The Red Barons softball team opened Region III play this weekend on the road at Adirondack CC and Hudson Valley CC and came away with four wins.
Saturday at Adirondack, the Corning pitching duo of Emily McCreery and Jayden Hill were dominate In game one, McCreery threw a two-hit gem with eleven strikeouts. The Corning offense gave McCreery all the runs she would need in the top of the first as they crossed the plate five times. Corning added three more runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to secure the 10-0 win. Bella Benjamin was 3 for 3, Gabby Coletta went 2 for 2, Emma Loomis 3 for 4 and Grace Vondracek 2 for 3. Lexi Wood collected 3 RBI's blasting a home run and Grace Talbut added 2 RBI's.
In game two, it was Jayden Hill's turn to shine and she delivered a two-hit performance with 12 strikeouts. In another balanced attack, Faith Rodriguez led the way going 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's and Emma Loomis collected 2 RBI's giving Corning a 9-1 victory.
Sunday at Hudson Valley the Red Barons found themselves down 2-0 heading into the top of the 5th inning when Lexi Wood stepped to the plate and hit a 3-run bomb to give Corning their first lead of the game. The Red Barons went on to score another three runs in the 5th thanks to a Grace Talbut solo shot and a Kiarah Grover double. Bella Benjamin added a three-run bomb of her own in the 6th and Corning added an additional two runs in the top of the 7th to get the 11-4 win. McCreery and Hill combined to scatter six hits in seven innings of work. Wood finished 4 for 5 with 4 RBI's, Talbut 2 for 3, Loomis 2 for 4, Benjamin and Vondracek were 2 for 5.
In game two, Corning had big 4-run innings in the 2nd and 4th enroute to a 10-5 win. Hill scattered six hits and struck out seven. Loomis was 2 for 2, Vondracek 2 for 3 and Wood 2 for 4. Vondracek and Benjamin each had 2 RBI's. Grover and Loomis tripled while Benjamin and Vondracek both went yard.
With the victories, Corning improves to 9-5 on the season and 4-0 in Region III play. Corning is currently ranked #2 in the latest NJCAA National poll and travels to Erie CC on Tuesday to face the Kats.