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TIMES SPORTSWATCH
Bears baseball goes back to back in sweep of Black-and-Blue rival
By Steven Dlugosz Times
 | | WITHIN SIGHT...JFK catcher Steve Gallagher eyes a popup into his glove Friday afternoon near the backstop, which partly obscured the view of this catch. The Bears swept Cleveland Hill last weekend, 8-7 and 14-5. (Times photo) |
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Although Casey Snyder's John F. Kennedy varsity baseball team has been winning at a pretty good percentage, the Bears have given their head coach more than a few scares this season after pulling out several comeback victories this spring.
JFK (8-4 overall, 8-3 in Erie County Interscholastic Conference- IV) continued its trend of playing from behind on Friday against local ECIC-IV rival Cleveland Hill, rallying from a 6-1 deficit in the sixth inning at home to snatch an 8-7 home win from the Eagles. The Bears then completed the second game of a home-and-home series, routing Cleve Hill on Saturday, 14-5.
"I really don't know why we do this," Snyder said of his team's propensity to come from behind. "It's just happened. We've tried different things, although a win is a win."
Junior outfielder Brian Lewandowski was the hero Friday in the bottom of the seventh when he blooped a single that fell in between Cleve Hill's shortstop and left fielder, scoring junior Cody Schaefer, who scored from second after hitting a two-out double. Schaefer barely slid safely into second on his smash, narrowly eluding the tag of the Eagles' second baseman. Lewandowski had earlier given the Bears a lift with a two-run triple one inning before.
 | | RIGHT ON TIME...JFK shortstop Courtney Smith prepares to fire the ball to first base Friday as Cleveland Hill's Torrie Wydysh runs out a bunt attempt in the fifth inning. (Times photo) |
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Snyder said Lewandowski, who finished 3-4 with three runs batted in, has been his team's most consistent hitter in recent games.
"If the season ended today, he is our MVP," the JFK coach said of the junior, who had won a game a day earlier for JFK by homering against East Aurora in the seventh inning. "He's been hot the whole year."
The Bears appeared listless on offense before their bats awoke in the bottom of the sixth against Eagles starter Aaron Kaczmarek. Lewandowski gave his team hope when, after JFK put runners on first and second with two out, the outfielder boomed a two-run triple that nearly reached Cayuga Creek at the edge of left field on the Bears' diamond. After a throwing error scored
 | | TAKING A RIP...Depew's Zak Sauer takes a cut against Maryvale on Monday. The Flyers held the Wildcats to just one hit in a 3-0 Maryvale victory. (Times photo) |
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another run, junior Jordan Halligan flared a single to left field- bringing JFK to within 6- 5- and advanced to second base on the throw home. Senior Ryan LaCorte joined the hit parade with a single to left to tie the game, and senior Jake Jankowski ripped a runscoring single to right field to finally give the Bears the lead.
The Eagles tied the game in the top of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Ryan Newton, who muscled a fly ball to right field with the bases loaded.
Cleve Hill (4- 6 in ECIC-IV) had a big inning of its own in the top of the fifth to build on its 2-1 lead. After putting runners on first and second with two out, junior Chuck Eichhorn hit a fly ball that sank under the glove of a JFK outfielder- who dived in an attempt to catch the ball- to score one run. On the next play, the same outfielder was again unsuccessful in a diving attempt to catch a sinking line drive in his direction, as a hit by junior Ryan Gemmati deflected off the Bear fielder's glove and scored two more Eagle runs. Newton concluded the offensive outbreak with a run-scoring double to right field, giving his team what appeared to be a safe 6-1 advantage.
 | | SAFE!...Cleveland Hill's Merissa Ciesielski slides into home plate safely on Friday as the throw gets away from John F. Kennedy catcher Jamie Nash. (Times photo) |
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Jankowski earned the win in relief, allowing one run in two innings.
Lewandowski, who has come into his own on a deep and mostly experienced Bears team, said grabbing a "W" is the most important item on JFK's agenda.
"It seems like we're always trying to come back, but whatever works as long as we win," the junior told the Times. "We've been used to that this whole year."
While Friday's game may have ended in jubilation and relief for JFK, it was demoralizing for a young Cleve Hill team that has shown flashes of exciting play, including a recent upset of first-place East Aurora.
The Bears jumped on Cleve Hill early on Saturday morning, scoring 10 runs in the first three innings en route to a 14-5 win. LaCorte homered, while senior Adam Ferraro (three RBI, three runs) contributed a solid performance. Ferraro, Lewandowski, Halligan and seniors Dan Skoczylas and Jay Fachko each laced two hits.
JFK was unable to come back against league foe Eden on Tuesday, dropping a 6-5 decision. Cleve Hill edged Alden Tuesday, 9-8, as Gemmati went 3-4 with four RBI.
JFK softballers earn split
with rival Cleveland Hill
Coming off a subpar performance in every phase of the game Friday, the JFK varsity softball team had a chance to get back on track the next day against a powerful local rival in Cleve Hill.
The Lady Bears (9-5 overall, 9-3 in ECIC-IV) then put together a complete game against the firstplace Lady Eagles, pounding out a 10-2 win.
