OWEGO, NY – The Owego Free Academy River Hawks (9-1) showcased their offensive depth and defensive grit on Monday, coasting to a 23-5 victory over Sidney. The win continues a dominant stretch for the River Hawks, who have now secured nine victories in their first ten contests.
The story of the day was the relentless pressure applied by the Owego bats. Nearly every player in the starting nine recorded an RBI. Leading the charge was Braelea McLaren, who turned in a stellar 3-for-4 performance at the plate, consistently finding gaps and keeping the pressure on the Sidney defense.
Freshman, Elise Silvanic stated: "I think we did a great job offensively putting together lots of hits, and not playing down to the level of the competition."
The tandem of Emily Sipe and Joslynn Space continues to be a force in the circle, by hitting spots and limiting Sidney’s ability to build momentum.
Owego’s defense remained laser-focused, flashing the leather with several "web gem" plays:
Aubrey Schmidt provided the defensive highlight of the afternoon with a spectacular diving play up the middle; she managed to fire a strike to first base from her knees to retire the runner.
Julianna Serfass showed off her range in the outfield, laying out for a diving catch that robbed Sidney of extra bases.
For the second game in a row, the battery showed off their chemistry as catcher Miley Laubach snapped a throw to Elise Silvanic to pick a runner off first base, ending the game in style.
Looking Ahead: Now 9-1 and surging toward the postseason, the River Hawks will take their high-powered offense back on the road at Chenango Valley on Wednesday, April 29th.
OFA Softball Schedule: https://www.schedulegalaxy.com/schools/158/teams/58123?utf8=%E2%9C%93&type=&game_types%5B%5D=regular_season&game_types%5B%5D=post_season&commit=Filter+activities#filters
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For more information and league standings, visit:
New York State Sportswriters Association - http://www.newyorksportswriters.org/rankings/