CENTRAL NEW YORK – All around them, Marcellus The softball team saw most of what were considered their main challengers for the Section III Class B championship pushed aside in the early rounds of the Section tournament, often by some of the Mustangs’ biggest rivals.

Yet that didn’t hold Marcellus back, no. 5 in the state’s latest Class B ranking, from maintaining his high level of play, whether it’s timely strikes or terrific throws from his two aces, Aubrey Fraher and Annanbella Mondello.

Saturday’s sectional semifinal at Herkimer Community College pitted the Mustangs against one of those surprise teams, Skaneateles, which had come out of a no. 12 seeds to eliminate no. 5 seeds Holland Patent and no. 4 seeded South Jefferson in the early rounds.

Attempting an even bigger clash against a primary rival, however, the Lakers were unsuccessful, unable to step onto the board in an 8-0 loss to the Mustangs.

Mondello was taking her turn in the pitching circle after Fraher threw a no-hitter in Thursday’s quarterfinal against Mexico, a 9-0 decision where Fraher struck out 14 and allowed just one goal on walks, while Katie MacLachlan had three RBIs. Carly Hopper and Jillian O’Connor each had two points while Brooklyn Finnarty scored twice.

Meanwhile, Sknaeateles had won 3-1 over South Jefferson in eight innings, trailing 1-0 until he tied the game top of the sixth on Natalie Yokom’s single and then, top of the eighth, l ‘ won when Ayla Pas’ cal crushed a two-run home run against Spartans pitcher Emma Schafer.

It rewarded pitcher Laci Gaidis, who after giving up a first-inning run blanked South Jefferson the rest of the way, allowing just four total hits while striking out six.

Gaidis now faced Marcellus and for the most part did a solid job containing the powerful Mustangs formation, allowing only single runs in the second and fourth innings to keep the game close.

At the plate, however, the Lakers couldn’t solve Mondello, getting just two hits, one each by Cydney Pittman and Kelly Goldberger, while Mondello recorded nine strikeouts and then watched his teammates put the game on. at the end of the sixth by beating. around and net six tracks.

Bryn Goldsworthy hit a home run, while Finnarty stayed hot with two hits and three RBIs. Fraher also threw a run as Emma MacLachlan had a pair of hits and Katie MacLachlan scored twice.

Now Marcellus looked like west hillanother home side making an unlikely playoff streak, tried to hold on in the other Section Class B semi-final, only to suffer a 5-1 loss to Altmar-Parish-Williamstown.

Westhill, the no. 7 seed, had crushed the class B party in Thursday’s quarterfinals when he shocked no. 2 seeded (and ranked No. 4) Oneida 7-3, with Abby Cottrell getting a single, a double and three RBIs as Tori Militi and Kalista Czaplicki each drove in two runs and Hannah Schmitz pitched well, in striking out seven and limiting Oneida to five hits.

Still, APW had earned its own pair of road victories in the playoffs against the no. 6 seeds Jordan-Elbridge and no. 3-seeded Chittenango and carried that confidence through to the semi-final game against the Warriors, scoring a run in the second and supporting three runs early in the third.

Zoie Ferris hit a home run and three RBIs, which was all pitcher Christa Koagel needed as she got eight strikeouts and overcame Westhill’s seven hits. Militi’s solo home run in the bottom of the sixth was the Warriors’ only tally, as she and Czaplicki each had two hits.