AUBURN – The FM softball team traveled to Cayuga CC for two games on rainy Saturday afternoon. The wet conditions made play difficult, but both teams gave good efforts and each team won a game.
Photo: Pitcher Brittany Keator, shortstop Stephanie Rice, and left fielder Kelsey Taber – all three had big days in the field and at the plate
The games were played at the high school field in Port Byron. The facilities were good, but the weather was not. The first two innings were played in relative dryness, but then on-and-off rain showers fell on the field for the rest of the day, making for wet surfaces and wet softballs.
Game One
Leadoff batter Ally Ostrander lashed a triple to left field to start the game. She soon scored on a wild pitch.
Head Coach Meghan Power sent Brittany Keator into the circle. Keator pitched a complete game. She also hit a double.
Photo: Courtney Putnam hit two singles in Game One
Cayuga scored a run in the first inning, but Keator and the Raiders set the Spartans down in order in the second frame. The inning began with a great catch by FM shortstop Stephanie Rice. Cayuga's Sam Park blooped the ball just beyond third baseman Cori Manson, but Rice saved the day with a fast dash to her right and a great diving catch. Keator struck out the next batter and got the final Spartan to ground out short-to-first.
FM took control of the game with a six-run third inning. Ostrander led off with an infield hit. Rice and Alix Leo followed with singles. Ostrander scored (see photo at bottom of page). The Raiders then took advantage of three walks, Kelsey Taber singled through the 5/6 hole, and the visitors had six more runs.
The FM Nine scored again in the fourth. Rice had an infield hit and took second with some aggressive baserunning. Leo singled. Rice was out on a play at the plate, but Keator doubled home Leo. FM led 8-3.
Photo: Alix Leo slides safely into third
The Lady Raiders had a big sixth inning. Rebekah Reichard, Erica Redwood, and Courtney Putnam all joined the hit parade with singles. Cayuga answered with three runs in the home half of the inning, but FM won the contest 15-7.
Game Two
The second game saw more rain. Then the sun came out, and the crowd was treated to a massive and vivid double rainbow.
The Raiders were unable to generate much offense against Cayuga pitcher Meghan Feocco. She and FM's pitchers Alyssa Palmateer and Taylor Bubniak had to continually exchange wet balls for others that had been towel dried. The home team won 14-0 in a game shortened to five innings by the run rule.
Photo: FM right fielder Alix Leo and a portion of the rainbow
The Lady Raiders ended their season with an overall record of 5-11 and a mark of 4-6 in Mountain Valley Conference play. They played many good innings this spring, and they are losing only three seniors to graduation, so FM softball fans can look forward to an even better 2015.
Game One:
FMCC 106 107 15-17-0
Cayuga 102 103 7-11-2
Keator and Leo; Samashuk, Feocco (3) and Park
Game Two:
FMCC 000 00 0-3-1
Cayuga 065 3x 14-8-4
Palmateer, Bubniak (3) and Oeser; Feocco and Park
C.J.Bonny, website writer
Photo: Ally Ostrander slides home with FM's second run of the day
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