STAC SOFTBALL: WAVERLY HOLDS OFF LATE RALLY IN 8-5 WIN OVER ONEONTA (16 PHOTOS) (2024-04-19)

Valley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Waverly built a big lead, then fended off a late rally in an 8-5 win over Oneonta here Friday afternoon in STAC softball action.

The Wolverines scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, and tacked on another run in the sixth take an 8-1 lead into the seventh inning.

“We played a solid first six innings tonight,” said Waverly coach Brent Doane. “Not quite error-free. but close, then we seemed to lose focus and allowed Oneonta to get back in the game.

“I think we relaxed a little too much,” he noted. “We were up 8-1 in the top the seventh — a couple mistakes, a timely home run by Tice, and suddenly it's 8-5.

“We are still learning to play this game and, unfortunately, that means we ride the roller coaster a bit — lots of ups and downs — which is typical of a young team,” added Doane. “I am really hoping that all of this experience is going to pay dividends toward the end of the season.”

The Yellowjackets scored a run on two hits, and a sacrifice bunt in the top of the first inning, then senior ace Olivia Robinson shut them down until the seventh inning.

Waverly was held hitless until freshman Hannah Carpenter led off the fourth inning with a single, but she was quickly erased from the bases by a double play.

Sophomore Delaney Wheeler re-ignited the rally with a single to center field, and junior Makayla Esau followed with a walk.

After the runners moved up on a passed ball, junior Meghan Apgar plated both of them with a flare to center field to give the Wolverines a 2-1 lead.

“Meghan Apgar sparked us again with a pair of RBI in the fourth, which kind of got us rolling,” said Doane.

Robinson pitched around a pair of errors in the top of the fifth inning, and the Wolverines took firm control of the game in the home half of the fifth.

Freshman Lecksie Douglas led off the frame with a bunt single, and junior Brinn Cooney followed with an RBI double to make it 3-1.

With one out, Cooney scored on a passed ball to extend the lead to 4-1.

Walks to Carpenter and Robinson put runners on first and second. Both their courtesy-runners ended up scoring on passed ball to extend the lead to 6-1.

Apgar added an RBI single later int he inning to push the lead to 7-1.

The Wolverines extended their lead to 8-1 on a two-out RBI single by Wheeler in the bottom of the with innings.

Ivy Tice’s three-run home run in the top of the seventh highlighted Oneonta’s four-run rally, but Robinson induced a comebacker to the circle for the final out.

Apgar singled twice and drove in three runs, and Wheeler singled twice, scored two runs, and knocked in one run to pace Waverly’s eight-hit attack, and Cooney doubled, scored one run, and had one RBI.

Junior Loralye Anthony and Douglas each singled and scored one run in the win, while Carpenter singled, and Esau scored one run.

Robinson earned the win for the Wolverines, allowing six runs — two earned — on eight hits, while striking out five and walking one in seven innings.

Waverly, now 5-2, returns to action Monday at Susquehanna Valley.

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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly’s Delaney Wheeler. … PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.