Wednesday Roundup: Dunbar has performance of career, but Hornell spoils Senior Night behind Miller’s go-ahead RBI in 1-0 win in 8; Turybury blasts walk-off homer in GV/Belfast’s win over Oswayo Valley
WELLSVILLE — Four seniors suited up the orange and black for the first of their two last regular season home games ever. One final Senior Night to celebrate this school year. Perhaps the most emotional of them all.
As the journey begins to wind down from Wednesday night in the Lion’s Den until Graduation fever sets in just over a month from now, so does the road towards Sectionals. After a season-series sweep of Red Jacket this past weekend, the Lions of Wellsville aimed to keep the momentum heading into the second season in their favor with a longtime arch-rival in town — the Hornell Red Raiders.
In the case of many occasions across many sports, Hornell and Wellsville presents a unique clash unlike any other. Their latest installment on the baseball diamond was even more evidence of that.
Both squads were in the fight for their baseball lives as the sun began to set in the Lion’s Den. A fight that saw no cracks in the ice across seven straight innings.
With Gates Miller keeping the Lions on their feet at the plate for Hornell, and with Logan Dunbar dealing the performance of his career in return on the other side, extra innings were ultimately required to decide it all. For Hornell: a potential season-series clincher against Wellsville, while for the Lions? — A chance to keep their wheels spinning into Sectionals next week.
Something had to give.
Just one extra inning was needed to make all the difference. And with it, a complete shift in momentum. What was one of the most dominant performances of his career, morphed into an ice-breaking moment for the Red Raiders in the top of the eighth. A very large break.
Gates Miller got the best of both worlds.
The Hornell hurler made the best of his final opportunity at the plate and two runners on in scoring position, as Miller sent a ball into shallow left field that died just enough to drop, allowing the game’s lone run to score on his single that would stand as the game-winner, as he ushered the Red Raiders off the field and escorted them back off rapidly to keep Wellsville at bay to spoil the Lions’ Senior Night with his complete game 1-0 victory.
“We got the performance out of our senior that we needed. It’s one of the best performances of his career, and it’s too bad that it came on a loss in extra innings, because he was a workhorse for us tonight,” said Lions coach Tom Delahunt. “It was Senior Night, and he was really amped to get this start tonight against a team he really loves playing against across all sports. It’s unfortunate that we came out on the other side of things in a really tight battle. This one stings.”
Dunbar kept Hornell off the bases during the majority of his time spent on the mound for the Lions (8-11), as he started the night strongly with seven strikeouts through his first nine batters while allowing just one hit from Shawn Rose and his single into right field across the first three shutout innings.
Along the way, Wellsville was presented with multiple opportunities to attempt at breaking the ice, with Alex Green reaching base on a lead-off poke into right field. He would ultimately work his way around the bases to third, but would be left on a short time later by Miller and the Red Raiders defense to close out a scoreless fourth frame.
A short time later, the dominance authored by Dunbar resumed in the fifth, as he struck out the Hornell side once more to up his total at that point to 11, in 13 batters faced through five complete innings. Dunbar would wind up finishing with 16 strikeouts to pair with three walks across his three-hit gem.
Wellsville had to dig in and find a way to build off of Dunbar’s reign on the mound. Their time to make noise came in perhaps their best opportunity to break through — at the very end of the game.
With back-to-back hits from Aidan Riley on a liner into right, and a beautifully-positioned bunt squared down by Matt Ritter down the third base line, the Lions were in business, with each runner moving into scoring position with one out for the Red Raiders defense.
But once more, the visitors in red and blue navigated their way off one more time a short time later to evade the potential game-winning drive from Wellsville on a Derek Coleman fly out to deep center field to force the scoreless deadlock into extra innings.
“We had a couple of chances where we couldn’t quite capitalize when we had runners on base,” Delahunt said. “You talk about situational hitting, and sometimes, you just have to find a way to hit the ball into the holes in the field. You just have to cut the swing down just enough to do what’s needed at that particular time. That’s something we’ve been struggling with all year long.”
