File Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green

Highlighted by an Eagle, Medina’s Melanie Green fired her second straight 1 under par round this afternoon at the LPGA Tour’s first major tournament of the season – The Chevron Championship – being played at Houston.

Green registered the Eagle on the third hole to go 2 under.

She then pared the next 14 holes before bogeying the final hole to finish at 1 under.

Green will now take a 1 under par 215 total score into Sunday’s final round.

She opened the tourney with a 1 over par 73 on Thursday and then had a 1 under par 71 on Friday to get to even for the tourney.

Green qualified to compete in the major by finishing in the top 10 at last week’s LA Championship Tournament

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Contributed Photos – The 1972 KofC team included, in front Jake Hobbs, Shawn O’Leary, Ed Caleb, Bruce Foley, Danny Weingarten, Jim Baldwin and Bill Mirand. In back are Mike Crowley, Jim Kingsley, JC Hobbs, Bill Kingsley, Greg Lewis and Ken Snyder.

By Ken Snyder
In 1971 Slo-Pitch softball in Albion and Medina was just starting to develop.

There were some good teams like the Fireside Inn, Medina Bells and Albion St. Mary’s, but there were not any tournament teams.

Late in 1971, Louie Foreman and Doc Cotter threw together a team to play in a tournament at Packard Court in Niagara Falls. Jake and JC Hobbs, Eddie Caleb, Bruce Foley, Jim and Bill Kingsley from Medina, Bruce Good and Ken Snyder from Albion and Mike Callahan and Dennis Buckley from Batavia went undefeated in four games to win that tournament.

In 1972 that group, without Callahan and Buckley, but with the addition of Pete Villa, Danny Weingarten and Shawn O’Leary from Brockport and Mike Crowley, Greg Lewis and Bill Mirand from Medina formed the Medina KofC, which became one of the best travel teams in Western New York. This group stayed together from 1972 – 1975.

Local players Keith Holman, Jim Baldwin, Hector Colon, Al Sherman, Chico Mannella, Lynn Evans and Ron Whittleton played on a parttime basis.

In this time period the KofC won many tournaments including four in 1974.

They played in Arcade, Lancaster, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Buffalo, Batavia and Brockport. Intense rivalries against Honeys Pizza, Plant 6, Arcade Hotel, Howies Roadrunners, Chuck’s Sporting Goods, Lancaster Moose and Harbor Lights/Rocky’s Cafe were formed.

They played two national champions: Snyder’s from Detroit and Pace Electronics from Rochester.

The team broke up after 1975 when Jake and Eddie moved to Oregon.

The 1973 KofC team included, in front, Bill Mirand, Bruce Foley, JC Hobbs, Louie Foreman, Danny Weingarten, Hector Colon and Doc Cotter. In back are Ken Snyder, Jake Hobbs, Jim Kingsley, Eddie Caleb, Greg Lewis and Mike Crowley.

But in 1978 Greg Lewis and Bill Mirand found a sponsor, Square Richards from Holley, and brought back Crowley, Kingsley, Villa, Snyder and Good from the original KofC plus local players Bobby Allen, Pete Madafferi, Ron Mannella, Mark Keeler and Pat Botsford.

Local realtor Peter Snell often traveled to tournaments to watch them play. The next year he took over as sponsor and a long successful run by the Peter Snell Realtors Softball Club began.

Local players Russ Cree, Joe Rosenbeck, Dave Cotter, Steve Flipowicz and Ted Mager filled in when available.

The KofC team helped promote the surge in softball as more teams, tournament teams, women’s team and more leagues were available.

Over the next three decades there were 4 team tournaments on some Friday nights, a large tournament at Vets Park and all the school fields every year. A local team won one of those tourneys beating powerful Blair Siding from Rochester in the finals.

Albion had 4 leagues with 32 teams and there were huge leagues in Medina on Tuesdays and Wednesdays plus more women’s teams.

John Grillo in Albion and Sid Lovell in Medina deserve the most credit for the participation increase.

Diamonds were added at Sacred Heart Club, Jr. Wilson’s and Albion AFD.

What’s happened to softball now? No leagues! Is golf the reason?

