By PAUL GOTHAM
BROCKPORT, N.Y. — One team was playing its third game in 15 days. The other took the field for a second time this season. Such is the way for spring sport teams trying to navigate uncooperative weather.
Scott Smith’s Irondequoit Eagles had just enough experience on Wednesday.
Having an ace to put in the circle for a close out didn’t hurt either.
Abby Ras produced three runs, and Marlayna Cartegena hurled four innings in relief to pick up the win as Irondequoit defeated host Brockport, 8-7 in Section V Softball action.
“It was a weird game,” Smith said. “It was pretty ugly, but we’ll take it. An ugly win is better than a pretty loss.”
Irondequoit (3-0) used back-to-back sacrifice flies in the fourth inning to take a lead it did not surrender.
“We found a way. I told the kids it’s part of growing.”
Kayce Hennekey, Cayden Catalina and Ella Cooley took advantage of consecutive walks to load the bases in the fourth. Cartegena and Ras delivered with fly balls.
Cartegena took over in the circle and allowed one run on three hits to nail down the win.
“It’s nice having Marlayna come in,” Smith said of the senior right-hander. “She’s somebody you can rely on that’s got the experience.”
Cartegena fanned four in the fourth with one batter reaching on a dropped third strike. She faced a similar scenario in the fifth retiring four batters (three on strikes) with one reaching on a mishandled third.
In the sixth, Maeve Petitti reached on a leadoff single but was left stranded. Brockport managed two more hits in the seventh and had the tying run at third when Cartegena ended the game with her 10th K.
Marlayna Cartegena leaves the tying run at third with her 10th K of the game. Irondequoit 8 Brockport 7 (final). pic.twitter.com/sBLwmPRMbI
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 12, 2023
With the Eagles trying to find their groove, Smith had Cartegena rely on her power to retire Brockport’s hitters
“For her to come in and shut the door like that really not having a great warmup is good, but we didn’t want to horse around and throw too many off-speed pitches and let their kids turn on it and put the ball in play. We tried to stay quick, and it worked today. It’s great to have her as a safety valve to put in as a life preserver for me.”
Infield single from Kailey Besio brings in a run for Irondequoit. pic.twitter.com/uk04ed6qRh
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 12, 2023
Ras finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored on the day. Norah DeMayo went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI. Kailey Besio was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Cooley singled and walked in four plate appearances. Emma Rovet singled, walked, scored a run and had a sacrifice. Catalina reached base all three times she came to the plate with a trio of walks.
Brooklyn Downey went 3-for-4 including an RBI single in the third when Brockport (0-2) scored three to take a 6-5 lead. Hannah Carpenter homered to right field to lead the Blue Devils’ third. Arianna Guerrero doubled and scored on Downey’s base hit. Downey eventually came home on Estella Watt’s sacrifice bunt. Downey also singled and scored in the seventh inning.
Brooklyn Downey ties the score with a one-out RBI single. @BCSDBlueDevils tack on another for a 6-5 lead heading to the fourth.@SecVSoftball pic.twitter.com/UaBNLeuKwJ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 12, 2023
Petitti went 2-for-4 with four stolen bases and a run scored. Guerrero was 2-for-4 with two runs. Ava Velletri was 2-for-4
Both teams opened their seasons on March 28th. Brockport will play its third game of the season on Friday. For Irondequoit, Wednesday’s matchup was the second of four this week.
“Once we get back to some normalcy with this schedule, without having to play four games in a week, it’s going to settle down for us,” Smith said. “Not only physically but mentally as well.”
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