Monday Sectionals: Bess, Allen combine to toss three-hit shutout to No. 13 Byron-Bergen, guiding No. 4 B-R’s advancement into Quarters; No. 5 C-R upset at home by No. 12 Letchworth

BOLIVAR — The first task at hand for Bolivar-Richburg to start their journey through the Class C2 field, was one that was not particularly easy. But fortunately for the four-seed Wolverines, all they needed was a fast start.

While Logan Bess and Caden Allen took charge of the Bolivar-Richburg defense, the offense followed suit, especially in the early stages of the game, providing a crucial three-run bottom half of the first that saw them take the lead for good while the No. 13 Byron-Bergen offense was unresponsive, as the Wolverines eased their way past the visiting Bees with a 5-0 shutout on Monday to move onto the Quarterfinal round.

“I told the guys before the game that everyone comes into Sectionals with the same goal in mind,” Wolverines coach Dustin Allen said. “Getting the early lead helped us settle down, and with the extra plays in the field and the defense we have behind our pitchers that we continue to preach to them, it helps tremendously. We got some key hits when we needed them, and we used them to win this game.”

The big story was the combination of Bess and Allen on the mound for the Wolverines (12-4), as they combined to record a three-hit shutout of Byron-Bergen at the plate, starting their second season strong with Bess getting the victory behind four strikeouts and two walks, while Allen added in three strikeouts of his own along with one walk to keep the Bees contained.

As a response to the tremendous defensive effort, the offense followed suit with a fast start that proved to pay some major dividends, as they scored three big runs right out of the gates to take the early lead on the 13-seeds. Two more big pieces of insurance came across later on in the game, which helped secure their victory even further as the defense took over to continue holding Byron-Bergen scoreless.

Trey Buchholz led the bats for Bolivar-Richburg, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Cam MacDonell recorded an RBI double to the outfield, while Allen, Wayne Karnuth and Alex MacDonell each had a hit of their own to chip in.

The Wolverines are back on their home turf Wednesday night in the Quarterfinal round, as they now get set to host No. 12 Letchworth, who upset No. 5 Cuba-Rushford earlier in the night to advance in the Class C2 bracket.

First pitch is tentatively set for 5 p.m.

Byron-Bergen 000 000 0 – 0 3 4

Bolivar-Richburg 301 100 X – 5 6 2

B-B – Nicholas Baubie (LP) (CG, 3K, 2BB), and Frank Hersum.

B-R – Logan Bess (WP) (4K, 2BB), Caden Allen (5) (3K, BB), and Brayden Ellis.

Class C2 First Round

No. 12 Letchworth 12, No. 5 Cuba-Rushford 3

CUBA — The first upset locally in Section V tournament action happened at Cuba-Rushford on Monday. After both No. 12 Letchworth and the host five-seed Rebels traded a pair of scoreless innings to start. But the runs followed in the next several, with the Indians rapid firing all 12 of their runs in a row to set the tone for the rest of the way, as they provided the 12-3 upset win over the Rebels to advance forward to the Quarterfinal stage.

“Letchworth has a very solid team. They had some COVID issues during the season, and if they hadn’t had those, they would have been the higher seed,” said Rebels coach Pat Wight. “They are well-coached, and we had some errors that cost us this game, five of them in the fourth inning especially. That determined the game. Despite that, I am very proud of this team, and what we were able to accomplish this season with a League title and 10 wins.”

The errors were the determining factor in Letchworth walking away victorious with their upset, as they capitalized on Cuba-Rushford’s (10-6) miscues in the top of the fourth inning to build onto their 2-0 early lead after three complete, plating seven of them to keep their position in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game.

During their offensive tenure, the Rebels were held to three runs on four hits, with the shutout becoming non-existent in the bottom of the fifth, scoring their first run of the game after Letchworth’s Nate Thompson held the hosts without a hit during his four-inning start on the hill.

Trent Chamberlain provided two of the team’s four hits, driving in a run and scoring one along the way. Ethan Rix chipped in with a double and scored a run, while Cameron Dunlap had the team’s final hit on a single. On the mound, Chamberlain struck out three and walked one in his three-inning start before Jon White added five more strikeouts in his relief appearance.

