Saints advance with offense

Churchville-Chili exploded for six runs in the second inning on their way to 17-1 victory Section V softball playoff game over Jefferson-Franklin. The game was shortened to five innings due to the run differential rule.

With the late arrival of the visitors, the first pitch was delayed 40 minutes and the Saints started slowly. The first two batters for Jefferson-Franklin reached on base hits and a run scored on a throwing error, but it would be the only run of the game allowed by starting pitcher Jaime Ryan.

C-C took a 2-1 lead in their half of the first on a wild pitch and an error before their six run second. Ryan knocked in two of the runs with a bases-loaded double, Michelle D'Amico and Stephanie Lander each had RBI singles and two other runs scored on wild pitches.

The Saints plated three more runs in the third with Katy Quartaro, Lizzy Inclima and Kirstie Linza scoring and added four more in the fourth inning. D'Amico scored on a wild pitch, Jessica Becker hit into an RBI fielder's choice, Kristie Harmer an RBI groundout and Ryan drove in the last run of the inning with her second double of the game.

Ryan allowed just two hits after the first inning and struck out six in registering the victory. The eighth-seeded Saints advanced to play top-seeded Rush-Henrietta in the Class AAA quarterfinals. It will be the fourth meeting of the season with the Royal Comets winning the first three 9-4, 6-4 and 8-4.

"We could have won any of those three games," said first year head coach Dave Thomas. "Nobody really wants to play us. Like I told the team afterward, today was a bit of batting practice, but we need to be on our game from here on."

May 28, 2006