Utica survives Ike’s rally for rivalry victory

With an 11-3 lead in the fourth inning, the Utica Chieftains were just two runs away from being in run rule range against their rivals, the Eisenhower Eagles, on Friday afternoon.

Fast forward to the bottom of the sixth, and a flyout to left field stranded the tying run at first base in the top of the sixth, and Utica managed to slam the door with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning to win, 11-9.

“(We) got a little too complacent,” said Utica head coach Deonna Giacona. “A little too comfortable. We scored a lot of runs early and then kind of stopped.”

After going down 2-0 after the top of the first inning, Utica scored 11 of the next 12 runs to take an eight-run lead after four innings.

It started with a five-run bottom of the first inning: after Kylie Condon and Elyssa Frezza were retired to start the frame, the next five batters reached and scored. Rachel Durecki was hit by a pitch and Katelynn Perry singled to put runners on the corners. Aeryn Harris singled, allowing Perry — who eventually scored on a wild pitch — to move to third. Ava Mazza walked, then both Harris and Mazza scored when Sam Patrick doubled. Patrick scored the fifth and final run of the inning thanks to two passed balls.

Three runs in both the third and fourth innings had the Chieftains in prime position to end the game early with a run rule mercy, but the Eagles had other plans.

“I can be pleased with the second half of the game for sure,” said Eisenhower head coach Bob Hall. “I liked our effort in the second half. Girls didn’t give up. They kept playing hard trying to find a way to put runs on the board and get back in the game. They did that and they gave us a chance.”

Anna Bellomo replaced Rease Buza on the mound for Eisenhower in the fourth and held the Chieftains without a baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings. Meanwhile, Ike scored two runs in the fifth and four in the sixth. Bellomo and Taylor Pacheco both singled in the top of the