By HUNTER O. LYLE
PORTVILLE, NY – After finding themselves down by a handful in the early goings, the Portville softball team failed to spark a comeback, losing to Ellicottville 11-3.
The Panthers’ troubles started early and from the circle. After striking out the initial batter of the day, Portville would give up a walk and two singles that would load the bases. Then, two more consecutive walks would put Ellicottville on the scoreboard before an RBI single from Kalyn Crowley put the Panthers in a 3-0 hole. Finding the last two outs via strikeout and pickle in between home and third, Portville failed to execute during their first trip to the batters’ box, suffering three outs in four batters.
Returning to the plate, the Eagles picked up where they left off. They would load the bases off a walk and two singles before, having yet to pick up an out, Katie Lafferty doubled to send two runners across home plate. Ellicottville would follow that with an RBI single before scoring once more during a scramble around second, allowing a runner to score and put the Eagles up by seven.
Ella Warters winds up from the circle during Portville’s loss to the Eagles. Through five innings, Warters threw seven strikeouts. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
“We made some errors but it wasn’t so bad. There were some timely hits by Ellicottville, we put some extra runners on base that we probably shouldn’t have and they’re a good team,” said Portville head coach Bill Torrey. “They have a solid battery defensively so after going down seven runs, it’s hard to come back from that.”
Although once again unable to rally, going three-and-out in the bottom of the second, the Panthers would return the favor in the top of the third, dispatching Ellicottville with three clean strikeouts. However, their bats remained cold and their defensive prowess wouldn’t return in the fourth, when the Eagles scored a pair of runs off two RBI singles. To make matters worse, after going three-and-out for a third time, the Panthers watched as Riley Whitmer smashed a shot beyond the fence, driving in two runs to go up by double-digits in the top of the sixth.
Facing an early termination, Portville finally mustered some momentum. Ayana DeGolier and Alexa Schoonover would make it to first and second off a walk and single before Isabella Morales put the Panthers on the scoreboard with a double that brought in one. Madison Ford would follow in suit, smacking a double that would score two more.
While they had avoided both a shut out and mercy rule loss, the late burst would be more for show than the start of a comeback. In the final frame, Portville would hold the Eagles at bay, forcing them to leave three runners stranded, but fell victim to their fourth three-and-out appearance at the plate, sealing their fourth loss of the season.
Isabella Morales comes up with contact during her 2-for-3 day at the plate against Ellicottville. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
Morales led the pack with a 2-for-3 finish that included one run and one RBI. Ford ended 1-for-2 with one RBI while Schoonover scored once with one hit in three trips to the batters’ box.
“In this group I really do believe there’s pieces and talent there. There’s some veteran players that are juniors and sophomores and then there’s younger players that are coming up and that confidence piece is so huge. When they are playing confidently and things are going their way, you get a different glimpse of them,” said Torrey. “If they can start believing in them the way that I do, then I think we’re going to be a team that can do some damage in the playoffs. It’s just a matter of how long it takes.”
AT PORTVILLE
R H E
Ellicottville 340 202 0 11 14 2
Portville 000 003 0 3 5 1
EL: Lafferty (11 SO, 1 BB) and Whitmer
PV: Warters (7 SO, 4 BB), Maedl (6) (3 SO, 3 BB) and Zeigler