Cuba-Rushford’s 2021 season has officially met its end, as they wrap up with a record of 10-6 and a share of this year’s Allegany County Division I title.

“I’m beyond proud of their effort, not only bouncing back from missing an entire year, but also coming into a season with a new coach,” Wight said. “It’s not easy for any season, but especially after a year off. I’ve watched our seniors play since they were five years old and playing tee ball with my son Landon (Wight). I could not have chosen a better group to have my first year with. I am truly grateful for the opportunity, and I will miss our Seniors.”

Letchworth 002 730 0 – 12 11 1

Cuba-Rushford 000 011 1 – 3 4 7

LET – Nate Thompson (WP) (5K, 3BB), Justin Shearing (5) (3K, 2BB), and Adam Skidmore.

C-R – Trent Chamberlain (LP) (3K, BB), Jon White (4) (5K), and Logan Lewis.

Class D1 Play-In

No. 8 Genesee Valley 19, No. 9 Hammondsport 7

BELMONT — After closing their regular season with a 5-3 defeat to the hands of Andover, the eighth-seeded Jaguars of Genesee Valley wanted to make sure they got their Section V tournament started on the right foot after the weekend on Monday.

Even though they had to fight their way through a quick start provided by Hammondsport out of the gate, they rebounded back on their home turf for perhaps the final time this year by scoring all 19 of their runs in an unanswered avalanche, 11 of them coming in the fourth inning to propel them toward a 19-7 win over the No. 9 Lakers to advance toward the Class D1 Quarterfinal stage.

Four different hitters recorded at least a pair of hits to help fuel the Genesee Valley (3-9) offense, which saw 14 total hits collected at the plate. Nate Slawson was one of them who had the biggest bat in the lineup, going 4-for-4 with three RBI. Joe Ward added in three hits of his own, driving in three runs in the process, while Thai Norasethaporn and Riley Gordon each had two hits, with Gordon tallying two RBI and scoring three times along the way.

Christian Tuttle and Trent Scott assisted the defense in keeping Hammondsport locked down on offense for the majority of the contest, combining to hold the Lakers scoreless for the next four innings after they originally took the 3-0 lead to begin the game. Tuttle was awarded the win in his start, striking out two and walking five before Scott came on and added in three strikeouts and a walk in relief.

The Jaguars will now take on top-seeded Keshequa over the road in the Quarterfinal round beginning on Wednesday, with first pitch slated for a 5 p.m. start.

Hammondsport 300 0 02 2 – 7 11 6

Genesee Valley 221 (11)30 X – 19 14 0

HAM – Tyler Eaves-Hopkins (LP) (K, BB), Ethan Buckley (4) (3K, 7BB), Harley Underwood (5) (2K, 3BB), Hunter Ball (6) (2K, BB), and Steven Veley, Cody Cook.

GV – Christian Tuttle (WP) (2K, 5BB), Trent Scott (4) (3K, BB), Ethan Bigelow (6) (3BB), Thai Norasethaporn (6) (3K), and Norasethaporn, Elden Aquila (5).

Class D2 Play-In

No. 8 Hinsdale 14, No. 9 Whitesville 4

HINSDALE — Both No. 9 Whitesville and No. 8 Hinsdale earned an early lead to start their win-and-in contest in the Class D2 tournament on Monday. But the last one exchanged was one that changed the game for good.

After Whitesville got on the board first after a scoreless first inning, Hinsdale’s offense began to kick into gear with a lead change that they never lost again, building on it with a six-run bottom of the fourth inning to pull away for good to go on and take the 14-4 victory over the Jays, advancing to the Quarterfinal round in the process.

The Bobcats (2-11) accounted for 12 hits to go with their 14 runs worth of offense, using a mix of both baserunning and their sticks to grab the victory at home. With those sticks, Sam Cashimere and Jake Elliott led the way with two hits each, both scoring two runs in the process. On the mound, it was Xavier Pascucci who earned the win behind a dominant eight-strikeout, four-walk appearance.

