The Chittenango Bears will face off against the Marcellus Mustangs at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Chittenango is coming into the match hot, having won their last 11 games.
On Thursday, Chittenango made easy work of Altmar-Parish-Williamstown and carried off a 13-1 win. Considering the Bears have won nine contests by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Lauren Machan and Julia Spencer were major factors no matter where they played. Throwing, Machan tossed 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Spencer struck out six batters over 3.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Machan has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances. At bat, Machan went 1-for-2 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Spencer went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alivia Cavotta, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. Juli. Coon was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Chittenango 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 ten hits in eight consecutive games.
Marcellus never got on the board in their matchup on Friday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Jordan-Elbridge on Thursday. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Eagles. The victory continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won seven in a row.
Like Chittenango, Marcellus also got a great game from a two-way player: Kendall LaManche. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. LaManche was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Marcellus let Millie Novitsky and Maddy Richer run wild. Novitsky went 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI, while Richer went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That stolen base was Richer's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Jordan O'Connor, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Chittenango pushed their record up to 11-1 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.7 runs over those games. As for Marcellus, their record now sits at 6-2-1.
Chittenango's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's matchup. The Bears have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Marcellus, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Chittenango continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Chittenango's way against Marcellus in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, as Chittenango made off with a 17-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bears since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
