SECTION IV SOFTBALL: TIOGA JUMPS ON OXFORD EARLY IN CLASS C TOURNAMENT OPENER (24 PHOTOS) (May 21, 2026)
By TIM TAYLOR
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Tioga head coach Stephanie Hills admits her team can be a bit of a slow starter, however, Thursday was not one of those days. The Tigers scored five runs in the first inning and three more in the second to defeat Oxford, 12-4, in the Section IV Class C opening round here.
With the victory Tioga snapped out of a three-game slump.
Hills credits the quick start in this game to time spent in the batting cage recently.
“We, yesterday, practiced a lot in the batting cage,” she said. “They hit well in the cage, so I was hoping that it carried over today, and it did. We finally started off strong offensively, which we have been struggling with, so I'm proud of them for that.”
Kate Kithcart, who struck out 10 batters in the circle, came up big at the plate as well. She nearly hit for the cycle, missing out on a triple as she went 3-for-4 with two runs and five RBI.
As for the elusive triple, it couldn’t hide from everyone — Lilly Mezzatesta and Madelyn Rogers each had one.
Kithcart struck out the side to start the game, then belted a two-run double to left field to score RaeAnne Feeko and courtesy runner Kaylene Sindoni. Feeko reached base on a dropped third strike while Sindoni ran for Rogers, who had legged out an infield single.
Mezzatesta singled to right, scoring Kithcart, then stole second. Following an out, Kyah Nelson and Olivia Shugars delivered back-to-back RBI singles to give the Tigers a 5-0 advantage.
Kithcart retired the side again in the second, with two more strikeouts to her credit.
Feeko and Rogers singled with Rogers picking up an RBI, then Kithcart added an inside-the-park dinger to give Tioga an 8-0 cushion. Mezzatesta followed with a triple, but was stranded at third after the Blackhawks recorded a pair of ground outs.
Kithcart retired the side yet again in the third with a pair of strikeouts, then Shugars led off the home half of the inning with a double. Lounsbury added a single, but neither runner could score.
Oxford’s Elizabeth Vincent broke up Kithcart’s bid for a perfect game, leading off the fourth with a base hit. Following an out, Reagan Long doubled to left to give the Blackhawks a run.
Lynch singled in Tioga’s at-bats but was left on base, then Kithcart retired the side in the fifth.
Shugars singled and Mya Freese walked in the bottom of the frame, then Rogers belted a two-run triple to center, pushing the home team’s lead to 10-1, and Kithcart made it 11-1 with an RBI single.
Oxford put on a comeback attempt in the sixth, scoring a trio of runs with two away. An error, a double by Jenna Denz, a second error and another double, by Cora Hodge, closed the gap to 11-4.
Overall, Kithcart was again solid in the circle and although the defense committed three errors, her throwing and the Tigers’ offense easily offset any miscues.
“We moved a couple people around, so I knew we were going to have a couple of things, or hiccups here or there, but they played through and cleaned it up better than we've been doing in the past, so I'm hoping from here we're back on that uphill battle,” Hills said.
The Tigers tacked on an insurance run in their final at-bats as Lynch singled, moved to second on Moyers’sacrifice bunt and scored on a Freese single.
Kithcart ended the game by retiring the side one more time, including two unassisted putouts by Shugars.
Shugars, the team’s usual second baseman, is filling in at first for injured Vanessa Tunnicliff. Freese has stepped in at second.
Joining Kithcart on the 3-for-4 stage were Rogers and Shugars. Rogers tacked on three RBI, and Shugars added one run and one RBI.
Mezzatesta went 2-for-4 with a ru and an RBI, and Lynch was 2-for-4 with a run. Freese contributed a hit, run and RBI, as did Nelson, and Feeko chipped in with a hit and two runs. Lounsbury added a hit, and Sindoni scored three times.
Kithcart scattered four hits and did not issue a walk, and gave up just one earned run.
Fifth-seeded Tioga (12-6) visits No. 4 Moravia (10-6) on Tuesday for a quarterfinal game. The Tigers have won both meetings this season, 15-5 and 8-5.
“We faced them twice,” said Hills. “Luckily, we came away with the win both times and I'm hoping we do it the third time, but it's going to be a battle. They're going to hit the ball and play solid defense, and I hope we just do the same.”
——————
IN PHOTO 1: Bri Lounsbury. IN TOP PHOTO: Irie Lynch. … PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
Print Friendly Version
