Pictured from left are Fredonia assistant coaches Tim Wright, Jordan Lucas, head coach Jesse Beers, Daniel Parisin, and Jaelyn Davis. Lucas and Davis were named to the all-tournament team, and Parisin received the Sportsmanship Award at the 44th Annual James “Ace” Morabito Invitational Tournament held this weekend at Greenlight Network's Grand Slam Park in Binghamton.Posted photo
BINGHAMTON — Fredonia has proven to be the best softball team so far this season.
This weekend, the Hillbillies proved that on a more local stage.
Fredonia, which won all three matches, was named co-winner of the 44th annual James “Ace” Morabito Invitational Tournament held Sunday at Greenlight Network's Grand Slam Park.
“For many of these girls, it's the first time they've seen so-called top-level softball players, players who have played in multiple Division I teams. We're starting to understand certain things, we're talking about focusing on the game. Those are the things that make a difference,” Fredonia head coach Jesse Beers said. “They understand that if we do this, we can play with these girls and we can win. I hope this is a springboard to the playoffs in the last week or so. This is really good for the kids. I think it will give you confidence.”
The Hillbillies defeated Edison Heights/Elmira 5-2 on Saturday morning and defeated Fairport 3-1 in the afternoon.
Then, on Sunday morning, Fredonia defeated Tappan Zee 3-2 in the semifinals before the championship game against St. Anthony's was canceled due to weather.
The Hillbillies' final victory was their most dramatic.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, trailing 2-1, St. Bonaventure's Jordan Lucas hit a two-run homer to give his team the victory.
Daniel Parisin singled early in the inning and advanced to second base as the ball left catcher Tappan Zee.
“It was just an unbelievable at-bat,” Beals said of Parisin's at-bat. “She was down in the count early, got foul after foul, and ended up hitting her base hit into right-center field.”
After that, with two outs from a full count, Lucas threw the ball to left-center field, which flew over the fence and became a home run.
“We've been working on her timing a little bit. She's starting to get a little irritated when she's at bat,” Beals said. “We're getting her to come up with a changeup and getting her to match her fastball. She gave the pitch barreling, and good things happened from there.”
Tappan Zee took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Auburn native Kyra Myers led off with a triple and Alyssa Chiappa scored on an RBI double.
Fredonia quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first inning. Parisin walked, Lucas hit an infield hit with one out, and Jaylin Davis hit an RBI double over the head of Tappan Zee's center fielder.
In the top of the seventh inning, Myers led off with a double, and after the Hillbillies intentionally walked Tappan Zee's No. 3 batter, Dutch's No. 4 batter hit an RBI double.
The one-point lead did not reach the bottom of the frame.
Lucas had 12 strikeouts and seven hits while walking five. For the Hillbillies, Callie Druggett went 2-for-3 and Naomi Mack had a single.
In the other semifinal, Clarence and St. Anthony's played 12 innings, with Long Island's Class AAA team winning.
“I wasn't sure. The predictions weren't great,” Beals said when asked if he thought there would be a championship game. “We were watching the last three innings of the other game. …The next game started and about the second or third inning they made a called decision. ) We talked about canceling the loser slot to play games…Our No. 1 pitcher got shot, we're getting ready for the playoffs, we don't want anyone to get hurt, so… The day we called it off.”
In Saturday's first game, Fredonia defeated Edison Heights/Elmira, but lost to Gowanda in the state Class C semifinals last year and moved up to Class B this year.
Parisin started and pitched four innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts and no walks. Lucas pitched the final three innings with no hits and no runs, with six strikeouts and one walk.
The Hillbillies led 2-0 until the bottom of the third inning, when Parisin reached on an error, Draghett walked, and Davis hit a two-run double to center field.
In the fifth inning, Mack led off with a single, Parisin hit an RBI triple, and Lucas made a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2.
Mook reached on an error in the sixth inning and stole second after Parisin hit an RBI single.
“We definitely had some concerns on the big stage. Defensively, we had two errors, especially in the first inning,” Beals said. “We had one or two bad innings. We were lucky to only give up two runs.”
Parisin was 3-for-4 with a triple, and Davis was 3-for-3 with two doubles and a walk.
Against Fairport, a Section 5 AAA school, the Hillbillies were trailing 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
In the second inning, Druggett hit a solo home run to tie the score. Davis then led off with a four-run double, followed by an RBI triple by eighth-grader Jenna Freiberger.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Mack led off with a single, giving Lucas a walk and eventually Davis loading the bases. Freiberger made Fairport pay with his RBI single.
“I think they went around Lucas and Davis to get to her,” Beals said of Freiburger. “Jenna had great success with her single.''
Lucas had 15 strikeouts while allowing two walks and two hits.
Davis and Lucas were named to the all-tournament team, and Parisin received the tournament's sportsmanship award.
Ellicottville Blanks North Collins
NORTH COLLINS — Ellicottville defeated North Collins 14-0 in five innings, scoring in every inning, in a Chautauqua-Catalogus Athletic Association Division II East softball game on Saturday.
Ande Northrup swung his bat wildly when he hit a home run against Ellicottville (6-4, 5-2). Liz Ball had a triple, an RBI, and a walk. Emmylou Carles singled, walked three times and scored four times. Karin Crowley won 2-2 and Katie Lafferty finished 1-1. Riley Whitmer had 2 hits for 4 at bats.
North Collins fell to 4 wins and 9 losses overall, and 3 wins and 4 losses in the league.
DAWES achieves go-ahead HR
CLIMER — Harper Dawes hit a solo home run with two outs in the top of the sixth inning as Maple Grove defeated Climer/Sherman 3-2 in Division II West action on Saturday.
Lydia Durr pitched well for the Red Dragons (2-8, 2-6) with 1 at-bat, 5 strikeouts, and 6 walks.
In the third inning, Maple Grove's Bry Cornell singled, stole second and third, and scored on a sacrifice fly behind third base.
The Wolves (4-5, 4-5) scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning on an error and a fielder's choice.
The Red Dragons tied the game in the fourth inning when Darr singled and scored on Savannah Weirt's RBI.
The score remained 2-2 until Dawes' home run.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Dawes got the final two strikeouts to put the Timberwolves ahead.
Climber/Sherman's only hit was a bunt single by Keira Kinnall. Ellie Bodamer of the Wolves had six strikeouts and three walks.
Alex Halstrom added a single for Maple Grove.
