IAC SOFTBALL: LUTHER'S 2-HITTER, RELENTLESS OFFENSE POWERS TIOGA TO 15-2 WIN OVER GROTON (24 PHOTOS) (2024-04-16)

Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — For the second day in a row, Tioga used a strong pitching performance, and a relentless offense to end the game early, on Tuesday winning a 15-2 five-inning decision over Groton here in IAC South Small School Division softball action.

Junior Erin Luther allowed two runs — both unearned — on two hits, while striking out nine, and walking six in five innings. On Monday, sophomore RaeAnne Feeko tossed a no-hitter in a 16-2 five-inning win.

Groton drew first blood with a run in the top of the first inning, but the Tigers answered with three runs in the home half of the inning on an RBI double by Luther to tie the game at 1-1, and consecutive RBI singles by sophomore Emily Shiner and senior Emily Bidwell to make it 3-1.

Junior McKenzie Williams belted an RBI double in the second inning to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Luther walked the first two Groton hitters in the top of the third inning, but after a visit from her catcher (Williams), she fanned the next two batters, then induced a comebacker to the circle for the third out.

The Tigers took firm control in the home half of the inning with seven runs to extend their lead to 11-1.

Sophomore Lilly Mezzatesta, Shiner, and Bidwell, started the inning with consecutive singles for Tioga’s first run. After a walk to senior Megan Vance, Shiner scampered home on a wild pitch to make it 6-1.

A walk to freshman Vanessa Tunnicliff re-loaded the bases, and Feeko followed with a two-run single to push the lead to 8-1.

An error and two wild pitch accounted for Tioga’s final three runs in the rally to make it 11-1.

Groton scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth to make it 11-2, but Tioga answered with four more runs to bring the 12-run “mercy rule” into play.

Tioga’s first two runs in the rally scored on a wild pitch and an error, then Williams plated a run with a groundout, and Luther capped the day’s scoring with an RBI single.

Luther pitched around a single and a hit batsman in the top of the fifth to invoke the mercy rule.

Luther had three hits, including a double, one run scored, and two RBI to pace Tioga’s 11-hit attack, while Feeko doubled and singled, scored two runs, and had two RBI, Bidwell singled twice, scored two runs, and drove in two runs, and Shiner singled twice, scored three runs, and knocked in one run.

Williams doubled, scored one run, and had three RBI in the win, while Mezzatesta singled and scored one run, Vance scored two runs, and Tunnicliff crossed the plate once.

Tioga, now 3-0, returns to action Thursday at Southern Cayuga.

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Erin Luther. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.