IAC SOFTBALL: DRYDEN SWEEPS WAVERLY IN PAIR OF 1-RUN GAMES (14 PHOTOS) (2023-05-06)

Valley Sports Report
DRYDEN — Waverly senior Michaela Lauper and junior Olivia Robinson turned in strong pitching performances in both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader, but Dryden senior Kahlen Cornell was just a little bit better in both games in IAC Large School crossover baseball action.

The Lady Purple Lions swept the twinbill by the scores of 2-1 and 3-2.

Dryden 2, Waverly 1
Dryden scored a pair of unearned runs in the home half of the first inning, and Cornell made it stand in a 2-1 win in the first game of the doubleheader.

The Lady Wolverines scored their run in the top of the fourth inning on a lead-off double by Robinson, and a two-out RBI single by freshman Madison Cron.

Lauper reached base on a one-out error in the top of the fifth, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Lea VanAllen, but she was stranded there.

Cornell allowed one run on three hits, while striking out nine and walking one in five innings to earn the win.

Lauper was the tough-luck loser, allowing two unearned runs on two hits, while striking out six and walking three in four innings.

Robinson doubled and singled, and scored one run, and Cron singled and drove in one run to account for Waverly’s offense.

Dryden 3, Waverly 2
Dryden scored a key insurance run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead on its way to a 3-2 win over Waverly in the nightcap of the twinbill.

Dryden, playing as the visiting team, scored runs in the top of the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead.

Waverly closed the gap 2-1 in the home half of the third inning. Lauper reached on a dropped third strike with one out, was sacrificed to second on a bunt by freshman Loralee Anthony, and scored on an RBI single by Robinson.

Sophomore Megan Apgar hit the next pitch to move courtesy-runner Alayna Miller to third base, but Cornell struck out the next batter to maintain the 2-1 lead.

Dryden tacked on an unearned run in the top of the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. The Purple Lions had runners on first and third with one out, but Robinson retired the next two batters.

Junior Faith Blauvelt led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Anthony to trim the deficit to 3-2.

Cornell got the next batter to ground out to first base to nail down the win.

Cornell allowed a pair of unearned runs on four hits, while striking out nine and walking none to earn the win.

Robinson was the hard-luck loser, allowing two earned runs on nine hits, while striking out four and walking one in five innings of work.

Robinson singled and had one RBI, while Blauvelt singled and scored one run, Apgar doubled, Cron singled, and Anthony had one RBI to account for Waverly’s offense.

Waverly, now 7-8, returns to action Monday at Watkins Glen.

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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly’s Olivia Robinson. … PHOTOS BY MIKE UBERTOWICZ.