OBSERVER Photo by ANDREW DAVID KUCZKOWSKI: Fredonia’s Brianna Benner fields the ball in left field during Thursday’s opening-round game of the 8-10-year-old New York State Minor Softball double-elimination tournament at Joe Karnes Field.

The Pawlings Little League softball team travelled six and a half hours to play ball, and the players didn’t let down their families and friends who came to Joe Karnes Field at Wright Park in an 8-10-year-old New York State Minor Softball double-elimination tournament game against Fredonia on Thursday.

Pawlings was on the fast track to a victory after piling 12 runs in the top of the first inning. The quick start was due to the runners’ abilities on the base paths and effectively taking advantage of misthrows. The one-sided affair ended after four innings as Pawlings tallied 19 runs in a shutout against Fredonia.

Being up a dozen after three outs helped the newcomers settle in for the game.

“It’s unbelievable,” Pawlings coach Mike Cole said of the opening inning. “It’s amazing that we are even here, you know what I mean? We are a little town with 80 kids in a graduating class. First sectional title ever, first state run ever, so I am just proud of them; I don’t care how well we do, I am proud of them.”

Fredonia coach Scott Vandette saw a different team on the diamond Thursday. After a long absence in a game, Vandette believes that Fredonia will shed its rust and play hard come today’s game at 2 p.m.

Submitted Photo: Throwing out the first pitch to start the New York State girls 8-10 softball tournament is Cindy Karnes. Cindy’s husband, Joe Karnes, was instrumental in making Dunkirk Little League softball as strong as it is today. The field the girls play on was named after Joe after his passing. Fans can find Cindy as the announcer at many of the tournaments.

“Just a few mental errors. We haven’t played in a long time,” Vandette said. “It’s been — I don’t know how many days since we’ve played that sectional series. So I think the time off may have made us complacent and maybe (why) we didn’t do the regular things that helped us get on a roll in the divisional, sectional tournament. Hopefully, we learn from this and we come back tomorrow and play some ball.”

In the circle for Pawlings was the fast-throwing pitcher Mikaela Mammola. Her rather-violent throwing motion put some heat behind each pitch. In two of the four innings, she set down Fredonia 1-2-3.

“She’s dominant,” Cole said of Mammola. “I had her for four years and (when) she’s on, she is money.”

For Fredonia, it was Emerson Bird on the mound. Though the start was rocky, Bird settled in and limited Pawlings to only three runs in the second and third inning.

“I think she was just fine when she settled in,” Vandette said. “Our defense didn’t help her a couple of times when we really needed the out, whether it be a dropped outfield ball or missing a cutoff — like I said, the stuff we were good at before.”

OBSERVER Photo by Andrew David Kuczkowski: Pawlings Little League’s Nikki Vinciguerra slides safely into home behind Fredonia catcher Sophia Gullo during Thursday’s opening-round game of the 8-10-year-old New York State Minor Softball double-elimination tournament at Joe Karnes Field.

After the 19-run loss, Vandette knows that his team will quickly put it behind them. This was something that Fredonia has gotten accustomed to: the highs aren’t too high and the lows aren’t too low.

“They’ll be fine, they’ll be fine,” Vandette emphasized. “The best thing about the girls is that they learn to forget. Something that we say from the beginning is that we celebrate or we commiserate for about 24 hours and then it’s done. If it would have been a win (Thursday), then yay, we are happy, but then we start practice (the next day) we are done, we aren’t happy anymore, but if we lose, same thing.”

Pawlings will move on to face Ozone Howard today at 5 p.m., while Fredonia will face Massapequa today with first pitch at 2 p.m. For Fredonia to come out as the victors in the tournament, the team will need to win five straight games, however, that doesn’t fret Vandette.

“I came to watch all the other teams,” he said, “and I saw these guys and the team they played and I honestly feel we can play with anybody. If we play the way we know how to.”

OZONE HOWARD BULLDOGS 16,

Fayetteville-Manilus Little League 3

The Ozone Howard Bulldogs from the Bronx, representing Section 3 South, defeated the Section 1 East rep Fayetteville-Manilus Little League, 16-3, Thursday behind the no-hitter from Ozone pitcher Ashley Dalo.

Dalo faced 19 FM batters and struck out 10 of them.

Dalo helped her cause at the plate going 2 for 3, with four RBIs including a double. Melanie Snyder went 4 for 4 with four singles and Alexa Nolan was 3 for 4 with a triple and two singles. Gia Corcoran doubled in the win.

For FM, Lauren Grainger took the loss, she gave up 13 hits, struck out six and walked six. Ozone plays Pawlings Little League today at 5 p.m. FM plays the East Meadow Fillies today at 11 a.m.

Email: Akuczkowski@observertoday.com

Twitter: @Kuczkowski95