AUBURN - On paper, one of the few differences in the four teams playing in the Cayuga County Softball Tournament was experience.
Union Springs lost some heading into the season, Weedsport and Southern Cayuga lost more and Port Byron was finally getting some.
Though it matters little in the Chiefs' case.
Southern Cayuga won its third tournament title under head coach Dave Hewitt, by defeating Weedsport 12-1 in the first round and getting by Union Springs 3-0 in the championship game at Casey Park Saturday.
Ask Hewitt if he thought his team would be 9-0 and ranked 17th in the state midway through the season and the answer is fast and definitive.
“No way,” he said. “When I looked at who we graduated and who we had coming up, I predicted about 4-4 at this point. We've got Beth Rocker in center field, who has never played softball before and two freshmen on either side of her that we rotate, so we're really young. Little by little though, we're getting there.” Graduating players like Traci Hewitt (catcher), Molly Osterhoudt (second base) and Colleen Lukas (shortstop) could have derailed the Chiefs' season, but the grittiness of this year's team refuses to allow it.
Instead, players like Rocker, Felicia Allen and Kayla Hildreth have emerged to help the team. Rocker earned a spot on the all-tournament team after belting her second home run of the season in the first game of the day and finishing with two hits and three RBIs in the win over Weedsport.
“It was a big shocker (to be named to the all-tournament team),” Rocker said. “This is my first year playing. I'm really happy though, especially about my home run.”
Rocker's big hit was one of four in the seven-run fourth inning against Weedsport, who had taken a 1-0 lead in the morning contest. Alysia Jackson singled in Tonya Hinman for the Warriors' only run of the game. Weedsport, who graduated most of their starters from last season's team, committed eight errors in the game.
The other first round game wasn't quite so lopsided.
Union Springs took an early 3-0 lead over Port Byron, but the Panthers battled back, scoring six runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to take the lead. But the Wolves mounted their own rally, scoring five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to get the 9-7 win.
The Panthers, who went winless last season, went on to defeat Weedsport for the second time this season in the consolation game, 16-1.
Nica Dare led the Panthers, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs in the game. Britney Helmer had a grand slam and Ali Short went a 3-for-3 with an RBI.
Helmer threw a complete-game with one walk, six strikeouts and gave up two runs.
Taylor Roe scored the lone run for the Warriors while Julia Myers pitched two innings, striking out one.
Brittany Saroodis and Britney Helmer were also named to the all-tournament team. For Weedsport, Jillian Thomas was an easy selection after tossing 11 strikeouts in the two games pitched, including seven in the first contest. She also went 2-for-2 with two runs scored against Port Byron, and she managed the only hit against Southern Cayuga.
Against tournament MVP Lianna May, the Wolves left seven runners on base in the title game. The Chiefs' pitcher, who also threw the last three innings of the first game, fanned seven batters to help her team win the championship. That included three strikeouts in four batters with two on in the third inning.
Offensively, Southern Cayuga managed just two hits in the win, but Union Springs' five errors gave the Chiefs an advantage to win. Two infield blunders helped the Chiefs' score one run each in the third and fourth, but it was Julie Hewitt's monster solo home run in the fifth that drained the Wolves of any momentum remaining. Lindsey Doeing roped the other hit of the game, a single in the second.
“This wasn't easy,” Dave Hewitt said of the title win. “I guess our motto this season is going to be, 'live by the long ball.'”
It was the Chiefs' second win over the rival Wolves in two days, after a 4-1 win in Poplar Ridge Friday night.
“They're a good team,” Hewitt said. “We only let them score once in two games back-to-back, so that's pretty good. Our pitching and defense have been keeping us in games.”
The Chiefs have not allowed more than three runs in any game this season r, and just 10 overall. Cato-Meridian was the only team to score three on them, and they host the Chiefs on Tuesday, after Southern Cayuga travels to Groton Monday.
Undefeated is great for right now for the tournament champs, but they aren't guaranteed anything just - this season's Chiefs know they still have work to do.
“We're not the type of team to get a lot of base hits this year,” Hewitt said. “We get a lot of extra base hits, but we're not going to ground out base hit after base hit. Who knows what could happen, we could finish the season 9-9.”
