Genesee Splits Doubleheader with Erie

The GCC softball team won one of two against visiting Erie CC on Saturday afternoon, topping the Kats 11-7 in game one and falling in extra innings in game two, 5-4.

The Genesee offense got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first after GCC starting pitcher Mackenzie Weber retired ECC without incident in the top of the inning. Sydney Brenton led off the bottom of the inning with a double and scored on a double by Weber. Karli Phillips delivered an RBI single and Amanda Stratton also drove in a run.

Erie used a lead-off single and a double to score its first run of the game in the top of the second, and tied the score at three with two runs on three hits in the third.

Shiori Ubukata gave Genesee the lead back in the fourth with an RBI double that scored Brenton, who delivered a one out double of her own to get into scoring position.

ECC took a 6-4 lead with three runs in the top of the fifth, but GCC responded with seven of its own in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead for good. The Cougars sent 11 batters to the plate and got RBI's from Ubukata, Weber and Brenton.

Weber, who threw a complete game allowing seven runs on 13 hits while striking out three to earn the win, gave up a single run in the sixth and shut the door in the seventh to lead GCC to the win.

Brenton finished game one 2-2 with two doubles and three runs scored, Weber added two hits and two runs scored, Ubukata drove in three runs with a pair of hits and scored once, and Marissa Draper finished with three RBI's and a run scored on a 1-3 day.

Genesee took another early lead in game two after scoring twice in the top of the first. Weber drove in a run on a double and scored herself after Abigail Noeth delivered a run scoring double.

Phillips held the Kats scoreless through the first four innings before surrendering her first run of the game in the fifth. She faced just four over the minimum through four, allowing just two hits.

GCC led 4-0 going into the fifth before Erie cut the lead to three with a run in the bottom of the inning and tied the game at four with three runs in the sixth. Neither team scored in the seventh, which send the game into extra innings.

Genesee had a chance in the top of the eighth after Joelle Kaminski led off the frame with a single and advanced to third after a fielding error. Phillips then reached on an infield single, but a suicide squeeze attempt resulted in a 1-3-2-6 ECC double play and erased the threat, and GCC was retired after the next batter.

Erie took advantage and won the game in the bottom of the eighth after a leadoff walk came around to score after a sacrifice bunt and a single.

Phillips tossed the whole game on the mound and allowed five runs on 10 hits.

Ubukata went 3-4 and scored three runs, Weber drove in two and was 2-4 with a pair of doubles, Faye Conley added two hits and scored a run and Stratton went 3-4.

Genesee now sits at 8-7 overall on the season and will host Niagara County CC in a doubleheader on Tuesday beginning at 3 p.m.