Whitesville was led by Brendal Jackson on both sides, as he garnered two of the team’s four hits, scoring two runs along the way. On the mound, he fanned three and walked five in his five-inning start. The Jays season has reached its conclusion, as they finish with a record of 0-11.

Hinsdale now moves into the Class D2 Quarterfinal round, where they now pay a visit to top-seeded Avoca/Prattsburgh on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Whitesville 010 012 0 – 4 5 6

Hinsdale 002 615 X – 14 12 2

WHI – Brendal Jackson (LP) (3K, 5BB), Troy Cogar (6) (2BB), and CJ Estep.

HIN – Xavier Pascucci (WP) (8K, 4BB), Zach Byrne (6) (4K, 5BB), and Phil Cummins.

SOFTBALL

Class D1 Play-In

No. 7 Fillmore 22, No. 10 Arkport/Canaseraga 7 (F-6)

FILLMORE — The seventh-seeded Lady Eagles of Fillmore felt the need for speed around the bases to start their trek through the Class D1 field, Monday night. Across all six innings that were featured, the hosts in black and green scored no less than three runs while overcoming a big Arkport/Canaseraga stint of offense along the way to cruise their way into the next round in style behind a 22-7 rout of the No. 10 Lady Wolves under the lights.

“We didn’t have a problem creating runs, but early in the game, especially in the second inning, we lost our focus, confidence and everything else,” said Lady Eagles coach Jon Beardsley. “But we settled down after that, and Kirstin (Frazier) has been consistent for us on the mound and that second inning made her lose her way a bit, but I was proud of her for digging out of it with the help of her teammates to play pretty clean the rest of the way.”

It was a minor hiccup that did not seem to fluster the Lady Eagles (7-5), having to maneuver past the obstacle after losing their initial 3-0 lead to Arkport/Canaseraga in the second, scoring six straight runs as a response to take the three-run lead. But on a positive note, it was an inning that Beardsley saw his girls rebound from quickly, banding together to make up for lost time.

“We gave up four hits, three walks, hit a batter and committed four errors in that second inning,” he said. “That isn’t a good recipe for success, but after that, we played solid in the field and Kirstin threw strikes to allow our offense to keep going. Torann (Wolfer), Preslee (Miller) and Lizzy (Nugent) have been leading the way, and Zoe (Beardsley) in the second spot had her best night of the season. Our top half of the lineup came up with the majority of our hits.”

As a result, the deficit was made up rather quickly by the hosts, with assortment of lead changes beginning to take effect with Fillmore’s three-run second inning that tied the game at six. After the Lady Wolves grabbed the lead one more time in the third, it was taken away for good by the Lady Eagles, as they went on to score 16 straight runs from that point forward to fly their way toward victory, and into the next round of the Class D1 tournament.

Kirstin Frazier earned the win inside the circle for the Lady Eagles, holding Arkport/Canaseraga to six hits behind two strikeouts, and three walks. At the plate, it was Zoe Beardsley that had a night a perfection, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and four runs scored. Torann Wolfer provided a devastating blow of her own with one crack of the bat, dishing out a bases-clearing double, accounting for four total RBI in her outing. LIzzy Nugent and Preslee Miller combined to drive in five runs off four hits, with Miller taking charge with three RBI and two runs scored to go with her two hits.

The Lady Eagles are back on the field Wednesday night in Quarterfinal action, now preparing to face No. 2 Notre Dame-Batavia at Genesee Community College in a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.

Arkport/Canaseraga 061 000 – 7 6 3

Fillmore 333 454 – 22 12 6

A/C – Autumn LaFrance (LP) (CG, 2K, 16BB), and Valerie Miller.

FIL – Kirstin Frazier (WP) (CG, 2K, 3BB), and Kada Frazier.

No. 8 South Seneca 15, No. 9 Genesee Valley 4

SOUTH SENECA — A pair of six-run frames was ultimately the deciding factor when it comes down to the offensive stage of the game. Right after the ninth-seeded Lady Jaguars of Genesee Valley took the game’s first lead through the first three innings of play, No. 8 South Seneca ran the table with 12 unanswered runs that saw them ignite the turbocharger and speed away with a 15-4 victory to end Genesee Valley’s season on Monday in the Class D1 Play-In round.

