Valley Sports ReportPOPLAR RIDGE, N.Y. — Senior Erin Luther pitched a complete game and delivered a key two-out hit to lead Tioga to a 6-4 win over Southern Cayuga here Monday afternoon in IAC Small School Division softball action.
The Chiefs took advantage of a pair of walks, a single, and two wild pitches to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers answered quickly with four runs in the top of the second.
Junior Lilly Mezzatesta and 8th-grader Kate Kithcart singled to trigger the rally, and sophomore Vanessa Tunnicliff walked to load the bases.
With one out, 8th-grader Bri Lounsbury drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to close the gap to 2-1.
Junior RaeAnne Feeko tied the game with a line-drive RBI single to right field, and Luther gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead with a two-run double into left-center field.
Feeko led off the fourth inning with a single, and junior Emily Shiner flared a two-out single to right field. Moments later, both runners scored on an outfield error to make it 6-2.
Luther retired 13 batters in a row from the second inning into the sixth inning, but the Chiefs closed the gap to 6-3 with a two-out rally in the sixth.
The Chiefs added another run on three hits in the seventh inning, but Luther retired the final two batters to end the game.
Feeko singled four times, scored two runs, and drove in one run, while Lounsbury singled and drove in one run, Shiner singled twice and scored one run, and junior Jade Keaty added a pair of singles to lead Tioga's 14-hit attack.
Luther doubled and drove in two runs for the Tigers, while Mezzatesta and Kithcart singled and scored one run, senior McKenzie Williams added a single, and Tunnicliff scored one run.
Luther earned the win, allowing four runs on six hits, while striking out 11 and walking three in seven innings.
Tioga, now 4-0, returns to action Wednesday when it hosts Marathon.
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IN PHOTO: Tioga's Erin Luther. ... VSR STOCK PHOTO.