Holding possession of the first opportunity to finally have a chance to crack through in extra innings, Hornell would not squander it. And it was done by none other than Gates Miller himself. With a pair of Red Raiders awaiting their call to home plate on base, Miller delivered a devastating blow into shallow left field, dropping a two-out single to collect the game’s first RBI while Aidan Riley provided a tag on the next runner down the third base line to prevent any more damage from being applied.
All of a sudden, the Lions were pushed against the wall.
In the bottom half of the inning, Wellsville would grab one final chance to drive a potential game-tying sequence with Cody Costello reaching on a dropped third strike. But the Lions would then go down in order to close out the night, as Miller ensured his night would end with the complete game victory in his hands, as they edged out their longtime rival in another instant classic.
The Lions were able to garner seven hits at the plate in all, with Gavin Haggerty’s 2-for-3 outing at the plate leading the way. Aidan Riley, Trenton Green, Alex Green and Cody Costello all had a hit to chip in.
For Hornell, Miller scored the win with five strikeouts in his complete eight-inning start. At the plate, Shawn Rose led the bats with two of the team’s three hits to pair alongside Miller’s game-winning RBI single in the eighth.
Prior to the series finale, the Lions celebrated Senior Night by honoring all four of their seniors — Dunbar, Costello, Riley and Kavan O’Grady for their contributions to the program over the years. After dealing with injury for most of his senior season, the Lions honored O’Grady by throwing a single pitch while he stood in center field, looking on, as Delahunt signaled for him to come in.
On his way back into the dugout, he was greeted with a wide array of hugs and emotions shared amongst his teammates and his coaches.
Delahunt reflected on his group of seniors, noting how much their efforts have been unmatched to the program.
“We’re definitely going to miss those four guys,” he said. “Cody’s been our lead-off hitter since day one and he’s been one heck of a player. Aidan Riley came back to playing baseball this year and he accepted some new roles for us while coming along as a great hitter. Kavan was looking forward to his senior year, but he didn’t really have a chance to show what he had because he’s been nursing an injury. But to give him a moment with his teammates before the game tonight, that was something really special. And then Logan, he’s taken the ball every time I’ve given it to him without question. He’s worked through and pitched through some hard luck. There were games where he really made good pitches and kept us in the game, and we weren’t there for him. This program will miss his presence dearly next year.”
The Lions will finish out their regular season slate back inside the Lion’s Den tonight with a 5 p.m. first pitch against the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford.
Hornell 000 000 01 – 1 3 2
Wellsville 000 000 00 – 0 7 1
HHS – Gates Miller (WP) (CG, 5K) and Jake Ponticello.
WLSV – Logan Dunbar (LP) (CG, 16K, 3BB) and Alex Green.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 4, Oswayo Valley (PA) 3
BELFAST — Although it was a cool, chilly night under the lights at the Rich Sullivan Complex, it was a night that no one in attendance will forget any time soon. One of Genesee Valley/Belfast’s last regular season home games that seven of their seniors will get to experience.
Senior Night — a night like no other.
With Oswayo Valley up in town for a visit to Belfast from up above the border, the two foes took turns in the driver’s seat across the night. After an early Genesee Valley/Belfast lead was erased down the homestretch by the Green Wave, the hosts in black and gray would have to gain ground. And fast.
The scoreboard indicated a 3-3 tie, and with time running out on regulation play, extra innings were quickly on the horizon. In the bottom of the seventh however, Evan Turybury helped give his senior teammates the most exhilarating and memorable send-off known to man.
How about a walk-off bomb sound?
With the future of the game resting in his hands at the plate, the Genesee Valley/Belfast sophomore made sure the night was theirs, as he sent a pitch deep into the night sky in left field, carrying its way on out of the park to send his teammates funneling out of the dugout in a frenzied manic to greet him at the plate, ending the game on a walk-off solo homer to pick up the 4-3 win in one of the most exciting finishes to the season on Wednesday.
