Valley Sports ReportTIOGA CENTER — The Southern Cayuga pitcher-catcher duo of Ava Harvatine and Bristol Hill formed a pretty solid combination at the plate, combining for five of the Falcons’ 11 hits as they handed Tioga its first loss of the season, 7-4, here Thursday.
Harvatine, who scattered nine hits while striking out six and walking two to pick up the win, went 3-for-4 at the dish with a double, one run while Hill was 2-for-4 with a double, one run and one RBI.
SC received offensive contributions from the majority of its lineup as six other starters connected for a hit, including doubles by Amelia Binns and Mackenzie Whitten.
Hannah Stevens and Samantha Morgan scored two runs apiece for the Falcons while Bree Harvatine and Whitten drove in two runs each.
Southern Cayuga hit the ball hard and to the holes, and started early as Bree Harvatine drilled a two-run line drive to center field to score her catcher and pitcher, giving the Falcons a 2-0 lead they would never relinquish.
Kate Kithcart’s double in the home half of the first scored Bri Lounsbury, who singled to lead off for the Tigers.
Bristol Hill’s hard-hit double to left scored Lorelei Hill in the top of the second and Whitten’s two-out double to center plated two more runs in the third, giving SC a 5-1 advantage.
In the fifth, Stevens walked, Morgan reached on an error, then Stevens advanced on a passed ball and stole home.
Morgan made it 7-1 on Alana Hilliard’s single to center.
Tioga got back on the board in sixth on consecutive singles by RaeAnne Feeko, Madalyn Rogers and Kithcart.
The Tigers added a third run as Lilly Mezzatesta and Irie Lynch wrapped walks around a fielder’s choice off the bat of Vanessa Tunnicliff.
The team’s final tally came on a base hit by Mya Freese.
Kithcart connected for her second double of the game with two down in the seventh, but Ava Harvatine struck out the final batter to seal the deal.
The Falcons improved to 3-0, having previously defeated Groton, 27-1, and Newark Valley, 16-1.
Kithcart was 4-for-4 with two RBI and Lounsberry went 2-for-4 with a run. Feeko and Rogers contributed one hit and one run apiece, Freese chipped in with a hit and an RBI; Lynch drove in one run and Mezzatesta scored a run.
Kithcart recorded nine strikeouts in the circle, walked two and surrendered 11 hits
Tioga slipped to 3-1 on the season.
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
