The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Shlotzhauer powers OHS in big win over Proctor
Sophomore hits two grand slams in 1st inning of Oneida victory
“That’s anamazing feat and accomplishment to have two grand slams inone inning.”
— Oneida coach Mike Curro
ONEIDA, N.Y. >> Oneida’s Kyra Shlotzhauer didn’t waste much time staking her teamto a lead in Wednesday’s softball game against Proctor, launching her second grand slam of the season over the center field fence for a 4-0 lead with no outs in the bottom of the first.
Unbelievably, it wasn’t her only slam of the frame.
The sophomore strolled to the plate with the bases loaded again in the inning and crushed another home run, this time to left field, extending the lead to 11-0 en route to an 18-1 five-inning victory.
“I’m ecstatic for Kyra,” said Oneida coach Mike Curro. “That’s an amazing feat and accomplishment to have two grand slams in one inning. I’m sure somebody’s done it somewhere else and to see her have an opportunity to maybe get three, as a coaching staff we were joking, we said ‘what would you do if you were up?’ I’d be swinging for the fences.”
Shlotzhauer even got a third try with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second but settled for a two-run single, finishing the game going 3-for-3with a walk, two home runs and 10 RBI.
Kylie Chesebro earned the win in the circle for Oneida, pitching all five innings and allowing just the one run while striking out eight.
Chesebro surrendered a
leadoff single in the top of the first but retired the next three batters, keeping the game scoreless going into the bottom of the frame. Lauren Skibitski and Brianna Laureti hit back-toback singles to start the rally for the hosts before Hannah Begay reached on an error to load the bases. Shlotzhauer was unaffected by the wind blowing in, driving a pitch from Proctor starter Sara Bolinski over the fence in center field for a 4-0 advantage.
“The wind has been a battle here,” said Curro. “We’ve hit many balls that I thought would have left the yard but we’re finally getting the liners to go out and not hit them way up in the air. We’re making some adjustments in the box. Even late in the year we’re making adjustments so I’m proud of the girls for that.”
Oneida, however, was far from done. Another error allowed Natalie Marshall to reach before Chesebro singled. Bolinski retired two of the next three batters but another error allowed Abby Carroll to reach second and scored two more. Skibitski kept the rally going with an RBI single before Laureti and Begay each reached base as well, loading the bases again for Shlotzhauer. Again she drove the ball, sending it over the left field fence for her second grand slam of the inning to extend the lead to 11-0.
“It’s kind of cool,” she said of the feat. “Coach tells the whole entire team after we have one really good at-bat to flush it and don’t think about it and just kind of start over, so that’s what I did. I was just like well they’re probably not going to pitch to me again but she gave me another one and I got another one.”
Chesebro found her groove in the circle, striking out four over the next two innings as her team continued to add to the lead. The senior pitcher helped her own cause to start the bottom of the second with a long home run to center field off of reliever Kate Moon. Three straight singles from Carroll, Sydney Lusher and Skibitski loaded the bases for Laureti, who hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Begay then walked to load the bases again for Shlotzhauer, who blooped a single to center field to score two more runs and extend the lead to 15-0.
The hosts tacked on three more in the bottom of the third on a two-run double by Reilly White and an RBI single by Laureti to take an 18-0 advantage.
Chesebro worked around a bases-loaded jam of her own in the top of the fourth before the Raiders finally broke through in the top of the fifth, but not before Shlotzhauer got the chance to show off her arm – and not from the circle where she’s accustomed to doing so. Marcella Seaton led off with a single for Proctor before Abriana Wadley drove the ball off the fence in right field. Shlotzhauer scooped it up and her throw hit catcher Emily Marshall on the fly and in time for Marshall to tag Seaton out trying to score on the triple.
“I can’t believe she was out,” said Curro. “Some crazy things happening. Good things are happening. We just have to keep playing with confidence and play one pitch at a time.”
Alexandra Barbato did break up the shut out with an RBI groundout that scored Wadley. The visitors did no further damage and the game ended via the mercy rule.
Oneida has two more home games to close out its season, hosting Central Valley Academy Thursday and Liverpool on Friday.
“It’s a great group. It’s been enjoyable,” said Curro. “It’s really been a fun year and the more they jell together the better they get.”