Cicero-North Syracuse softball entered its game against Baldwinsville knowing that it would be difficult to beat the Bees for the second time this season.
The Northstars pulled off a 3-2 win over Baldwinsville in the eighth inning on Tuesday to sweep the Bees in their regular season series.
Complete Box Score »
"It was a great battle with Baldwinsville," C-NS coach Morgan Nandin said. "It always is."
The game began with quiet bats from both squads. C-NS opened the scoring with a run in the fourth inning. Baldwinsville tied the score in the top of the seventh to send the game into extra innings. The Bees then took the lead in the eighth inning to put the Northstars on the brink of defeat. However, Sydney Rockwell and Eva Farone managed to get into scoring position in the bottom of the inning. Aubrey Coyle crushed a double that allowed both baserunners to score and secured the win for C-NS.
"I don't know what comes over this team in the seventh inning," Nandin said. "They just really believe in themselves and everyone wants to step up to the plate for that big spot."
C-NS shut out Baldwinsville in 3-0 fashion in their first meeting of the season on April 16. The Northstars are now responsible for two of Baldwinsville's three losses on the campaign.
The C-NS pitching staff had an incredible overall performance. Kiyara Bembry led the way with 7.1 innings of stellar pitching. The sophomore struck out nine batters while giving up just three hits and two runs. Lillian Hotaling followed up Bembry's outing with 0.2 scoreless innings.
Farone and Sydney Puttkamer led the offensive charge for the Northstars with two hits apiece. Rockwell recorded a hit and a run scored, while Coyle and Marisa Leone each had a timely double.
Baldwinsville's Isabella Hotchkiss strung together an excellent outing on the mound. The senior threw a complete game and fanned eight batters.
Marissa McCloud tallied a team-high two hits for the Bees. Hotchkiss was responsible for Baldwinsville's sole extra-base hit on the night with an RBI double.
"This is a complete total team win," Nandin said. "Defensively they played well, offensively they played well, pitchers threw great. I couldn't ask for more as a coach."
C-NS (8-6) has some time to rest before they take on Chittenango on Monday. Baldwinsville (10-3) will have no such rest as the Bees take on Liverpool on Thursday.
