Fayetteville-Manlius hasn't had much luck against Cicero-North Syracuse recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Hornets will welcome the Northstars at 5:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Fayetteville-Manlius sitting on four straight victories and Cicero-North Syracuse on three.
While Fayetteville-Manlius didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They walked away with a 6-2 win over Fairport on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Cicero-North Syracuse got the win against West Genesee on Thursday by a conclusive 14-4. That ten run margin sets a new team best for the Northstars this season.
Mila Owens made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Owens was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Marisa Leone was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Sydney Rockwell, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Cicero-North Syracuse kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Cicero-North Syracuse pushed their record up to 4-1 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they've averaged 8.8 runs this season. As for Fayetteville-Manlius, their victory bumped their record up to 6-3.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Fayetteville-Manlius hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .377. However, it's not like Cicero-North Syracuse struggles in that department as they've averaged .340. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fayetteville-Manlius couldn't quite get it done against Cicero-North Syracuse when the teams last played back in May of 2024 as they fell 10-5. Can the Hornets avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
