A pair of familiar contenders meet Saturday with the Section V Softball Class B1 title on the line. Webster Thomas is the setting for this rematch as Waterloo and Batavia will determine a champion. Here is the breakdown:
CLASS B1
NO. 1 WATERLOO TIGERS (17-4/Finger Lakes East Division)
vs.
NO. 2 BATAVIA BLUE DEVILS (15-6/ Monroe County Division IV)
11:00 am Saturday, Webster Thomas
How they arrived here: Top-seeded Waterloo defeated No. 8 Geneva in quarters before eliminating No. 4 Hornell in the semis to earn its second consecutive trip to the championship on Saturday. No. 2 Batavia downed No. 7 Livonia in the quarters and No. 3 Midlakes in the semis to earn its second trip in-a-row to the final.
Tempo and Trends: Waterloo scores 11.2 runs per game and allows 4.4 per game. The Tigers have won ten consecutive games. Batavia scores 9.2 runs per game and allows 4.7 per game. The Blue Devils has won seven of its last ten including a 5-game winning streak in the middle of the stretch.
What’s at Stake: The winner advances to the Class B Regional Qualifier to take on the Class B2 champion to qualify for Regionals.
History 101: Waterloo has won three sectional titles since 2010 including a season ago when the Tigers defeated Batavia 6-4 in the championship game. Batavia has won one sectional title dating back to 2013.
Players to Watch for Waterloo: Kennedy Beniamino Sr. (53 K, .486 BA, 34 hits, 30 RBI, 30 R, 2 HR); Gwen Panek 8th Grade (.440 BA, 33 hits, 20 RBI, 35 R, 3 HR); Maddie Westerberg So. (.390 BA, 27 hits, 31 RBI, 8 HR); Nadya Clingerman Sr. (118 K, .377 BA, 29 hits, 24 RBI, 1 HR); Brynn Rogers Sr. (.342 BA, 26 hits, 10 RBI, 21 R); Haylee Beesley So. (.416 BA, 32 hits, 22 RBI, 34 R, 2 HR); Long Amidon Sr. (.344 BA, 24 hits, 17 RBI, 15 R).
Batavia: Lila Fortes Fr. (.508 BA, 2 3B, 18 RBI, 23 R); Julia Clark Jr. (.448 BA, 9 2B, 3 3B, 22 RBI, 17 R); Libby Grazioplaene Sr. (.381 BA, 13 R, 15 RBI, 6 2B); Arianna Almekinder 8th Grade (4-2, 3.64 ERA, 38.5 IP, 40 K, 13 BB, .375 BA, 13 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 17 BB); Marisha Tucholski So. (.357 BA, .429 SLG, .435 OBP, 1 2B, 7 RBI); Sophia Branch So. (.318 BA, 8 RBI, .423 OBP); Hannah Carney So. (.317 BA, 28 R, 11 RBI, 3 2B, 2 HR, .467 SLG); Giana Mruczek Jr. (8-4, 4.8 ERA, 76.40 IP, 82 K, 62 BB).
Coaches: Kierstyn DeCory (Waterloo) James Fazio (Batavia)
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