Albion made sparkling sectional softball debut

Contributed Photo – Veteran members of Albion’s 1985 sectional playoff team include, in front, Pam VanWycke, Tammy Prest and Betty Ann Smith. In back are Kim Prentice, Dedo Froman, Chris Snyder, Mindy Thompson and Barb Mayer.

Albion made its first ever appearance in the Section VI softball playoffs an impressive one in 1985 by reaching the Class B2 finals.

The Purple Eagles romped past Grover Cleveland of Buffalo 41-9 in their first ever sectional contest.

Kim Prentice pounded out six hits including a double, two triples and a home run and Betty Ann Smith added five including a triple and two home runs to lead the Albion offense.

Winning pitcher Chris Snyder, Tammy Prest. Barb Mayer and Mindy Thompson each chipped in with four hits and Pam VanWycke three. Snyder’s hits included a home run, Prest’s two doubles, a triple and a home run, Mayer’s a double and two triples and Thompson’s a double and a home run.

Keeping the momentum, Albion then edged past Eden 7-5 in the semifinals.

Breaking away from a 5-5 tie, Albion pulled out the win by scoring twice in the seventh inning as winning pitcher Snyder and Prentice both had clutch RBI doubles.

Prentice finished with three hits as Snyder and Prest both had two.

The Purple Eagles  had held leads of 3-0 and 5-3 only to see Eden rally into a tie on both occasions.

The victory propelled Albion into an all Niagara-Orleans League Class B2 title contest against N-O champion Starpoint.

The title contest, which was held at Medina’s Vets Park, was dominated by Starpoint pitcher Michelle Cyr who hurled a two hitter with 11 strikeouts in leading the Spartans to a 9-0 win over the Purple Eagles.

Breaking away from a scoreless deadlock, Starpoint scored the only two runs it needed in the fourth inning on a fielders choice play off the bat of Brenda Reinard and a single by Cyr.

Prest and Snyder had the lone hits for Albion which had also been blanked by Starpoint twice during the regular season by scores of 3-0 and 7-0.

However, the Purple Eagles could take some satisfaction as they lost to a Starpoint team which advanced all the way to the state finals.

The Spartans defeated Tonawanda 5-1 for the overall Section VI Class B title and then downed Chenango Forks 6-1 in the regionals and Massena 5-1 in the state semifinals before bowing 2-0 to Port Jarvis in the state title contest.

Albion earned its first ever sectional berth by nipping rival Medina 9-7 in the N-O season finale.The win also avenged an early season 9-6 loss to the Mustangs.