Pictured, from left, are: Fredonia assistant coach Tim Wright, Jordan Lucas, head coach Jesse Beers, Danielle Palisin and Jaelyn Davis. Lucas and Davis were named to the All-Tournament Team, and Palisin won the Sportsmanship Award at the 44th Annual James “Ace” Morabito Invitational Tournament this weekend at Greenlight Network’s Grand Slam Park in Binghamton. Photo sent
BINGHAMTON – So far this season, Fredonia has proven to be the best softball team around.
This weekend, the Hillbillies proved that in a more regional setting.
After winning all three games, Fredonia was named co-champion of the 44th annual James “Ace” Morabito Invitational at Greenlight Network’s Grand Slam Park on Sunday.
“For a lot of these girls, it’s the first time they’ve seen what I would call top-flight softball players and multiple Division I commitments. They start to understand what we’re talking about when it comes to hitting, every pitch is important, keep your head on the ball. game, those are the things that make the difference,” Fredonia coach Jesse Beers said. “They realize that if we do this, we can play with these girls and win. Hopefully it will be a stepping stone for the final week and the playoffs. I think it’s a real confidence boost for our kids.”
The Hillbillies beat Edison Heights/Elmira 5-2 on Saturday morning and Fairport 3-1 in the afternoon.
Then on Sunday morning, Fredonia beat 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.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, St. Bonaventure committed Jordan Lucas to a two-run home run to give his team the victory.
Danielle Palisin singled in the top of the inning and then went to second when a pitch eluded catcher Tappan Zee.
“It was an absolutely incredible hit,” Beers said of Palisin’s appearance at the plate. “She dropped in the count early, fouled out field after pitch and finally hit a base hit into the right-center field gap.”
Then, with a full count and two outs, Lucas hit a pitch to left-center field that bounced off the top of the fence for a home run.
“We’re really working on her timing a little bit. She’s getting a little impatient with the dish,” Beers said. “We’re getting her to think about changeups and adjust to the fastball. She got a shot and good things happened from there.
Tappan Zee led 1-0 after the top of the first inning when Auburn commit Keira Myers led off with a triple and scored on Alyssa Chiappa’s RBI double.
Fredonia quickly tied the game late in the first. Palisin walked and Lucas reached on an infield single with one out before Jaelyn Davis hit an RBI double over the head of the Tappan Zee center fielder.
In the top of the seventh, Myers led off with a double and the Hillbillies intentionally walked Tappan Zee’s No. 3 hitter before the Dutchmen’s cleanup hitter hit an RBI double.
The one-run lead wasn’t enough in the bottom of the frame.
Lucas finished with seven hits in the circle, striking out 12 while walking five. Callie Draggett went 2 for 3 and Naomi Muck picked the Hillbillies.
Clarence and St. Anthony’s went 12 innings in the other semifinal before the Class AAA Long Island team prevailed.
“I wasn’t really sure. The forecast wasn’t fantastic,” Beers said when asked if he thought the championship game would be played. “We watched the last three innings of the other game. … The next game started and around the second or third inning they made the decision to call it quits. They talked about canceling the loser’s bracket to play our game and the (consolation) game…Our No. 1 pitchers got shot, we’re getting ready for the playoffs, we don’t want anyone to get hurt, so we called it a day.”
In Saturday’s first game, Fredonia beat Edison Heights/Elmira, which lost in the Class C state semifinals to Gowanda last year before moving up to Class B this year.
Palisin started and pitched four innings, striking out two and no walks, while allowing four hits and two unearned runs. Lucas pitched the final three innings with six strikeouts and one walk, allowing no hits or runs.
The Hillbillies trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning before Palisin committed an error, Draggett walked and Davis hit a two-run double to center field.
In the fifth, Muck led off with a single and Palisin hit an RBI triple before a sacrifice fly by Lucas made it 4-2.
Muck committed an error and stole second in the sixth inning before Palisin hit an RBI single.
“We definitely came out with some nerves on the big stage. Defensively, especially in the first round, we made two mistakes,” said Beers. “There were one or two ugly tackles. We were lucky to come away with two runs.
Palisin finished 3-for-4 with a triple and Davis went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a walk.
Against Fairport, a Section V Class AAA school, the Hillbillies fell behind 1-0 early in the first round.
In the second, Draggett hit a solo home run to tie the game. Davis then led off the fourth with a double before an RBI triple from eighth-grader Jenna Fryberger.
In the bottom of the fifth, Muck led off with a single before walking to Lucas and Davis finally loading the bases. Fryberger made Fairport pay with an RBI single.
“I think they reached out to Lucas and Davis to get to her,” Beers said of Fryberger. “Jenna did well with a single.”
Lucas finished with 15 strikeouts, allowing two walks and two hits.
Davis and Lucas were named to the All-Tournament Team, while Palisin received the tournament’s Sportsmanship Award.
ELLICOTTVILLE IN WHITE NORTH COLLINS
NORTH COLLINS – Ellicottville scored in every inning as it defeated North Collins 14-0 in five innings of Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 Eastern softball on Saturday.
Ande Northrup delivered the biggest swing at bat for Ellicottville (6-4, 5-2) when he hit a home run. Liz Ball tripled, scored a run and walked; Emmylu Carls singled, walked three times and scored four times; Kalyn Crowley went 2-2. Katie Lafferty finished 1-1; and Riley Whitmer was 2-for-4.
North Collins fell to 4-9 overall and 3-4 in the league.
DAWES HITS HR
CLYMER – Harper Dawes hit a two-out solo home run in the top of the sixth inning as Maple Grove defeated Clymer/Sherman 3-2 in Division 2 West play on Saturday.
Lydia Darr pitched a one-hitter with five strikeouts and six walks for the Red Dragons (2-8, 2-6).
In the third inning, Maple Grove’s Bry Cornell singled, stole second and third and scored on a sacrifice fly behind third base.
The Lobos (4-5, 4-5) scored twice 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 Weart’s RBI single.
The score remained 2–2 until Dawes’ home run.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Dawes got his final two outs to eliminate the Wolves.
Clymer/Sherman’s only hit was a Kiera Kinal single. Elli Bodamer struck out six and walked three in the circle for the Wolves.
Alex Halstrom added a single for Maple Grove.
