LIVINGSTON MANOR – On Saturday, eight teams including seven from Sullivan County competed in baseball and softball at the home of the Wildcats. 

By the end of the day, Sullivan West’s softball team and Deposit-Hancock’s baseball team hoisted the championship plaques after two decisive wins apiece. 

Liberty and Livingston Manor opened the day at 9 a.m. in softball, while the Wildcats baseball team faced the Bulldogs. The Lady RedHawks won handily, 10-2 behind a 12-strikeout performance from Angie Wheeler. In baseball, the Bulldogs took down the Wildcats, 5-3. 

The Lady Bulldogs followed at 11 a.m. as they faced the Monticello Lady Panthers, taking them down 17-1 in five innings. Elizabeth Reeves started the game and struck out four over four shutout innings. Sam Hellerer led Sullivan West with three RBI and Kearstin Knapp was the leading hitter as she went 2-for-4 with two RBI. 

Reeves started again in the championship game and replicated her performance as she struck out seven over five innings while allowing just one unearned run. 

“[Reeves] has been coming along well and the pitching is working well,” said Sullivan West coach Anthony Durkin. 

Karlee Diehl went 3-for-3 with two doubles, four RBI, four runs scored and a walk in the second game. Hellerer, Meghan Kelly and Mary Chellis each at two hits apiece as their offense overwhelmed Liberty. 

The Lady Bulldogs won, 17-1, again in a five-inning mercy rule. 

“This is a great group of kids,” Durkin said. “They love to play and they’re a fun group. The three seniors - Karlee Diehl and the two Reeves [Elizabeth and Nicole] have been huge in just bringing along the energy and being good role models.”

Elizabeth Reeves and Liberty’s Wheeler were named the award winners of the championship game. 

In the consolation game, Monticello took down host Livingston Manor, 15-3. 

Shifting back to the baseball diamond, Deposit-Hancock took on Liberty in the 11 a.m. contest and took the RedHawks down, 11-1, in six innings. They replicated their performance in the championship game as their offense was too much for the Bulldogs to handle. The Eagles won, 14-4, as they mercy-ruled Sullivan West in six innings. 

“It was a good day overall,” said Deposit-Hancock head coach Ryan Smith. “Our guys hit the ball well, made defensive plays and the pitchers pounded the strike zone.”

“Second place is good, first place would’ve been better,” Sullivan West coach Ty Ebert said. “[Deposit-Hancock] has tough pitching and is a tough team. They are a good defensive team and a good hitting team. They were the better team.”

Coach Ebert noted that Deposit-Hancock capitalized on the Bulldogs’ mistakes and shut their bats down. 

“We need more contact and more base runners,” Ebert said. 

Sullivan West’s Jacob Hubert and Deposit-Hancock’s Thomas Reis were the championship game award winners.

In the consolation game, Livingston Manor and Liberty played to an 8-8 tie in eight innings.