Dominant pitching performances and explosive offenses powered a trio of Chagrin Valley Conference teams deeper into the postseason Tuesday night.
At Perry, Sophie Sivon delivered perfection, retiring all 15 batters she faced in a 14-0 rout of Firelands. Edgewood piled up 16 hits behind a complete-game effort from Luci Paolillo, while West Geauga reached the 20-win mark as Lely Percassi fired a one-hit shutout.
Together, the three programs combined to outscore opponents 34-1 as the CVC continued to make its presence felt in the district tournament.
Edgewood Warriors 11, Jefferson Falcons 1
Edgewood softball exploded for five first-inning runs and never looked back in an 11-1 district tournament victory over Jefferson softball.
The Warriors pounded out 16 hits, led by three-hit performances from Sydney Miller and Luci Paolillo. Carly Tracy added two hits, three runs, and two RBI, while Addison Lamson drove in four runs.
Paolillo also controlled the game in the circle, allowing one run on five hits with five strikeouts in six innings.
“Pitching was a bit of a challenge tonight due to the amount of times the Jefferson girls have already hit off of me this season, so my goal was to remain extremely unpredictable with what I was throwing next,” Paolillo said. “My changeup was also working really well tonight, which allowed me to keep them hitting grounders and pop flies and allow my defense to do their job. Our defense played absolutely excellent tonight, which was a massive contributor to my success in the circle.”
After Edgewood built an early cushion, Paolillo settled in and attacked hitters.
“We didn’t give up a run until the sixth inning, which allowed me to stay calm on the mound,” Paolillo said. “The wide gap that we established in the first inning offensively made my job much simpler on the mound and further showcased the true breadth of our offensive ability.”
The Warriors continued to pressure Jefferson throughout the game with timely hitting.
“Our offense was solid from the top to the bottom of the order tonight, and we scored numerous runs on two outs,” Paolillo said. “Both of these factors show our ability to produce runs and put pressure on the opposing team’s defense, regardless of the situation that we are in. Our performance gave us immense momentum moving forward in the tournament and further establishes our confidence in our abilities as individuals and as a team.”
Perry Pirates 14, Firelands Falcons 0
Perry softball left no doubt Tuesday night as the Pirates cruised to a 14-0 win over Firelands behind a perfect game from Sivon.
Sivon struck out eight batters and did not allow a baserunner across five dominant innings.
“I realized I had a perfect game going in the fourth inning, and my screwball and curveball were really working good and keeping the hitters off balance,” Sivon said.
Perry’s offense gave her plenty of support early, erupting for 10 runs in the first inning.
Arianna Rogers went 4-for-4 with four runs and two RBI while becoming just the fourth player in school history to record 100 hits, 100 runs, and 100 RBI. Morgan Winters added her 100th career hit in the victory.
“Getting a strong lead early really helped my confidence by allowing me to relax and just pitch,” Sivon said.
The dominant outing gave the Pirates even more confidence as tournament play continues.
“This performance really helped me build confidence in my game and get me ready for the rest of the playoffs,” Sivon said.
West Geauga Wolverines 9, Springfield 0
West Geauga softball reached the 20-win mark in impressive fashion with a 9-0 shutout of Springfield.
Percassi tossed a one-hitter with seven strikeouts, continuing a dominant season in the circle.
“I felt good overall today with my location and velocity,” Percassi said. “I’m lucky to have a great catcher, Peyton Gambatese, that knows me very well, and she called a great game. And when you have a defense behind you like I do, I just hit my spots and trust my defense.”
The Wolverines broke the game open with four runs in the fourth inning before adding four more in the sixth. Gabby Donofrio and Danica Talcott each drove in two runs, while Faelynn Beckrest scored three times.
“To reach 20 wins is awesome, but we’re focused on going 1-0 this Thursday against a great team,” Percassi said. “But our 20 wins are a total team effort, everyone picking each other up and having each other’s back when needed.”
The Wolverines are now back in a familiar postseason position.
“We’re excited about the challenge ahead,” Percassi said. “We know we have to play well and keep doing what we’ve done all year. As our coaches always remind us, just be us. We were here last year, too, and having that experience is good for us.”
Other Tuesday Softball Scores
- Field 10, Crestwood 0
- Archbishop Hoban 21, Madison 0
