STAC SOFTBALL: BIG INNINGS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD FOR RUNNER-UP WOLVERINES AT TESTA TOURNAMENT (20 PHOTOS) (2024-04-27)

Valley Sports Report
JOHNSON CITY — Waverly used a big inning to put away Johnson City in the opening round of the Testa Tournament, then fell victim to a big inning in a loss to Sutherland in the championship game.

The Wolverines opened the day with an 11-7 win over Johnson City then dropped a 12-3 decision to Sutherland.

“Maddie Cron was outstanding at third base today, and at the plate,” said Waverly coach Brent Doane. “She made several plays over the course of both games at the hot corner.

“She was red-hot at the plate, driving the ball to all fields in both games, and played a big part in our win,” noted Doane.

“Our defensive woes are still haunting us a bit,” he added. “With our offense, no lead is safe, but with our defense, no lead is safe. Hopefully, we turn the corner soon defensively.”

Opening Round
Waverly 11, Johnson City 7
Waverly used a six-run fourth-inning rally to take control of the game on its way to an 11-7 win over Johnson City in the opening round of the JC Testa Tournament.

JC, playing as the visitors, scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but Waverly answered with a run when sophomore Maddie Cron, who reached on a double, scored on a passed ball to close the gap to 2-1.

In the bottom of the second, senior Olivia Robinson belted a one-out double, and courtesy-runner freshman Kennadie Cochrane scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of junior Meghan Apgar to tie the game at 2-2.

Freshman Lecksie Douglas re-ignited the rally with a walk, then stole second, and scored on RBI single by junior Mikayla Esau to put the Wolverines up 3-2. Junior Brinn Cooney followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-2.

JC led off the top of the fourth inning with back-to-back singles, and had runners on second and third with two outs, but Waverly’s freshman catcher Hannah Carpenter picked the runner off third to extinguish the threat.

Waverly did all its damage in the fourth inning with two outs. Cooney started the rally with a single, and scored two pitches later on an RBI double by Cron to make it 5-2.

Carpenter ripped an RBI single up the middle to extend the lead to 6-2, and sophomore Delanie Wheeler delivered courtesy-runner freshman Kaiya Horton to push the lead to 7-2.

After a single by junior Loralye Anthony, Robinson flared an RBI single to right field, and Apgar capped the rally with a line-drive, two-run single to make it 10-2.

JC strung five singles together in the top of the fifth inning to plate three runs, and close the gap to 10-5.

Consecutive singles by Cron, Carpenter, and Wheeler plate another insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to give the Wolverines an 11-5 lead.

The Wildcats took advantage of three consecutive Waverly errors in the top of the seventh to close the gap to 11-7, but shortstop Loralye Anthony snared a line drive to end the game.

Cron was 4-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored, and one RBI to pace Waverly’s 16-hit attack, while Wheeler singled twice, scored one run, and drove in two runs, Carpenter singled twice and knocked in two runs, and Cooney singled twice, scored one run, and drove in one run.

Anthony singled, and scored one run in the win, while Robinson doubled and singled, and drove in one run, Esau singled, scored one run, and knocked in one run, Apgar singled, and had three RBI, and Douglas crossed the plate once.

Robinson earned the win for the Wolverines, allowing seven runs — six earned — on 11 hits, while striking out four, and walking one in seven innings.

Championship Game
Sutherland 12, Waverly 3
Sutherland used a six-run fifth-inning to seal a 12-3 victory over Waverly in the championship game of the JC Testa Tournament Saturday afternoon.

Training 3-0 after three innings, Waverly started the top of the fourth with four consecutive singles, but only managed one run to close the gap to 3-1.

Junior Brinn Cooney led off with a single up the middle, took second on a passed ball, and scored on an RBI single by Cron. Freshman Hannah Carpenter, and sophomore Delanie Wheeler follow with back-to-back singles to load the bases, but a force out at home, a line out, and a pop out ended the inning without any further damage.

Sutherland rapped out four hits in the bottom of the fourth, including a pair of extra-base hits, to score three runs to take 6-1 lead.

Waverly answered with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI double by Cron, and an RBI single by Carpenter to trim the deficit to 6-3.

The Knights then responded with six runs in the home half of the fifth in a rally capped by a three-run blast by Gwen Lyons.

After Anthony reached on an error to start the sixth inning, the final six Wolverines were retired in order to end the game.

Cron doubled and singled, scored one run, and had two RBI, and Carpenter singled twice, and drove in one run to pace Waverly’s six-hit attack, while Cooney singled and scored two runs, and Wheeler added a single.

Cooney was tagged with the loss. She struck out six and walked two in six innings.

Waverly, now 6-5, returns to action Monday at Owego.

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IN PHOTO 1; Waverly’s Maddie Cron. … PHOTOS BY MIKE LUBERTOWICZ.