Junior Jen Jankowski was the star at the plate for Kennedy, going 4-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Also, junior pitcher Caitlyn Szymanski contributed an effective effort on the mound, scattering seven hits while striking out six and walking one.
Other JFK hitting stars included senior Dana Thompson, who went 3-4 with three runs scored, and freshman Jamie Nash, who went 2-4 with three RBI and two runs.
On Friday, Cleve Hill dominated JFK, 10-5, as Lady Eagles junior catcher Alyssa Luksch led the way at the plate by going 3-4 with three RBI.
The Lady Bears opened a 2-1 lead early, but Cleve Hill came back to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning. The Lady Eagles then extended their lead with a big fifth inning.
After freshman Kaitlyn Luksch led off with a single, junior Kristen Rohe bunted down the third baseline. JFK's third baseman then threw the ball away toward first base, enabling both Kaitlyn Luksch and Rohe to score on the play. After Alyssa Luksch singled, senior Merissa Ciesielski hammered an RBI triple to left field. Senior KayLee Neureuther then completed the inning's onslaught with an RBI groundout.
Cleve Hill (14-2 overall) and Alden each ended their ECIC-IV schedules with records of 10-2, earning co-league titles. JFK finished third in league play.
The Lady Bears pounded league foe East Aurora last Thursday, 15-5, as Nash contributed three runs scored, two RBI and a triple. Also, in a 15-0 win against Holland on Monday, Szymanski hurled 12 strikeouts against just two walks in a twohitter. At the plate, Szymanski helped her cause with three hits and three runs, while sophomores Candace Pregitzer (2-4, three RBI) and Courtney Smith (3-4, three RBI, two runs) were also on fire.
JFK concluded its league schedule with another romp- 9-2 over Eden- on Tuesday. Jankowski contributed two RBI and two runs.
Cleve Hill beat Holland last Wednesday, 15-0, as Rohe hurled a one-hitter and junior Torrie Wydysh ripped three hits. In a 2- 0 non-league win against Cheektowaga Central on Monday, Rohe struck out 10 and allowed just three hits.
Depew wins ECIC-III
with shutout of Maryvale
After finishing the 2006 season 13-8 overall and enduring an unexpected first-round exit in the postseason, the Depew varsity softball team entered this spring with several talented returning players and a belief that it was "the team to beat" the ECIC-III. The Lady Wildcats have fulfilled much of that promise so far, and achieved Part I of their before-season goals on Friday by finishing the league portion of their schedule undefeated.
Depew (15-2 overall, 12-0 in ECIC-III) pounded local rival and second-place Maryvale, 11-0, behind the lights-out pitching of senior Jessica Sisti and a breakout offensive performance.
With the win, the Lady 'Cats earned their first league title since 2001. On the mound, Sisti, a co-captain, threw a complete-game threehitter, striking out 10 batters. At the plate, fellow senior and co-captain Carrie Stahura went 3-5, while Sisti added a two-run homer. Sophomore Chelsie Suttell contributed a big blow in the second inning with a pinch-hit, two-run double.
Depew finished with 10 hits and scored runs in five different innings.
Lady Wildcats head coach Dan Seelig said his team is firing on all cylinders.
"We finally put it all together," said Seelig, who added that his team will face top Class AA teams, including Lancaster and Williamsville East, in preparation for the playoffs. "If we play like that, we'll be tough to beat."
Depew also throttled league opponent Tonawanda last Wednesday, 12-0, as Sisti went the distance on the mound, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. She currently has 116 Ks in 102 innings. At the plate, sophomore Alexis Wayne had a tremendous all-around game, going 4-5 with two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Fellow sophomore Michelle Green added a pair of hits.
Elsewhere in local ECIC-III action, Cheektowaga Central has shown marked improvement this spring, earning the highest league finish by a Lady Warriors squad since 1996- third- with a 7-5 record.
Central (9-8 overall) ended its regular season by winning five of its last seven contests. Pitcher Rachel Kandefer- one of just two seniors on the roster- has been the mainstay of Central's pitching staff, compiling an earned run average of 1.93. She also hurled the first-ever no-hitter in Lady Warriors history on May 7 against Springville.
At the plate, sophomore Neysha Harrell has emerged as one of the most dangerous hitters in ECIC-III. Harrell, an three-sport athlete, leads Central with a .424 batting average. Junior tri-captain Deanna Szymkowiak is second on the team at the plate with a .365 average.
In recent action, the Lady Warriors dominated league opponents Starpoint (last Wednesday, 9-3) and Tonawanda (Friday, 8-1).
Against Starpoint, junior Shannon Kelly led the way on offense, going 4-4 with three RBI. Harrell exploded for a 5-5, two-RBI performance against Tonawanda.
St. Mary's boys win pair
The St. Mary's of Lancaster baseball team hopes a pair of important league victories will propel it to a long postseason run.
The Lancers (10-7 overall, 7-3 in league play) upended first-place Bishop Timon-St. Jude on Friday, 12-5, as sophomore shortstop Matt Bittner went 3-4 with four RBI.
On Monday, senior pitcher Gary Schmelzer came through with a gutsy effort on the mound, pitching nine innings in the Lancers' 3-2 win over St. Francis. St. Mary's won the game on an infield single by senior Ken Multrie.
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