper-Troupsburg Wildcats.
Andover/Whitesville 271 18 — 19 9 2
Hinsdale 010 00 — 1 3 4
A/W – Gavin Frungillo (WP) (CG, 8K, BB) and Colton Calladine.
HIN – Cody Hand (LP) (3K, 5BB), Jackson Jones (2) (7K, 4BB), Tim Ribble (5) (3BB) and Chris Forney.
