OBSERVER Staff Reports

FREWSBURG — The Cassadaga Valley Lady Cougars came into the playoffs last season without a loss, but this year came in without a win. The Lady Cougars sure picked a great time to get their first win of the year, with a 4-3 win on Thursday night at No. 1 Frewsburg in the first round of the Section VI, Class C2 softball playoffs.

“It’s amazing. It was unbelievable to watch the girls come together,” said first-year Cassadaga Valley head coach Jerri Crandall. “I couldn’t be more proud of the girls.”

Brittyn LeBaron pitched all seven innings on Thursday to earn the win for Cassadaga Valley (1-15, 8-seed). She tallied eight strikeouts on the night, with just four hits allowed.

MaKena Adams — who had two no-hitters in the regular season this year — allowed five hits and four runs to earn the loss, despite nine strikeouts and no walks issued.

LeBaron had a double and a single for Cassadaga Valley, while Brielle LeBaron and Holly Crandall each had key hits for the Lady Cougars. Elise Sposato had a triple for Frewsburg.

Cassadaga Valley now moves on to face the winner of Holland/Ellicottville on Tuesday, on the road.

Dunkirk 9, Alden 4

ALDEN — The Dunkirk Lady Marauders went on the road to face a top-two seed in the Section VI, Class B1 softball playoffs on Thursday, and by the end of the night, it would be hard to call Dunkirk an underdog again.

Dunkirk, the 7-seed in Class B1, defeated Alden 9-4, in a sectional quarterfinal game.

After a scoreless first two innings, Alden (2-seed, Class B1) scored first in the bottom of the third inning. Dunkirk answered with a run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Courtney Zatorski to tie the score at 1-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, Kymi Nance led off with a double for Dunkirk. Then, later in the inning, Ashley Gotowka hit a two-run double to take a 3-1 lead. Alden cut it to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning, but Dunkirk would respond.

In the top of the sixth inning, Olivia Smith, Zatorski and Nance all singled to load the bases. Olivia Yerico-Piazza broke the game wide open with a three-run triple. She later came in to score to extend the lead to 7-2. Jessica Beehler added on two more runs, in the top of the seventh inning, with a two-run triple. Alden managed two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Monica Pokoj earned the win for Dunkirk, pitching all seven innings. She had nine strikeouts and only allowed five hits and three walks.

Dunkirk moves on to the sectional semifinals to face 6-seed Springville, who upset the 3-seed, Depew, on Tuesday.