STAC BASEBALL: WAVERLY RIDES BIG FIRST INNING TO SEASON-OPENING ROUT OF CHENANGO FORKS (15 PHOTOS) (March 30, 2026)

Valley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Waverly pushed nine runs across the plate in the bottom of the first inning and rolled to a season-opening, 16-4, five-inning win over Chenango Forks here Monday afternoon in STAC Central Division baseball action.

"We came out hitting the ball right out of the gate, and our bats stayed hot all game," said longtime Waverly coach Kyle McDuffee.

"This might be the only time I coached a team when we didn’t have a strike out offensively," he noted. "It was impressive.

"It was a good way to start the season," added McDuffee.

The Blue Devils plated a pair of runs on a two-out error in the top of the first inning.

With one out in the home half of the inning, sophomore Jack Pipher worked a walk to get the rally started.

After taking second on a passed ball, Pipher scored on a line-drive RBI single by senior Ronin Ault, who stole second, and scored on an RBI double by junior Matthias Welles to tie the game at 2-2.

With two outs, Welles scored on an error to give the Wolverines a 3-2 lead. After a single by freshman Axel Murray, senior Daltton Davis delivered an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-2.

A Forks error plated to runs to extend Waverly's lead to 6-2, followed by an RBI single by senior Hogan Shaw, and an RBI triple by Pipher to make it 8-2.

After a walk to Ault, Welles capped the rally with an RBI single.

Forks scored twice in the top of the third inning to close the gap to 9-4, but the Wolverines put the game away with three runs in the fourth inning, and four more in the fifth.

Welles doubled and singled, scored two runs, and had three RBI, while Ault tripled and singled, stole two bases, scored three runs, and drove in one run, and David singled twice, scored one runs and knocked in two runs to pace Waverly's 11-hit attack.

Junior Justin Koenig singled, scored two runs, stole two bases, and had two RBI in the win, while Pipher singled, scored three runs, and drove in one run, Hogan Shaw singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, junior Ben Shaw singled, scored one run, and knocked in two runs, Murray singled and scored one run, and sophomore Sammy Cheresnowsky scored one run.

Ault started for the Wolverines, allowing four runs — one earned — on two hits, while striking out six and walking four in 2 1/3 innings.

Davis struck out two and walked four in 1 1/3 innings of no-hit relief, and Pipher earned the win, striking out three in 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief.

"I know it’s early, but we need to trust to pound the strike zone and cut down on the walks," said McDuffee.

Waverly returns to action Wednesday when it hosts Chenango Forks.

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PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.

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