“I’ve never experienced a Senior Night quite like this before. They won’t forget tonight any time soon, I can tell you that for sure,” said GV/Belfast coach Kevin Scott. “You couldn’t ask for a better night, and it’s nights like these that remind me why I love coaching. This was a huge win, and we rode on Carter’s (Stout) coattails all night long. He kept his own and kept the gas pedal down. The boys came out to play, and I told them going into this game to not look back and to make tonight the night of your lives. The crowd was into it although it was a little chilly, but Evan’s home run was just a perfect way to send these seniors off. I can’t believe it.”
Before Turybury staged some late game heroics for Genesee Valley/Belfast (8-8), they would begin the night with the lead over Oswayo Valley in the first two innings, scoring a run in each stanza to break the ice. They would hold it under Carter Stout’s guidance, as he kept the Green Wave in check through three straight innings to maintain their early lead.
But the Green Wave eventually found a way to break through with their first run in the top of the fourth, cutting their deficit in half before Genesee Valley/Belfast was able to respond with Ryan Daciw’s bat in the bottom of the fifth, belting an RBI double to the outfield to re-add more cushioning to the advantage.
Immediately following, the back-and-forth battle down the stretch marched on with the Green Wave providing another response. This one, to tie the game, as a deep fly ball to Evan Turybury in the outfield was misplayed, allowing the visitors in green to bring in two enormous runs to tie the game heading into the seventh.
With extra innings looming in the distance, what better way to help end the night with a swing of redemption? Turybury did just that without any hesitation in the bottom of the seventh, sending a deep ball into the left field sky and out to give Genesee Valley/Belfast a 4-3 win — their fifth in the last seven games, to send his senior teammates out in the most stylistic way possible.
The home run blasted by Turybury, along with Daciw’s RBI double in the fifth, were two of seven hits Genesee Valley/Belfast garnered at the plate. Leading the way on the attack was Thai Norasethaporn, who had an outstanding Senior Night of his own, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. On the mound, the night on defense belonged to Stout, as he held Oswayo Valley to five hits by handing out 11 chairs and walking just two in his complete game.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will now seek their sixth victory in eight games in their regular season finale back under the lights at the Rich Sullivan Complex tonight in Belfast, as they prepare to host the Canisteo-Greenwood Redskins in a 7 p.m. first pitch.
Oswayo Valley 000 102 0 – 3 5 4
Genesee Valley/Belfast 110 010 1 – 4 7 4
OV – Ethan Hackman (4K, 4BB), Andrew Wood (LP, 5) and Gaiga Hohenwarter.
GVB – Carter Stout (WP) (CG, 11K, 2BB) and Thai Norasethaporn.
Fillmore 19, Hinsdale 4 (F-5)
FILLMORE — The hitting spree was on at a night in the Town Park for the Eagles of Fillmore, as Mitch Ward, Damon Potter and Zach Sisson all delivered home run blasts to power up a 14-hit outburst to set up what was a 19-4 victory over the visiting Hinsdale Bobcats on Wednesday.
With an early first inning lead in hand, the Eagles of Fillmore (14-1) saw Hinsdale plate three runs of their own in turn at the top of the second to tie the game at three. But the game-tying notion did not faze the Eagles, as the offense sprang to life once more and for good, as they came through with the next 16 runs in a row, 12 of them coming in the bottom of the third to break the game wide open and gain all the room they needed to secure the win.
Zach Sisson led the hot Fillmore bats with three, totaling four RBI and scoring four times to finish off his tremendous night. Adding help was Brent Zubikowski and Luke Colombo, as each Eagle recorded two hits of their own to further the cause, with Zubikowski driving in three runs in the process. Ward scored four runs, while Potter collected two RBI in all to pair with his second hit — a double.
On the mound, Kalen Beardsley recorded the victory across four innings, fanning one and walking two.
Leading the Bobcats (7-9) was Henry Schwartz on the mound, as he struck out three and walked eight. At the plate, Xander Pascucci, Jake Elliott and Robert Childs all had a hit to round off the attack.
