Lady Spartans win three in busy week

Florida - Four days, four games. That was the Seward Lady Spartans softball schedule last week. They lost a non-league game on Monday to Goshen in close one, 8-7. On Tuesday they topped Division V rival Fallsburg 28-0. The next day they lost their first league game, a 5-1 verdict to Chester. They rebounded against league opponent Tri-Valley on Thursday in a tense 5-4 contest. Melissa Oliphant suffered her first defeat of the year in the 8-7 loss to Goshen. Offensively, she did much better, slamming three hits. Mallory Matuseski and Michelle Dugan contributed two hits apiece in the losing cause. At Fallsburg on Tuesday Oliphant (one inning) and Dugan (four innings) combined for a no-hitter as Florida dominated 28-0. Oliphant continued her torrid hitting going 5-6. Matuseski and Dugan followed suit, each knocking out four hits. That brings up Wednesday’s game against the Chester Academy. It also brought up the Lady Spartans’ first league loss, 5-1. Oliphant allowed seven hits while striking out seven, but Chester’s five-run fourth inning proved to be the key. Florida score its lone run in the top of the fourth to take a short-lived lead. Matuseski, Dugan ( a triple), Janice Harter and Kathleen Folkl had the only hits for the Spartans. Florida got back on track against Division opponent Tri-Valley the next day at home. Oliphant struck out five to chalk up the 5-4 win and drove in two runs with three hits, including a home run and a triple. Jillian Harter drove in Oliphant with the winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning and went 2-3. The Lady Spartans 5-1 league record (10-2 overall) keeps them right in the hunt for Division V honors. Home games seem to have a little more zest this year as the Lady Spartans are using the Walter R. Sturr (JFK) Park for their home games. The field is in fine shape thanks to the efforts of the Florida Softball League.