By SPENCER BATES
OLEAN — The Olean offense needed absolutely no invitation to get off and running in its CCAA 1 opener against Salamanca, connecting for 11 hits and scoring 13 runs in a 6-inning affair.
The Huskies recorded a hit in all but one inning, but in that inning in which they failed to record a hit, they still managed to bring three runs across the plate. A level of production that coach Steve Anastasia was more than pleased about.
“We saw three pretty good pitchers (so far this season) that throw in the mid 50s, one of them probably threw 60 (miles per hour) or better, and I knew it was going to be a little slower today, so I was worried about how the girls would adjust.” Anastasia said. “I thought they did a good job, especially after the first time up. I could tell, they moved up in the box, they were more patient. They adjusted well today.”
But just getting hits did not satisfy Anastasia. What he really enjoyed seeing from his team on the day were the timely knocks, the ones that brought runners home and put the scoreboard operator to work. Something, he noted, they had been missing in the early goings of the campaign.
“That’s what we haven’t had all year is key hits with people on base,” Anastasia said. “We had that today, and the girls showed great discipline at the plate. I’m pleased. We finally got some timely hits.”
Olean’s Ari Finch (11) connects on a pitch. Finch worked a walk and scored a run in the Huskies’ win over the Warriors. (Spencer Bates)
Leading the way for the Huskies at the plate was eighth-grader Riley Sudbrook who went 3-for-4 with four runs, an RBI and a walk from the leadoff spot. Behind her was Emma Edwards (2-for-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 2 walks) and Anna Bates (2-for-2, run, 5 RBI, walk).
And Olean only benefited more from the seven walks that Salamanca’s pitcher Charli Ross threw on the day. But according to the Warriors’ coach Paul Furlong, it was far from a complete capitulation in the circle, it is just a matter of finding what it takes mentally to compete even after conceding a number of hits and runs.
“It was just a few too many walks, but it’s about that pitcher’s mentality,” Furlong said. “You want to (be) a dog, you got to want to fight and I can see it in (Ross). She’s just got to learn how to get that balance and just go challenge. When she challenged, she was really good today. It’s just when you give extra base runners, it forces the defense to have to play a lot different and it just puts pressure on you. That’s hard to overcome, especially against a good team.”
And unfortunately for the Warriors, their defense did not provide much relief for Ross in the circle, picking up five errors in the contest. However, the issues Furlong sees in his team are not the result of physical incapabilities, instead he believes it is about being mentally prepared for the challenge.
“It’s just softball,” Furlong said. “I don’t care what field you’re on, whatever you’re doing, we got to get better at being softball players. And that (comes with) experience. Like, with this group, I know there’s three, four kids that have played travel ball and have done it for a while. You can just see the difference. I truly believe we’re as physically good as anybody. … It’s way more about the mental growth than it is physical at this point. And when the mental comes, I think the physical will get even better. We’re just unsure of ourselves.”
Salamanca’s Charli Ross (16) delivers a pitch against Olean. (Spencer Bates)
And with how long the Salamanca defense was left out in the field, it was unable to find a groove at the plate, falling victim to a strong 11-strikeout performance from Olean’s Edwards. In fact, it took the Warriors until the sixth inning to record their first hit of the game — the three other times a Salamanca player got on base in the game were all chalked up to errors.
And with the conditions on the day being as they were — with wind chills dropping the temperature to around freezing — Anastasia was proud of the way his ace worked the strike zone.
“I’m happy, she got ahead in the count, and then we could work her pitches,” Anastasia said. “I was really happy with her. She had a no-hitter going into the sixth, a little blooper broke it, but what are you gonna do? She was right around the plate all day and these aren’t great conditions, it’s cold, you got freezing hands, it’s hard to control your stuff sometimes.”
Salamanca’s Makenzie Crouse (13) takes a swing at a pitch. (Spencer Bates)
After having started the season with three consecutive losses, the victory over Salamanca has the Huskies up and running in league play. They will have the chance to build on the win in their next game, its first away contest of the season, at Dunkirk on April 21 at 5 p.m.
As for the Warriors, their attention now shifts to an away game at Fredonia on April 11 at 5 p.m., where it will look to pick up its first win of the season.
AT OLEAN
Salamanca 000 001 X 1 1 5
Olean 220 333 X 13 11 4
Sala: Charli Ross (1 SO, 7 BB) and Nora Santiago
OL: Emma Edwards (11 SO, 0 BB) and Anna Bates