Both teams will end their regular seasons on the diamond tonight in a pair of 5 p.m. first pitches, as Fillmore welcomes Friendship/Scio in for a visit, while Hinsdale continues their season-ending road swing into Alfred-Almond for a date with the Eagles.
Hinsdale 03 0 01 – 4 3 5
Fillmore 33(12) 1X – 19 14 1
HIN – Henry Schwartz (LP) (3K, 8BB), Jake Elliott (4) (K, BB) and Peyton Keller.
FIL – Kalen Beardsley (WP) (K, 2BB), Brayden Hennard (5) (K, 2BB) and Nolan Krzeminski.
Friendship/Scio 21, Archbishop Walsh 5 (F-5)
OLEAN — The first four innings saw Friendship/Scio provide an offensive explosion over the road on Wednesday, as they accounted for at least four runs across each frame of play to set up shop against Archbishop Walsh, using all the momentum they gained in full force to deliver a 21-5 win over the Eagles after five complete innings.
The Friendship/Scio (5-12) offense gathered 21 runs off 15 total hits at the plate, with Ethan Davenport pacing the way with his 3-for-3 effort, driving in a pair of runs. Zacoby Holder had two hits of his own to pitch in, scoring three times along the way.
On the mound, the win belonged to Nick Sortore across three innings of work, as he struck out six and walked five before Matt Donohue came on in relief to provide four strikeouts and four walks of his own to help complete the team’s combined no-hit effort.
To wrap up their regular season, Friendship/Scio will make one last road trip tonight, visiting the Eagles of Fillmore in a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Friendship/Scio 449 40 – 21 15 3
Archbishop Walsh 001 04 – 5 0 3
SOFTBALL
Alfred-Almond 6, Genesee Valley/Belfast 2
ALMOND — In a close quarters battle under the lights in Almond, Genesee Valley/Belfast and Alfred-Almond put together another show on full display Wednesday night. When it was all said and done, the host Lady Eagles were able to come away victorious with a 6-2 victory to close out their regular season.
Stats and a complete box score were not made available to report upon publication.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will now await Sectional seeding this weekend, as their regular season wraps up with a record of 8-10 overall.
Friendship/Scio 7, Fillmore 1
FILLMORE — Seven would help serve as Friendship/Scio’s lucky number again on Wednesday to close out their regular season, striking first against host Fillmore with a lead they build upon over time, especially down the stretch to seal up a 7-1 victory over the Lady Eagles behind another strong performance from Nevaeh Ross from within the circle.
After eclipsing the 1,000-strikeout mark in her brilliant career, Ross built more stepping stones in the team’s regular season finale with 14 more to her count whilst holding Fillmore to just two hits across five straight shutout innings to help Friendship/Scio establish their offense in a hurry.
It would begin in the top of the third after two straight scoreless frames were exchanged between both squads, as the visitors recorded their first of seven straight runs to build their lead. Friendship/Scio continued to add more damage in the middle frames with a pair of three-run stanzas in the third and fourth, helping fortify a 7-0 lead.
Fillmore would navigate their way onto the board with their first and only run coming in the bottom of the sixth, as Ross was able to close the door completely with one final scoreless deal for the victory. At the plate for Friendship/Scio, Logan Roberts and Kadence Donohue each recorded two hits out of the team’s 11 in all, with Donohue smacking a double.
As for the Lady Eagles, they were held to two hits by Ross — a triple by Mattie McCumiskey and double from Oakley Frazier. In the circle, Mercedes Wolcott struck out two and walked four in her start that stretched through four innings.
Both teams will now await Sectional seeding this weekend, as they put a wrap on their regular season campaigns, with Friendship/Scio going into the Class D2 bracket at 16-3 overall, while Fillmore finishes at 6-12 heading into Class D1 play.
Friendship/Scio 001 330 0 – 7 11 1
Fillmore 000 001 0 – 1 2 2
F/S – Nevaeh Ross (WP) (CG, 14K, BB) and Morghyn Ross.
FIL – Mercedes Wolcott (LP) (2K, 4BB), Mylee Miller (5) (4K) and Oakley Frazier.
