IAC SOFTBALL: S-VE BATS, PITCHER STYMIE CANDOR (2021-05-14)

Tioga County Sports Report
CANDOR — Rhiana Lawrence struck out 12 batters and the Spencer-Van Etten bats erupted for 16 hits in a 15-2 IAC victory over Candor here Friday.

"I'm real proud of how they played today," S-VE coach Ron Miller said. "They hit the ball well and played good defense. They ran the bases well, so I'm real happy."

It doesn't hurt when your pitcher is having a strong game.

"She's focused," Miller said. "The change-up worked really well, She kept the ball down, got their key players out."

"This kind of season, first of all we're thankful to be out here to play, and we just keep plugging along and making adjustments," Candor coach Mike Swartz said. "There's some kids, they haven't played in a couple of years and it's OK. That's the type of year that it's going to be an we're going to keep playing and do what we can do."

The Panthers broke open a 2-0 game with 12 hits and 13 runs over the final four innings.

Gillian Jackman, Taya Sousa and Katelyn Klym singled, and Sydney Presher reached on an error with Klym collecting a pair of RBI.

After batting through the order, Jackman walked and Sousa, Klym and Lawrence smacked their second singles of the inning. Faith Brenchley would follow with a three-run home run to give S-VE an 11-0 cushion.

Hannah Martinez singled to led off the sixth, Jackman reached on an error, Sousa singled a run home, Klym singled and Raegan Sudnikovich doubled, pushing the Panther advantage to 15-0.

The Indians avoided the 15-run mercy in their half of the sixth on base hits by Addie Aman and Asia Curkendall, and an RBI ground out from Megan Henry.

Anna Greeno allowed just one S-VE base-runner in the seventh, but Candor was unable to generate any offense in its half of the seventh.

The Panthers scored quickly to open the game as Lawrence belted a lead-off double and scored on a Sudnikovich ground out. Jackman doubled and tallied on a Presher single in the second, but Sudnikovich was stranded at third in the third after hitting a double.

Meanwhile, Candor had its woes offensively, managing just two base-runners in the first three innings. The Indians stranded a runner at second in the third and Lawrence fanned five consecutive batters before the home team could plate its first run.

"We're struggling putting the ball in play," said Mike Swartz. "With the season like it is, there are so many things you've got to try to get in. you just do what you can do and make any adjustments when you have to, but against a team like that, you have to put the ball in play and put some pressure on them. We've struggled with that the last couple games and we're going to take the weekend to decompress and get back at it Monday."

Lawrence helped her cause at the plate with three hits and two runs. Brenchley had a homer, a run and three RBI; Klym chipped in with three hits, three runs and three RBI; and Sousa had three hits, three runs and an RBI. Jackman added a double, single and four runs; Sudnikovich rapped out a trio of doubles; Presher tacked on a hit, run and RBI; and Martinez had a hit and a run.

Aman had a double, single and run for the Indians; Curkendall tacked on two singles and a run; and Greeno added a single.

On Monday, Candor visits Odessa-Montour while S-VE hosts Tioga.

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IN PHOTO 1: S-VE's Rhiana Lawrence. ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.