After two rainouts (May 6 in Massena and May 8 vs. OFA in Canton) and a 10-26 loss to Malone at home on May 5, the JV Bears came roaring back with four wins during the week of May 12. Of the team’s performance, Coach Carla Wentworth stated, “[They] played with confidence and consistency. They are anticipating plays and improving base running. In each game, different players are stepping up to create offensive opportunities.”
On Monday, May 12, the Junior Bears traveled to Gouverneur and picked up a six-inning 22-10 win over the Wildcats. Offensively, the Bears came out swinging, plating 12 of their runs in the first three innings of play. Multiple players hit for extra bases including Harper Elvy (two doubles), Makayla Hogan (double), Alaina Halpin (double), and Harley Larsen (double). Defensively, the Bears stood tall behind their pitchers, committing only two errors over the six innings of play. Halpin started off in the circle and earned the win (five strikeouts, five walks and two hits over three innings) while Lily Todd provided three innings of relief (six strikeouts, four walks and two hits).
Tuesday, May 13, saw Canton on the road again, facing off against Madrid-Waddington. The Bears scored 20 runs in the second and third innings on their way to a lopsided 37-15 win. Again, solid and timely hitting from the entire lineup proved to be more than their opponents could handle. Hogan led the way at the plate, going 4-for-5 on the day, while Halpin added three hits in three at-bats. Elvy (double), Todd (double), and Grace Dollman (triple) added extra pop throughout the contest. Defensively, the Bears again played a (mostly) clean game, committing only two errors over the five innings of play. Grace Dana (one strikeout, three walks and eight hits) earned the win over three innings of work, while Todd provided two innings of relief (four strikeouts, two walks and one hit).
In their first homestand in over a week, the JV sluggers took on the Blue Devils of OFA on Wednesday, May 14, and came away with a 13-6 victory. A pair of Bears (Todd, Zoey Zebedee) drove the heart of the order, each getting three hits in four at-bats, while Dollman went 2-for-3 and scored three runs. Todd pitched a gem, nearly going the distance in the six-inning win, recording 12 strikeouts, five walks and five hits over 5 2/3 innings.
In what would be their final game of the week thanks to another wet weekend, the team traveled to Salmon River on Thursday, May 15, for a much-anticipated rematch after the Bears did not compete to their full potential earlier in the season. Looking to avenge this loss, the young Cubs left little doubt that when they show up to play, they can compete with anyone on their way to a 25-14 win over the Shamrocks. Offensively, the bats were hot, with Kaitlyn Holbrook going 4-for-5 on the day, while Dana added three hits in four at-bats and both Dollman and Kaydence Ashley went 2-for-3. The defensive highlight of the day came in the form of a 4-3-4 double play between Hogan and Berkley Brown for the first two outs in the third inning. Inside the circle, Todd (seven strikeouts, five walks and two hits) picked up the win over four innings of work, while Halpin (three strikeouts, four walks and five hits) provided a solid three innings of relief.
Looking ahead, the Bears host St. Lawrence Central on Thursday and travel to Massena on May 28 to close out the season. Both games are slated to start at 4:30 p.m.