SILVER CREEK — Maddie Blair struck out nine in the circle as Silver Creek beat Gowanda 4-3 in an early season Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 3 softball showdown.

The Black Knights took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Rylee Weiskerger led off with a double, advanced to third on a fly ball from Kyla Ziegler and scored on a sacrifice bunt.

Silver Creek (2-1, 1-0) made it 4-0 in the third inning when Weiskerger and Zeigler scored on wild pitches before Blair singled and later scored on an RBI from Kim Bauer.

Gowanda scored all three of its runs in the sixth inning. Addison Kota reached on an error and moved into scoring position on Corrina John’s single. Holland Browning then drove in Kota with a line drive to left field. John and Browning then scored on an error.

Weiskerger, Ziegler, Bauer and Blair each had a hit for Silver Creek, while John, Browning and Sophie Bobseine had hits for Gowanda.

Gracie Eddy pitched for the Panthers (3-2, 0-1), striking out three in five innings before Kota struck out one in her lone inning in the circle.

MELQUIST HAS BIG HIT

FALCONER — Hannah Melquist’s two-run single broke open a 2-2 game as Falconer beat Chautauqua Lake 4-2 in nonleague action.

Katrina Schrantz went 3 for 3 and Melquist was 2 for 2 for the Golden Falcons (4-0, 1-0 CCAA D4). Emily Rhinehart struck out seven in the circle in the win.

Jillian Miller and Alice Scarpine scored sixth-inning runs for Chautauqua Lake. Cayzlee Johnson struck out 12 and walked one in the circle for the Eagles (2-1, 0-0 CCAA D2).

HORNETS STING

PINE VALLEY

FORESTVILLE — Megan Gruber struck out 12 batters and gave up just two hits in a five-inning 14-2 victory for Forestville against Pine Valley in Division 3.

Gruber also scored twice for the Hornets (3-0, 1-0), while Carilene Sliwa doubled and reached home four times and Emily Lillie had a triple and three runs.

Danica Farnham began the game with a leadoff triple and scored on a passed ball for Pine Valley (3-1, 0-1), but it was all Forestville from there. Ashylynn Silleman added a double for Pine Valley, while Farnham took the loss in the circle.

WESTFIELD HOLDS

OFF RED DRAGONS

WESTFIELD — Westfield led 11-1 after five innings and held on for an 11-9 Division 2 win over Maple Grove/Panama.

Arielle Corbett doubled and drove in three runs for the Wolverines (2-1, 1-0), while Maddy Burgess had two hits and two RBIs. Eva Gnadzinski added two singles. Sydney Hotchkiss scored three runs, while Charly Mathews and Reagan Weingart each scored twice in the win.

Gnadzinski struck out four and allowed five hits in six-plus innings in the circle.

Lydia Darr was 2 for 4 with a double and three RBIs; Jessica Lyon was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs; and Alex Caldwell scored two runs for the Red Dragons (1-2, 0-1).

GATORS DOWN TROJANS

WEST ELLICOTT — Behind strong pitching and excellent defense, Allegany-Limestone downed Southwestern 6-1 in a Division 1 game.

Kailey Truman tossed a four-hitter and struck out seven as the Gators improved to 6-0 overall and 1-0 in the division. She also helped her own cause with a double and was the beneficiary of a three-run top of the seventh inning.

Maddie Burnett pitched well for the Trojans (0-6, 0-1), fanning 14, scattering six hits and walking four. Offensively for Southwestern, Burnett smacked a double, and Kate Castle and Addison Shaw both collected their first varsity hits.

DUNKIRK FALLS TO JFK

DUNKIRK — Kassidy Donisi went 3 for 3 with a double, but Dunkirk dropped an 18-6 nonleague decision to JFK.

Emma Ahlstrom went 2 for 3 with a double and Chelsey Tramuto was 2 for 4 with a double for the Marauders (1-5, 0-1).