By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Eighth-grader Taylin Gonzalez gutted out a complete game, and a host of Waverly batters provided big hits, including junior Maddie Cron, who had the game-winner, in an 8-7 victory over Oneonta here Monday in the quarterfinals of the Section IV, Class B softball playoffs.
Waverly coach Brent Doane said the win is an important step for a very young team.
"This is a huge win for us," he said. "We have an 8th-grader in the circle (Gonzalez), (Paige) Bubniak is a 7th-grader, our right fielder (Ayla Wheeler) today is an 8th-grader ... (and) our shortstop (Lecksie Douglas) is a sophomore.
"We have a sophomore (Hannah Carpenter) behind the plate, and we're letting her call pitches for us ... so we're young, but we're learning as quickly as we can," noted Doane.
"It's a steep learning curve for us because we're doing it on the run, but we're getting the job done right now," added Doane. "This team is a lot of fun when they're playing hard, it's going to be a lot of fun to watch."
Doane was also pleased with an offense that saw four different players — junior Delaney Wheeler, sophomore Hannah Carpenter, Gonzalez, and 7th-grader Paige Bubniak — drive in runs.
"I'm very pleased with the offense, we spread the wealth around a bit today," said Doane.
"Bubniak has been in a little bit of a downslide lately, so to see her come out and swing the bat the way she did is exciting," noted Doane. "Delaney (Wheeler) as well, we haven't see a lot from her in recent games. She really tagged a couple of balls really well today.
"Maddie Cron is red-hit right now, she is swinging the bat really well.
"And Hannah Carpenter, whenever she swings the bat, you know she's going to hit the ball hard," added Doane. "The question is whether she hits it right at someone, or if she puts it in the gap and it's trouble for everybody."
Gonzalez earned the win, allowing seven runs — four earned — on seven hits, with five strikeouts and five walks in seven innings.
Doane acknowledged Gonzalez got herself into trouble at times, and her defense (four errors) let her down at times, but she was able to get outs when she needed them most.
"She's a very talented young lady, but very, very early in her career right now," said Doane. "As an 8th-grader, I thought she showed a lot of moxie.
"Some kids would have folded up camp and said, 'I'm done coach,' but she fought through it — there was all kinds of fight in her today, and we need to continue to see that from her," he added.
After Gonzalez escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, thanks to a shoestring catch in right field by 8th-grader Ayla Wheeler, the Wolverines took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a one-out, two-RBI double by 7th-grader Paige Bubniak, but Oneonta answered with two runs in the top of the second to tie the game at 2-2.
Waverly scored four runs in the third inning on an RBI single by Gonzalez, and a three-run double into the left-center field gap by junior Delaney Wheeler to make it 6-2.
Oneonta, however, answered again with four runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 6-6.
In the home half of the fourth, junior Maddie Cron ripped a two-out RBI double on a short hop off the fence in left-center field to give the Wolverines a 7-6 lead. Cron later scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-6.
Gonzalez retired Oneonta in order in the fifth, and pitched around a two-out error in the sixth, but Waverly was retired in order in both innings.
In the top of the seventh, Gonzalez struck out two batters, sandwiched around a double, then walked a batter on an eight-pitch at-bat.
After a hard single into left field, with a miscue in the outfield — Waverly's fifth error in the game — that closed the gap to 8-7, senior Brinn Cooney made a nice play to her left on a soft liner to end the game.
Carpenter doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, and Delaney Wheeler doubled and had three RBI to lead Waverly at the plate, while Cron doubled, scored three runs, and drove in one run, and Bubniak doubled, scored one run, and had two RBI.
Gonzalez singled and drove in one run for the Wolverines, and Cooney and Douglas each scored one run.
Waverly, now 10-9, advances to face top-seeded Susquehanna Valley (14-2), which blanked Whitney Point, 21-0, Tuesday.
The Sabers dominated Waverly in a 22-1 win during the regular season.
"Once the playoffs start, anyone can beat anyone," said Doane. "Records don't matter anymore," he noted. Anyone can be had on any given day.
"They come to the game with a top-notch pitcher, and we're going to have to beat her to beat them," noted Doane. "But you know, a couple hit, a couple bunts, and we're in the ball game.
"We can hang with anyone," added Doane.
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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly's Taylin Gonzalez. IN TOP PHOTO: Waverly's Delaney Wheeler. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