The members of the 1972-1975 KofC team who are no longer with us are JC Hobbs, Mike Crowley, Jim Kingsley, Ed Caleb, Jim Baldwin, Hector Colon, Louie Forman, Doc Cotter and Bruce Good. From the early Peter Snell team Pat Botsford and Bobby Allen have passed.

Members of the original KofC 1972-1975 teams shown here at a recent get together included, in front, Bill Mirand, Danny Weingarten, Ken Snyder and Pete Villa. In back are Shawn O’Leary and Bruce Foley. Unable to attend were Jake Hobbs and Greg Lewis.

Kendall improved to 5-0 in Genesee Region League tennis competition with a 4-1 win at rival Holley this afternoon.

Match Summary:
1st singles – Jonny Esposito (K) def Arthur Biggs (H): 6-0, 6-0
2nd singles – Joe Fagan (K) def Cooper Wolf (H): 6-3, 6-1
3rd singles – Dylan Warner (H) def Mitch Buzard (K): 7-6 (7-3), 6-0

1st Doubles- Aidan Kwiatkowski/Lucas Barrett (K) def Carissa Klossner/Tarek Garnett (H): 6-0, 6-4
2nd Doubles- Anthony Seymour/Devin Derosia (K) def Adyn Feiock/Alexianna Guerrero (H): 7-6, 6-4

In a Niagara-Orleans League match Roy-Hart downed Albion 4-1.

Landon Graybill earned Albion’s point with a win at first singles.

A nifty triple play highlighted the action as Lyndonville romped to a 21-0 victory over Wheatland-Chili in a Genesee Region League softball game this afternoon.

The triple play came in the second inning as second baseman Braelynn Dillenbeck caught a fly ball for the first out. She threw to Isabella Groves at first base for the second out who in turn threw to Natalie Rath at third base for the third out.

Offensively for the Lady Tigers, Arnie Sturtevant had 4 hits including a home run and a double as Brooke Robinson, Hannah Fox, Rylan Townsend and Groves each had 3 and Morgan Woodworth 2. Robinson’s hits included a triple as Fox, Townsend and Woodworth each had doubles.

Fox earned the win in the circle allowing just 1 hit and striking out 3.

Kendall 10, Byron-Bergen 4
Kendall improved to 4-1 in the G-R and 6-2 overall by downing Byron-Bergen 10-4.

Teagan Shaw had 3 hits including double, triple and 5 RBIs for the Lady Eagles as Izzy D’Agostino had 3 triples and Brooke Rodas a two-run homer.

Kourtney Marion earned the win in the circle scattering 4 hits and striking out 6.

Pembroke 14, Holley 0
Pembroke downed Holley 14-0 in another G-R game as Jayden Hootman registered 6 strikeouts.

Skylar Gallagher had 2 hits for Holley.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Aine Davis bangs out one of her 4 hits during the Lady Bulldogs win over host Roy-Hart this afternoon.

A three run fifth inning scoring burst, which snapped a 4-4 tie, keyed Barker to an 8-5 win over Roy-Hart in a Niagara-Orleans League softball game this afternoon.

An RBI double by Kaylee Stoll and an RBI single by Peyton Bradley highlighted the decisive frame for Barker which also included a single by Aine Davis.

Roy-Hart had tied the game at 4-4 by scoring three times in the fourth inning highlighted by a two-run triple by Peyton May.

Davis finished with 4 hits for the Lady Bulldogs as Stoll and Lexi Brazzell both had 2.

May finished with 3 hits for the Lady Rams.

The contest was a matchup of defending N-O co-champions.

Newfane 5, Medina 0
Newfane earned its first N-O win of the season by blanking Medina 5-0 as Emma Schaughnessy hurled a 1 hitter with 13 strikeouts.

N-O Standings: Barker 4-0, Akron 3-0, Wilson 3-1. Roy-Hart 2-2. Newfane 1-4, Medina 0-3, Albion 0-4

Roy-Hart’s Millie Owens slides safely into home plate as Barker pitcher Madyson Flint comes in to cover home. Roy-Hart’s Peyton May is in the background.

Breaking away from a 2-2 deadlock, Albion erupted for 7 runs in the fourth inning to key an 11-3 win over visiting Barker in a Niagara-Orleans League baseball game this afternoon.