Bolivar-Richburg 18, Andover/Whitesville 0 (F-5)
RICHBURG — There was simply no slowing down the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg on Wednesday, as they ended their regular season by keeping their foot down on the gas pedal while scoring a huge beginning against visiting Andover/Whitesville to set the tone right away, never looking back on what was an 18-0 shutout win at Stan Harris Field after five innings.
The Lady Wolverines wasted absolutely no time in the opening frame of play. Headlined by a bases-clearing triple from Cassidy Stives, they immediately pushed down on the gas and never let up off of it with 14 of their 18 runs coming across the plate off 15 total hits. The hosts would then warm back up in the bottom of the fourth to force an early end to the contest with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, led by a two-run blast from Madigan Harris.
When it was all said and done, seven different Bolivar-Richburg batters all recorded at least two hits at the plate, with Rylee Whiting’s big bat energizing the attack, going 3-for-5 with a double and five total RBI. Also chipping in with three hits were Malayna Ayers and Jayna Thomas, while Harris would finish with two hits along with McKinlee Harris, Haley Mascho and Madison Carney.
In the circle, the win belonged to Mascho across all five innings of work, as she handed out seven chairs in her twirled four-hit shutout. On the opposite side, Andover/Whitesville saw Makaila Brewster take charge on both ends of the spectrum, recording a double at the plate while going the distance herself with just one walk. Adding hits were Gabbi Hall, Kennedy Bledsoe and Maddi Barona, all recording singles.
The regular season is now over for both teams, as the look ahead to Sectionals now begins to set in, as Bolivar-Richburg finishes with a record of 18-2 overall, while Andover/Whitesville wraps up at 4-13.
Andover/Whitesville 0 00 00 – 0 4 6
Bolivar-Richburg (14) 00 4X – 18 19 1
A/W – Makaila Brewster (LP) (CG, BB) and Gabbi Hall.
B-R – Haley Mascho (WP) (CG, 7K) and Madigan Harris.
GOLF
Fillmore 219, Hinsdale 281
RUSHFORD — A perfect Allegany County League Championship-winning season has met its completion on the golf course Wednesday night at Allegheny Hills in Rushford. Led by the night’s leading round fired by Jack Cool, the Eagles of Fillmore put a bow on a 10-0 season after a 219-281 win over visiting Hinsdale.
“It was another very successful regular season for us,” Eagles coach Tom Parks said. “We had a nice mix of experience with Reid (Cockle) and Anderson (Wiltsey) going low for us most matches, and some newcomers that really helped make a difference. Aiden Freeman, Layton Sanasith, Jack Cool and Sam Cool came along much faster than anticipated. Now we await our matchup for Team Sectionals. Only eight teams qualify, so the field will be very competitive.”
Cool went on to record the match’s leading round for Fillmore (10-0), finishing with his round of 48. Reid Cockle was not far behind on the scorecard, as he posted a round of 51. Sam Cool and Layton Sanasith each rounded off the scoring with a 59 and 61, respectively.
Hinsdale (0-10) was paced by a team-low round of 54 shot by Caden Miller. Lily Howell provided a 73. Brian Bergstrom had a 76 to add, while Brett Bergstrom finished with a 79.
The regular season is now over for both teams on the links, but the journey continues for Fillmore, as they now await Team Sectional play beginning next week.
Cuba-Rushford 228, Bolivar-Richburg 251
BOLIVAR — Paced by team leading rounds shot by Sebastian Saulter and Kaden Bell, the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford ensured their campaign on the links this past Spring would end on a high note, as they roll into Team Sectionals next week strong with one final win at the Bolivar Golf Club on Wednesday, taking a 228-251 edge over the host Wolverines.
Saulter led all golfers on the links one final time this regular season for Cuba-Rushford (5-4-1), as he recorded the match’s lowest round of 53 to garner medalist honors at the end of the day. Bell followed right behind him on the Rebels scorecard, issuing his round of 54. Haven Kellogg chipped in with a 59, while Cliff Karn rounded off with his round of 63.
