IAC SOFTBALL: TIOGA ROLLS TO 15-2 WIN OVER GROTON; SWEEEP OF THREE-GAME SERIES (2024-04-19)

Valley Sports Report
GROTON — Junior McKenzie Williams and sophomore Emily Shiner led Tioga’s offense in support of junior Erin Luther’s one-hitter in a 15-2 five-inning win over Groton here Friday afternoon in IAC South Small School Division softball action.

With the win, the Tigers, now 4-0, complete a three-game sweep of Groton, winning the first two games by scores of 16-2 and 15-2.

Tioga scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead.

Sophomore RaeAnne Feeko led off the game with a single, stole second, and moved to third on a single by Williams.

After Feeko scored on a wild pitch, Williams moved to third on a groundout by Luther. With two outs, Shiner stroked an RBI single to make it 2-0.

Groton answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to tie the, but Tioga scored three runs in the top of the second to begin a string of 13 unanswered runs.

Junior Christina Earley led off the inning with a single, and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Feeko to make it 3-2.

After a single by Williams, Luther belted her first home run of the season to extend the lead to 5-2.

Shiner led off the third inning with a double, moved to third on a single by senior Megan Vance, and scored on a passed ball to make it 6-2.

Freshman Vanessa Tunnicliff then smacked a two-run home run to push the Tioga advantage to 8-2. Williams tacked on a two-out RBI single to make it 9-2.

The Tigers scored six more runs in the fourth inning in a rally that featured RBI singles by Tunnicliff and Feeko, and a two-run double by Williams.

Williams was 4-for-4 with a double, three runs scored, and three RBI, and Shiner was 4-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and one RBI to pace Tioga’s 19-hit attack, while Vance stroked three singles,, and scored two runs, and Tunnicliff homered and singled, scored two runs, and had three RBI.

Feeko singled twice, scored two runs, and drove in two runs in the win, while Earley singled twice and scored two runs, Luther homered, scored one run, and had two RBI, and freshman Jade Keaty singled and scored one run.

Luther earned the win, allowing two runs on one hit, while striking out seven and walking eight in five innings.

Tioga, now 4-0, hosts Newfield in a doubleheader Saturday. Game times are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

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IN PHOTO: Tioga’s Emily Shiner. … VSR STOCK PHOTOS.