Chiefs 3
Wolves 0
Though it matters little in the Chiefs' case.
Southern Cayuga won its third tournament title under head coach Dave Hewitt, by defeating Weedsport 12-1 in the first round and getting by Union Springs 3-0 in the championship game at Casey Park Saturday.
Ask Hewitt if he thought his team would be 9-0 and ranked 17th in the state midway through the season and the answer is fast and definitive.
“No way,” he said. “When I looked at who we graduated and who we had coming up, I predicted about 4-4 at this point. We've got Beth Rocker in center field, who has never played softball before and two freshmen on either side of her that we rotate, so we're really young. Little by little though, we're getting there.” Graduating players like Traci Hewitt (catcher), Molly Osterhoudt (second base) and Colleen Lukas (shortstop) could have derailed the Chiefs' season, but the grittiness of this year's team refuses to allow it.
Instead, players like Rocker, Felicia Allen and Kayla Hildreth have emerged to help the team. Rocker earned a spot on the all-tournament team after belting her second home run of the season in the first game of the day and finishing with two hits and three RBIs in the win over Weedsport.
“It was a big shocker (to be named to the all-tournament team),” Rocker said. “This is my first year playing. I'm really happy though, especially about my home run.”
Rocker's big hit was one of four in the seven-run fourth inning against Weedsport, who had taken a 1-0 lead in the morning contest. Alysia Jackson singled in Tonya Hinman for the Warriors' only run of the game. Weedsport, who graduated most of their starters from last season's team, committed eight errors in the game.
The other first round game wasn't quite so lopsided.
Union Springs took an early 3-0 lead over Port Byron, but the Panthers battled back, scoring six runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to take the lead. But the Wolves mounted their own rally, scoring five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to get the 9-7 win.
The Panthers, who went winless last season, went on to defeat Weedsport for the second time this season in the consolation game, 16-1.
Nica Dare led the Panthers, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs in the game. Britney Helmer had a grand slam and Ali Short went a 3-for-3 with an RBI.
Helmer threw a complete-game with one walk, six strikeouts and gave up two runs.
Taylor Roe scored the lone run for the Warriors while Julia Myers pitched two innings, striking out one.
Brittany Saroodis and Britney Helmer were also named to the all-tournament team. For Weedsport, Jillian Thomas was an easy selection after tossing 11 strikeouts in the two games pitched, including seven in the first contest. She also went 2-for-2 with two runs scored against Port Byron, and she managed the only hit against Southern Cayuga.
Against tournament MVP Lianna May, the Wolves left seven runners on base in the title game. The Chiefs' pitcher, who also threw the last three innings of the first game, fanned seven batters to help her team win the championship. That included three strikeouts in four batters with two on in the third inning.
Offensively, Southern Cayuga managed just two hits in the win, but Union Springs' five errors gave the Chiefs an advantage to win. Two infield blunders helped the Chiefs' score one run each in the third and fourth, but it was Julie Hewitt's monster solo home run in the fifth that drained the Wolves of any momentum remaining. Lindsey Doeing roped the other hit of the game, a single in the second.
“This wasn't easy,” Dave Hewitt said of the title win. “I guess our motto this season is going to be, 'live by the long ball.'”
It was the Chiefs' second win over the rival Wolves in two days, after a 4-1 win in Poplar Ridge Friday night.
“They're a good team,” Hewitt said. “We only let them score once in two games back-to-back, so that's pretty good. Our pitching and defense have been keeping us in games.”
The Chiefs have not allowed more than three runs in any game this season r, and just 10 overall. Cato-Meridian was the only team to score three on them, and they host the Chiefs on Tuesday, after Southern Cayuga travels to Groton Monday.
Undefeated is great for right now for the tournament champs, but they aren't guaranteed anything just - this season's Chiefs know they still have work to do.
“We're not the type of team to get a lot of base hits this year,” Hewitt said. “We get a lot of extra base hits, but we're not going to ground out base hit after base hit. Who knows what could happen, we could finish the season 9-9.”
Chiefs 3
Wolves 0
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