Bolivar-Richburg (2-8) was led by Parker Worth, as he fired the team’s lowest round of the match with a 59. Ben Waltonburgh chipped in with a 61. Andrew Cox had a 65 to add, while Trent Sibble rounded out with his round of 66.
Both teams have ended their regular season on the course, as they now await Team Sectional play next weekend.
BOYS TENNIS
Houghton Academy 4, Bolivar-Richburg 1
BOLIVAR — Despite a few tough challenges that host Bolivar-Richburg brought forth to them on Wednesday, the Panthers of Houghton Academy would remain in firm control of the action over the road on the court, as they provided a clean sweep of all three singles matches to pair with their first doubles win to record the 4-0 shutout against the Wolverines to re-emerge above .500 on the season.
The Panthers (6-5) saw Caleb Hilshire and Sam Winkens take charge at first and second singles to lead the way, as Hilshire eased his way past Bolivar-Richburg’s Anthony Densmore with a 6-2, 6-0 finish, while Winkens collected a 6-2, 6-2 win of his own doing over Ben Kisel at second singles.
After a dominant first set performance, Christian Valentin had to work his way through a tight second set where a tiebreak was needed with Guinevere Coats at third singles, but was able to garner the two points needed to end the match with a 6-1, 7-5 victory in close fashion to help clinch match victory for the Panthers.
Houghton Academy would close out the wins in the field of competition with a first doubles win from the team of James Adenuga and Yuelin Qi, as the two Panthers fought tooth and nail with Bolivar-Richburg’s (3-11) Zane Pangburn and Dylan Crawford through a narrow second-set tiebreaker. The two visitors would use the first set’s momentum in their favor to work their way past the duo of Wolverines to clinch a 7-4 win in the seven-point tiebreaker, winning 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
Bolivar-Richburg’s lone win came via forfeit at second doubles, collected by the team of Nebula Wilson-Smith and Alex Parker.
Both teams will end their regular seasons in the coming days with a pair of 5 p.m. first serves, as the Panthers hit the road one more time to Alfred-Almond, where they will meet host Andover/Whitesville, while the Wolverines stay put to host Campbell-Savona on Friday in their final regular season matchup.
Singles
1. Caleb Hilshire (HA) def. Anthony Densmore (B-R), 6-2, 6-0.
2. Sam Winkens (HA) def. Ben Kisel (B-R), 6-2, 6-2.
3. Christian Valentin (HA) def. Guinevere Coats (B-R), 6-1, 7-5.
Doubles
1. James Adenuga/Yuelin Qi (HA) def. Zane Pangburn/Dylan Crawford (B-R), 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
2. Nebula Wilson-Smith/Alex Parker (B-R) by for.
Campbell-Savona 4, Genesee Valley/Belfast 1
BELMONT — It was a performance filled with brilliance all around for the Campbell-Savona Panthers on the tennis court Wednesday night, as they garnered three of their four victories in action all in sweeping fashion over host Genesee Valley/Belfast, as they laid claim on a 4-1 match victory on the road.
Genesee Valley/Belfast’s (5-7) lone victory came in the doubles department from their second duo, Liliana Porter and Karlee Jones, as the team recorded a strong 10-2 win in pro-set action over Campbell-Savona’s Sarah McKenna and Emma Allard.
The regular season is now over for Genesee Valley/Belfast, as they now await Team Sectional play beginning next week.
Singles
1. Sage Brinkerhoff (C-S) def. Dominic Marra (GVB), 6-0, 6-0.
2. Ethan Enderle (C-S) def. Spencer Rambaran (GVB), 6-0, 6-2.
3. Ethan Bonicave (C-S) def. Luke Snyder (GVB), 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles
1. Trentyn Grant/Samuel Kephart (C-S) def. James Frawley/Trevor Clark (GVB), 6-0, 6-0.
2. Liliana Porter/Karlee Jones (GVB) def. Sarah McKenna/Emma Allard (C-S), 10-2.
