HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: CORNING USES BIG THIRD INNING TO TOP ELMIRA (2023-05-06)

Southern Tier Sports Report
ELMIRA — The Corning Hawks used a five-run third inning to help them edge Elmira on Saturday, 6-3.

Corning has won two close games against Elmira this year, both times rallying with a big inning.

With the win Corning is 2-1 in the division. Horseheads is 1-1 and Elmira is 1-2. Both Corning and Elmira have big games with the Blue Raiders coming up. Elmira is at Horseheads on Monday and Corning hosts the Blue Raiders on Tuesday.

Lily Cornacchio put the Express on the board in the opening inning. She singled and then moved to second on a wild pitch. Payton Ross laid down a bunt and reached on an error, allowing Cornacchio to score.

In the third inning the Hawks offense got going as Lily MacNeal started with a single and Sophia Polzella followed with a single. A wild pitch allowed the runners to move to second and third and with two outs Maddie Dibble singled home two runs.

Daphne Sherman and Courtney Searfoss singled for Corning to load the bases. Lauren DeRosa then singled home Dibble and Kayleigh Sparks singled home Sherman. MacNeal then drew a bases loaded walk to finish the scoring gin the inning.

Elmira got a run back in the fourth as Ross reached on an error and Addisyn Chorney singled. Ross stole third and scored on a Mackenzie Fusare sacrifice fly.

Corning got one more run in the seventh as Kendall Curreri walked and stole second and scored on an error off the bat of Payton Sullivan.

In the bottom of the seventh Elmira’s Abby Lambert was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a ground ball. Hannah Lambert then walked and Cornacchio doubled home Abby Lambert.

Ross walked to load the bases in the inning putting the tying run on base, but Corning’s Sullivan struck out the final hitter of the game to secure the Hawks win.

Sullivan had two hits for Corning and Polzella, Dibble, Searfoss, DeRosa, Sparks and MacNeal had hits.

Cornacchio had two hits, with a double, an RBI and a run scored for Elmira and Ava Sherman and Chorney had hits.

Sullivan struck out three on the mound for Corning and Ross struck out nine for Elmira.

The Hawks are now 8-3 on the season and ranked 23rd in the state in Class AA.

Corning hosts Maine-Endwell on Monday.