SANBORN — Smack!
When a big play at the plate was needed, Niagara Wheatfield brought the lumber. No matter how hard other teams tried, the Falcons’ hot bats could not be cooled off through the first two months of the season.
Nine homers and 181 runs helped Niagara Wheatfield clinch its third Niagara Frontier League title in four seasons and lock up the No. 1 seed in the Section VI Class A1 tournament.
But with a championship on the line, the Falcons’ hitting well ran dry. The red-and-black left six on base and struck out eight times against Williamsville East in a 1-0 loss in the A1 final.
Without the key bunts and key hits to get East’s ace Grace Kissel out of a rhythm, the Falcons’ season ended against the Flames for a third straight year. As a result, Niagara Wheatfield enters this season still searching for its first sectional title since hoisting the Class AA crown in 2011.
“It’s tough when you’re scoring a lot of runs because you still want to play small ball, because, when you get to the playoffs, that’s where it’s at,” Niagara Wheatfield head coach Kevin Schucker said. “It’s small balls, trying to manufacture a run or two. There were at least five 1-0 games in the section playoffs last year. And so, it’s nice to score a lot of runs, but you still have to practice your small ball because that’s what’s going to get you there in the playoffs.”
The Falcons are set to return 10 players from last year’s 18-3 campaign, which Schucker recalled to be one of, if not the largest, returning group in his coaching career. But with the addition of a Class AAA classification across the state, the Falcons were bumped to Class AA.
This means Niagara Wheatfield will not only compete against Williamsville East in the postseason but it will also go head-to-head against reigning Class AA and state champion Clarence plus teams like Williamsville North and Frontier. While the Falcons only faced the Spartans last season, a 5-4 loss on May 9, Schucker believes there’s going to be a lineup of tough outs for opponents to face.
“I definitely think our team could stack up, absolutely,” Schucker said. “To get that far, you got to be good. You got to stay healthy. You have to have a little luck along the way too. Softball’s a tough game. … You can see how competitive it is. And, it’s going to be tough.”
Still, Niagara Wheatfield’s plan remains the same to keep attacking at the plate, after outscoring opponents 181-34 last season. Plus, the Falcons were 9-0 when scoring 10 or more runs, including a season-high 17 runs in games against Lew-Port and in the Class A1 semifinal against West Seneca West.
Of the Falcons’ 10 returning players, eight finished with over a .300 batting average, starting with NFL Player of the Year Julia Kwitchoff. Primarily in the heart of the batting order, the fifth-year letterwinner finished with a .571 average, five home runs and 31 RBI.
Kwitchoff felt the loss against the Flames didn’t showcase the talent the Falcons had at the plate all season, as the bats didn’t get going enough. But even though the season began Monday, Kwitchoff already sensed more confidence in the team, after most players did an offseason of hitting workouts individually.
Kwitchoff is just one of the top hitters returning for Niagara Wheatfield. More hitters include lead-off hitter and sophomore Lindsey Tylec, who batted .536 along with three home runs and 24 RBI and Gianna Graber, who posted a .486 average and 16 RBI along with being named the NFL’s pitcher of the year.
Kwitchoff is more of a contact and power hitter but once one player provides a big at-bat, the next person knows how to extend the frame. Through a big hit or a small infield play, the Falcons had the versatility to score runs..
“I think when we have those people that can do that (small-ball), it, for sure, helps and it’s definitely something that we need on a team,” Kwitchoff said. “You really need someone that can put the ball down, no matter what. So, I think bunting or where the coaches want the ball, I think, is a really big part of the game.”
Niagara Wheatfield begins its season against Boyd County (Kentucky) at 11:15 a.m. March 31 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.