The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Oneida roars into postseason
Five straight seasons of Tri-Valley dominance
For a moment, Oneida and its seniors can enjoy an incredible run.
With a 16-1 win over New Hartford in its regular season finale, Oneida completed its fifth straight season without a loss in the Tri-Valley, closing the regular season 12-0 in league play.
“To say you are a graduating senior and haven’t lost a league game is outstanding,” coachMike Curro said, noting the pressure of such a winning streak and commending his seniors for persevering. “This senior group didn’t want to be the first to lose.”
Oneida senior s Ky ra Shlotzhauer and Lauren Skibitski, called up to varsity as eighth graders, have been along for all five unblemished league campaigns in which Oneida went 580.
“It’s really awesome to have that label,” Skibitski said.
Added Shlotzhauer, “It’s been rocky but exciting...When we come out with energy, we get things done.”
But for Curro and company,
the focus is and always has been playing their best ball when the postseason rolls around.
“I’m still really excited for sectionals,” senior Emily Marshall said.
While Oneida and the rest of the Section III softball world will not learn their fates until the seeding meeting on Thursday, the Orange and Blue know what it will take to keep the momentum going forward in postseason play.
“It’s kind of an individualized sport,” Skibitski noted. “We need to keep playing as a team. When we have energy, the bats start to get going and we play up to that energy.”
“Having the same attitude we’ve had all season: Positive energy. Keep battling,” Marshall added.
“Stick to our beliefs,” Shlotzhauer said. “We are trying to possess the energy to play our best last game.”
There was no shortage of energy at home on senior night. Oneida, currently ranked as the No. 3 team in Class B by the New York State Sportswriters Association, struck early and often in a convincing 16-1 victory.
Reilly White went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double to pace Oneida on offense. Skibitski, Marshall, and Alyssa Gienger went 1-for-3 with three runs scored a piece, and fellow senior Adriana Chapa closed 1-for-4 with two RBI.
Shlotzhauer picked up the win in the circle, tossing four scoreless innings on one hit, one walk, and six strikeouts.
After a scoreless top of the first, Oneida loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the frame. Kaylin Curro led off with a bunt single, Skibitski walked, and Sydney Lusher bunted for a hit. Marshall drew a bases-loaded walk to score Curro, and Olivia Friend plated Skibtiski with a sacrifice fly. One out later, Gienger added an infield single of her own to score Lusher. Reilly White followed with a fly ball to right that ticked off the outfielder’s glove to score Marshall. Oneida tacked on one more run before NewHartford got out of the inning.
Oneida was back at it in the second. Kaylin Curro slapped a single and immediately worked her way into scoring position via a steal. Skibitski singled in the next at-bat to move Curro to third. Curro prompted an overthrow at third with a healthy lead, capitalizing on the error with another Oneida run. One out later, Marshall singled to set Olivia Friend up with runners on the corners and one out. Friend delivered with a tworun single, and Shlotzhauer sent Friend home in the next at-bat with a double for an 8-0 lead. Following a Gienger walk, White singled to score Shlotzhauer. Adriana Chapa capped the Oneida run with a base knock to score Gienger.
After two, Oneida led 110.
Following a one-run third, the hosts added two more runs in the fourth when Kerrigan Crysler smacked a two-run single to score Chapa and Skibitski.
New Hartford broke up the shutout in the fifth when Taylor Raux led the inning off with a double, moved to third ona groundout to second, and scored on an Oneida miscommunication at third.
Oneida answered New Hartford’s score with another two-run inning, highlighted by back-to-back doubles by Gienger and White to wrap up the 16-1 win.
Now as his side readies for another postseason campaign, Curro’s expectations for his team remain unchanged.
“Work hard. Be tough as can be,” he said. “I’m just excited to be along for the ride and watch.”