The Lady Jaguars (5-7) collected four runs off six hits, using some early capitalization at the plate led by an Avery Grusendorf fielder’s choice that brought in a run, while the last two runs in the team’s three-run third inning came in by error from the Lady Falcons defense. With a 4-1 lead in hand, it was not long before the hosts cut it down to within a stone’s throw, coming up with two big runs, one off an RBI single, to trail by one.

The momentum shift would carry over after a quick 1-2-3 inning by the South Seneca defense, as the Lady Falcons used it to score six game-changing runs, most of which off miscues made by the Lady Jaguars on the field, in the fourth to pull away for good. The game was officially put away by the eight seeds in the bottom of the sixth, scoring six more runs to finish off their offensive stint.

Out of the team’s six total hits, Emera Aquila had three of them including a pair of doubles, pairing them with a run scored to lead the Lady Jaguars offense. Savannah Werner added in two hits of her own. On the mound, Sierra Burrows only allowed South Seneca three total hits at the plate, fanning five and walking five in her complete game.

The ride is over for Genesee Valley, as their 2021 season concludes with an overall record of 5-7.

Genesee Valley 013 000 0 – 4 6 8

South Seneca 012 606 X – 15 3 6

GV – Sierra Burrows (LP) (CG, 5K, 5BB), and Savannah Werner.

SS – Lea Fletcher (WP) (CG, K), and Emma Fletcher.

Class D2 Play-In

No. 8 Andover 10, No. 9 Jasper-Troupsburg 1

ANDOVER — It was a doubleheader this past weekend that the Lady Panthers of Andover hoped to build on entering a brand new season of softball when the Class D2 tournament kicked into gear, Monday night. Their last game on Saturday against Belfast was used as the proving ground to build up a momentum boost heading in.

Despite the slight 13-9 loss to the hands of the Lady Bulldogs, the momentum created heading into Monday took full effect.

Right out of the gates in their Play-In game against No. 9 Jasper-Troupsburg, Andover went straight to work, as the offense came alive to deliver seven of their 10 runs in the first two innings of play, totaling nine hits altogether in the contest to pace their 10-1 rolling over the visiting Lady Wildcats to claim a spot in Wednesday’s Quarterfinal round.

“Makaila (Brewster) hit her spots in the zone tonight, and the defense behind her made the plays,” Lady Panthers coach Al Barber said. “It was great to see the smiles on all the girls faces again after this win. It has been a while. Kelsie led our bats tonight, and she really swung the bat really well. She really gave us that spark on offense to get us going.”

Did she ever. The Lady Panthers senior was spectacular at the plate, accounting for an immaculate 4-for-4 outing, recording a triple and scoring four times to spark the offense even further after taking a 4-0 lead through the first inning, with the team using heads-up baserunning to scratch across all of their runs.

It continued in the next inning when Andover (4-10) used their baserunning once more to plate three runs to take a 7-0 lead on the Lady Wildcats in the second inning. While the offense continued running in gear, Makaila Brewster propelled the defense with six shutout innings from within the circle, striking out seven and walking three to pick up the win in her tossed two-hit gem.

The shutout was lost in the top of the seventh inning during the final at-bats for the Lady Wildcats, scoring their lone run off on heads-up baserunning, but the early damage put on by the Lady Panthers was proven to be too much to overcome.

Helping further the cause for the hosts in purple on the offense was Emily Schweigart, who chipped in with two hits of her own. Gabby Terhune added in a double.

Andover will now get set to face top-seeded Friendship for the third and final time Wednesday night over the road, as they square off with the Allegany County Division II champions in a 4:30 p.m. first pitch in the Class D2 Quarterfinal round.

Jasper-Troupsburg 000 000 1 – 1 2 6

Andover 430 102 X – 10 9 1

J-T – Kayla Atherton (LP) (CG, 3K, 3BB), and Emma Flint.

AND – Makaila Brewster (WP) (CG, 7K, 3BB), and Katie Calladine.