ROMANO, LAUPER LEAD WAVERLY IN 12-7 WIN OVER CANDOR
By: Tim Birney | Waverly Athletics | May 13, 2022 | Photo courtesy Mike Lubertowicz
CANDOR —Senior Bella Romano hit her first career home run, and junior
Michaela Lauper registered a career high in strikeouts in leading
Waverly to a 12-7 win over Candor here Friday afternoon in IAC softball
action.
Michaela Lauper led off the game with a single, and ended
up on third base when the ball was misplayed. She scored on a groundout
off the bat of senior Lourden Benjamin to give the Lady Wolverines a
1-0 lead.
Candor answered with two runs in the home half of the
first, taking advantage of a pair of dropped third strikes to take a 2-1
lead.
Eighth-grader Brilynn Belles led of the second with a
double in her first varsity at-bat, and junior Alyvia Daddona followed
with a bunt single. A throwing error on the bunt allowed Belles to score
to tie the game at 2-2, with Daddona advancing to second.
Waverly added two more runs later in the inning on an error to take a 4-2 lead.
Candor
added another unearned run in the bottom of the third inning to close
the gap to 4-3, but Waverly answered in grand fashion in the top of the
fourth.
Sophomore Natalie Lauper and Michaela Lauper led off the
inning with consecutive singles, and Benjamin reached on an error to
load the bases. Romano then drilled an 0-1 pitch over the left-field
fence for a grand slam home run to give the Lady Wolverines an 8-3 lead.
Waverly
added three more runs in the sixth inning on an RBI double by senior
Aubrey Ennis, and a two-run single by Belles to take an 11-3 lead.
The Lady Indians scored four runs — all with two outs — in the bottom of the sixth to trim the deficit to 11-7.
Romano added an RBI single in the top of the seventh inning to provide the final margin.
Michaela Lauper struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning to close out the win.
Michaela Lauper fanned 17 and walked four in seven innings. She allowed seven runs — all unearned — on eight hits.
Michaela
Lauper stroked three singles and scored three runs, and Ennis had three
hits, including a double, scored one run, and drove in one run to lead
Waverly’s 14-hit attack, while Romano homered and singled, scored two
runs, and had five RBI, and Belles doubled and singled, scored one run,
and knocked in two runs.
Sophomore Faith Blauvelt doubled and
scored one run in the win, while Natalie Lauper and Daddona each singled
and scored one run, sophomore Olivia Robinson added a single, Benjamin
scored one run and drove in one run, and freshman Brinn Cooney crossed
the plate once.
Waverly, now 8-7, plays at Sayre and Athens Saturday in the “Battle at the Border.”

About the Author
Tim Birney is the founder / owner of River Road Media Group. He was born and raised in the Valley, graduating from Waverly High School in 1984.
Birney earned an Associate's Degree in Journalism from SUNY Morrisville in 1986 and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism / Public Relations from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1988. He began his newspaper career at The Daily Review in Towanda in 1989, before moving on to The Evening Times in 1995. He spent more than 10 years at the Times, the last four as Managing Editor.
River Road Media Group includes Valley Sports Report (launched Aug. 10, 2009), Tioga County (NY) Sports Report (Aug. 13, 2018), and Northern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 31, 2020). Southern Tier Sports Report is set to launch in 2021.
