Baseball
Norwich 9, Greene 0
GREENE – Norwich’s first offering of the season will be a tough one to top.
Senior Ben Barnes threw a complete-game no-hitter, and picked up two key defensive gems in the seventh inning from outfielders Brendan McInerney and Dennis Oralls to preserve the opening-day victory Monday afternoon at Greene.
“Ben really worked his two-seam fastball in and around the corners, and he kept them off balance with his curve,” said Norwich coach John Martinson. “We also played outstanding defense behind him.”
Grady Thompson supported Barnes with a 3-for-4 day and two runs scored. Colby Griffin had two hits and two ribbies for Norwich.
Barnes struck out eight in the victory as Norwich moves into STAC league play Wednesday when it hosts Owego.
Score by innings R H E
NHS 240 111 0 9 11 2
Gr. 000 000 0 0 0 2
Ben Barnes (W) and John Yacano. Josh Hurlburt (L), K. Neudl (4) and Kurt Bartholomew.
Harpursville 10, Oxford 6 (8 innings)
OXFORD – Jon Arnold pitched four scoreless innings of relief for Harpursville, who scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat the Blackhawks Monday.
Mason Dean was 4-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Hornets, and Alex Drummond added three hits.
Andrew Golden had two doubles and four RBI for Oxford, and Adam Pierson scored three runs in the loss.
Harp.221 001 04–10
Oxf 101 400 00–6
Dakota Barriger, Jon Arnold (5, W) and Mason Dean. Cameron Heggie, Nate Head (4), Andrew Golden (8,L) and Ryan Moore. Doubles: (O) Golden 2, (H) Dean.
Sauquoit Valley 9, Sherburne-Earlville 1
SAUQUOIT – Defending Center State Conference division champion, Sauquoit Valley, rode the three-hit pitching of Aaron LoPiccolo to an opening-game win over Sherburne-Earlville Monday.
SV scored all of its runs in the third and fourth innings to chase Marauders starter Mike Wilson.
S-E had all three of its hits over the final two innings. Wilson doubled in the sixth and scored his team’s lone run on a Mick Khoury single. “They threw their best guy today, and we just couldn’t touch him,” said S-E coach Brian Hicks. “We didn’t play badly, we just had a hard time putting the ball in play.”
S-E hosts Morrisville-Eaton Wednesday.
S-E 000 001 0 1 3 2
SaV. 004 500 x 9 10 0
Aaron LoPiccolo (W) and Zach Thomas. Mike Wilson (L), Matt Smith (4) and Jake Bohnert. Doubles: (S) RJ Spinella, Martin, (SE) Wilson. (SV) Martin.
Softball
Oxford 12, Harpursville 1
OXFORD – Oxford used a six-run fourth inning to break away from Harpursville and roll to an opening-game victory Monday afternoon.
Senior Jacquelyn Heggie had a big day on the mound and at the plate. She struck out eight and walked none in a four-hit complete-game victory, and led her team with four hits, two of those doubles. “They made a couple of errors in the fourth inning, and we were able to capitalize,” said Oxford coach Heather Pizza. “I think it’s really been beneficial for us to get outside and practice before the season started.”
Lacey Barry led Oxford with three RBI, and Kristen Stoddard had a two-run single in the fourth. Julianne Heggie, Megan Golden, and Stoddard added two hits in the win.
Harp. 000 001 0 1 4 2
Oxf. 101 613 x 12 13 2
Jacquelyn Heggie (W) and Julianne Heggie. Erika Whitney (L) and McKenzie Townsend. Doubles: (O) Jac. Heggie (2), (H) Townsend.