A three-run triple by Nate Gibson highlighted the Purple Eagles decisive uprising which also included an RBI double by Mason Snook, an RBI single by Kaiden Froman and a run producing sacrifice bunt by Nick Luft.

Gibson had a total of 4 hits on the day, including a pair of triples, as Snook and Luft both had 2 hits.

Logan Flint and Billy Jacques both had doubles for Barker.

Gavin Boyce went the distance on the mound for Albion scattering 3 hits and striking out 9.

Roy-Hart 27, Newfane 2
A marathon 16 run second inning scoring barrage highlighted undefeated (6-0) Roy-Hart’s 27-2 win over Newfane in an N-O game this afternoon.

Sean Mettler had a pair of RBI singles, John Brigham a two-run double, Jared Hy a two-run single and Evan Poeller and Blake Shahl RBI singles during the marathon frame.

Mettler had a total of 3 hits as Hy, Stahl and Isaac Smith each had 2.

Mettler and Stahl shared in hurling a 3 hitter with 9 strikeouts.

Akron 10, Wilson 0
Gavin Miller hurled a no hitter with 8 strikeouts to lead Akron past Wilson 10-0 in another N-O contest.

Akron moved on top to stay by scoring twice in the first inning on a two-run single by Jackson Nice.

A five run fourth inning highlighted by a two-run double by Collin Miller and a two-run single by Gavin Cottle put a lock on the win.

N-O Standings: Roy-Hart 6-0, Medina 3-0, Akron 2-2, Albion 2-3, Barker 2-4, Newfane 1-3, Wilson 1-5.

Brockport 12, Kendall 5
Kendall’s season long 10 game winning streak came to an end as Brockport downed the Eagles 12-5 in a non league game this afternoon.

A five run fifth inning put a lock on the win for the Blue Devils who were out hit by the Eagles 13-10.

Sammy Conte and Andrew Cole both had 3 hits for the Eagles as Jonny Conte and Vinnie D’Agostino each had 2.

File Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green

Putting together a strong bogey free run over her final nine holes this afternoon, Medina’s Melanie Green has made the cut at the LPGA Tour’s first major of the year – The Chevron Championship – which is being played at Houston.

Green finished with a 1 under par round of 71 today for a two day total of even par 144 to advance to the weekend as the cut line was at 1 over.

Starting on the back nine today Green had a birdie on 15 but bogeys on 12 and 17 to go to 2 over par for the tourney.

Rebounding on the front nine, she registered clutch birdies on 1 and 3 and avoided making any bogeys to wrap up the round at 1 under.

Green posted a 1 over par round of 73 on Thursday to open the tourney.

The tournament continues on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday.

Green qualified to compete in the major by finishing in the top 10 at last week’s LA Championship Tournament.

Medina rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to defeat host Depew 6-3 in a non league baseball game this evening.

Medina got on the scoreboard with a run in the fourth inning as Preston Woodworth doubled and came home on a single by Jimmy Dieter.

The Mustangs then rallied into the lead for good over the Wildcats at 5-3 by scoring 4 times in the fifth frame on a two-run single by Aidan Papaj and RBI doubles by Woodworth and Cam Fike. An error and a double by Vinny Gray ignited the rally.

Papaj pitched the first five innings allowing only 1 hit and striking out 11. Woodworth came on to hurl the final 2 frames giving up no hits and fanning 4.

Medina, which is now 5-1, will next host City Honors in another non league contest at 7 p.m. Saturday at Vets Park.

Medina snapped a three game losing streak by downing host Newfane 13-7 in a D Division lacrosse game this evening.

Gavin Dahlhaus and Joni Wheeler each scored 3 goals, Landon Costich and Brennan Allen 2 and Sawyer Lilleby, Timmy Vasquez and Teagan Meland 1 each for the Mustangs. Lilleby also had 3 assists.

Snapping a season opening four game losing streak, Holley defeated Wheatland-Chili 21-8 in a Genesee Region League softball game this afternoon.

Desiree McCormick hit a home run to highlight the Holley offense which also included 3 hits each by Alexis VanAmeron, Zoey Warner and Lexi Lujan. Warner drove in 3 runs.

The Lady Hawks also stole a whopping 26 bases.

In the circle for the Lady Hawks Madison Bonacci had 5 strikeouts.