While everyone looked to be fighting the cold and even some fans mentioned it was the coldest game they had been to, the Chautauqua Lake bats were very hot as the Eagles smacked their way to a 13-3 victory.

“Today was definitely not the ideal conditions for softball,” Chautauqua Lake head coach Katie Yudin said. “But we battled through it and it’s just as cold for the other team as it is for us. So I was glad that the girls got that out of their minds that it was cold out and just played softball today.”

Chautauqua Lake hit through the lineup in the first inning, with four runs coming across the plate thanks to sluggers Cayzlee Johnson and Lucy Gates. The first four batters got on board and Johnson hit a two-run single to score Jillian Miller and Alice Scarpine for the 2-0 lead.

That was followed up with one big swing of the bat by Gates as she hammered a triple to right field that easily scored Johnson, but on the errant throw to third she was able to advance home for the 4-0 before Randolph recorded an out.

Randolph’s Quinn Pence steals second base as Chautauqua Lake’s Alice Scarpine receives a late throw during Monday’s nonleague softball game in Mayville. P-J photo by Christian Storms

“Offensively, we were hitting the ball well,” Yudin added. “We were seeing the ball well and pitching was pretty good throughout the six innings that we had. I was happy the defense stepped up in the inning we had a pitching change. The defense stepped up and kind of helped us get out of that inning with only one run which is nice to see.”

Gates added another RBI in her second at bat and finished 2 for 5 with a triple and two runs scored, while Johnson was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored.

Chautauqua Lake made it through the lineup twice before Randolph even got a second crack at Johnson in the circle as she picked up right where she left off last year. Johnson pitched four innings and gave up just two runs on two hits while striking out nine batters.

“We’re definitely happy to have her back,” Yudin said about Johnson. “She had a great season last year and we hope to have the same success this year. She did her job today, she threw strikes. She let them put the ball in play and let her defense handle it and also had some strikeouts.”

Randolph found itself down 9-0 before its lineup met Johnson again, and both Aliza Hind and Sadie Steward took notes from the first inning. Hind was able to hustle out an infield single and Steward followed up with a triple then scored on the throw at third.

“We did the same thing against Olean last week,” Randolph head coach Geoff Olson stated. “Struggled the first time through the lineup and then the second time through we started getting on her kind of like today. That’s a good thing, but we need to work on getting on it quicker. But we definitely like to see them getting on it the second time through.”

Once Johnson left the game, Randolph had a better time with freshman Alexis Szumigala in the circle and added another run in the fifth inning against her when Hind’s second single drove in Quinn Pence. The Cardinals could have added more, but Chautauqua Lake managed to get out of the inning without further damage and ended the game 13-3.

“They’re a good strong team, so it’s just nice to get to play against them,” Olson added. “Get that experience, especially early in the season. Cayzlee is a really good pitcher, she threw well tonight. We had a hard time against her. Once you fall behind against them it’s definitely hard to catch back up.”

Randolph also featured a pair of pitchers in the circle with Grace Arnold-Hill starting and striking out four and giving up the first 12 runs. Then the Cardinals ended the final two innings with Mallory Smallback in the circle and gave up just one more tally and two strikeouts.

Chautauqua Lake did some damage with big swings of the bat from Gates and Johnson, while also receiving doubles from Kinslee Motter and Karagan Fairbank. However, the Eagles found ways on base whether it was walks or beating out an infield single to keep moving through the lineup.

“It definitely helps when you have more options than just swinging the bat,” Yudin added. “It was nice to see we got a bunt down today. It was nice seeing some of the younger ones who joined the team this year to see the ball well and get a few hits.”

Randolph (1-2) is back in action Wednesday hosting Brocton before it guarantees heating up next week traveling down south for Spring Break.

Chautauqua Lake (1-0) hosts Westfield in a sectional final rematch Wednesday, looking for early revenge.