South softball wins games at NT tournament

Sacred Heart's Erica Comisso prepares to throw out a Kenmore East runner during the Sharks' 7-1 win in the 24th annual N.T. Varsity Invitational held in North Tonawanda on Saturday, April 21. Sacred Heart later fell Williamsville South, 2-0. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Williamsville South won both of its softball games during Saturday's portion of the 24th annual N.T. Varsity Invitational held in North Tonawanda.

The Lady Billies (4-0) defeated Kenmore East, 7-1, and earned a hard-fought 2-0 decision over Sacred Heart.

A sacrifice bunt by Claire Gerlach and a fielder's choice for Chelsea Plimpton scored Lauren Falzone to open South's scoring against Kenmore East.

The Lady Billies added three runs in the third on a leadoff walk by Gerlach, singles by tri-captains Lisa Fronczak and Plimpton and a two-out single by sophomore first baseman Sam Strapason.

South added three runs in the fourth courtesy of a Falzone triple, a Fronczak single and Plimpton's second hit of the day. Nicolette Neenos and Strapason added additional singles to complete the three-run inning.

Elena Hozdic added two hits along with singles by Carolyn Schaus, Devon Powers, Kate Krzszanski and Kyle Plimpton.

Plimpton was her usual dominating presence on the mound, striking out 18, allowing no walks and throwing a four-hitter.

Kenmore East scored in the sixth on a base hit followed by several South errors for an unearned run.

South scored its first run against Sacred Heart in the fourth when Schaus executed a perfect suicide squeeze bunt that plated Fronczak from third. Fronczak got on base after she lined a single to left with no outs that skipped past the left fielder and advanced to third.

The Lady Billies added an insurance run in the fifth when Powers, who led off with a single, scored on a Shark throwing error.

Plimpton won her second game of the day, throwing 11 strikeouts and a three-hitter. Sacred Heart coach Mike Injaychock disagreed, saying five of his batters singled, two from Allison Pyszczynski and Lindsay Macaluso, and one from Katie Salisbury.

Sacred Heart opened its portion of the tournament with a 7-1 win over Kenmore East.

Trailing 1-0, the Sharks tied the game at 1-1 in the third after Pyszczynski doubled in Salisbury.

Sacred Heart scored the rest of its runs in the fifth. Salisbury led off with a triple and Macaluso singled her in. Pyszczynski followed with a double, plating Macaluso and Jen Martin. Pam Formoso, batting for pitcher Mallory Pemberton, knocked in Pyszczynski and Erica Comisso singled home Formoso. Comisso scored on an infield out.

Pemberton and Formoso com- bined for 10 strikeouts on the mound.

Sacred Heart opened its defense of the Monsignor Martin Association title with a 3-2 win over Mt. Mercy on Monday, April 23.

Down 2-0, the Sharks rallied to win thanks to Macaluso. In the fourth, she doubled, was moved to third on a bunt, and scored on a passed ball. In the sixth, she doubled in Salisbury.

The winning run came in the bottom of the seventh. Comisso doubled and scored on a throwing error on an attempted bunt by Allison Gravelle.

Comisso threw a five-hitter and struck out seven to earn her first varsity win.

Sacred Heart (2-1, 1-0) plays Nardin at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 25 at LaSalle Park and Depew in the N.T. Tournament at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 28.

South opened league play since spring recess with a 6-1 home win on Friday, April 20 over West Seneca East.

Falzone opened the game with a leadoff single followed by a Gerlach walk to put runners on first and second. Plimpton reached base on an error. Falzone scored on a fielder's choice to plate the team's first run of the game.

South added to its lead in the third on a leadoff single by Gerlach, a walk to Fronczak and a fielder's choice. The Lady Billies scored again in the fourth on a Stephanie Shahin single, a sacrifice bunt by Falzone and a RBI single by Gerlach. In the sixth, South added its final three runs on a one-out triple by Falzone, a walk to Plimpton and a two-RBI single by Schaus.

Defensively, Plimpton, an All-American, finished with 16 strikeouts and no walks. West Seneca scored its run on back-to-back singles and a South error.

South hosted Williamsville East on Monday but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. The Lady Billies travel to Lake Shore at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25, Iroquois at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 26 before returning to the N.T. Varsity Invitational on Saturday, April 28.

Plimpton has recorded 59 strikeouts in four games with no walks. Fronczak leads the team in batting average at .555. Gerlach and Plimpton are each hitting .363 and Schaus is at .333.

(Patrick J. Nagy contributed to this article)