By Dean Russin

Sports E

Star photo by Anita Briggs Edmeston junior pitcher Kati Dennis is 1-1 in Tri-Valley League championships. Dennis is 10-2 this season with 105 strikeouts in 82 innings.

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In some ways, Worcester has Edmeston to thank for reaching the Tri-Valley League softball championship game.

Ditto for the Panthers, whose only league loss this season came against the visiting Wolverines on April 26.

Worcester’s 12-9 victory that day marked its second of eight consecutive triumphs en route to the Wolverines’ first crossover appearance since 1984. Worcester turned a 2-4 start into a 10-6 season that included a 9-2 T-V record as a result.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]The April 26 meeting also seemed to spark the defending T-V champion Panthers (13-3, 11-1), who have since defeated nine consecutive league opponents.

East Division champion Worcester and West Division winner Edmeston will have a chance to thank each other personally at 5 p.m. today, when the two meet for the T-V championship at Oneonta State. Tickets cost $3 for general admission and $2 for students.

In the event of rain, the final will move to Tuesday at the same time and place.

"My kids are confident and are feeling good about already beating Edmeston once," said Worcester coach Shelly Hilts, who was a student at Cortland State the last time the Wolverines made it this far. "We’re not really nervous. We’re looking to play a really solid ballgame, and if we come out on top, that would be great."

Worcester has plenty to work with as five players are batting .413 or better. Two of those batters — juniors Nicole Baker and Amanda McHargue — are hitting .509 and .508, respectively.

Baker will start her 17th consecutive game in the circle, which also will be occupied by returning Daily Star First Team All-Star Kati Dennis of Edmeston. Dennis has pitched in the last two T-V finals, losing, 4-0, to Schenevus in 2004 and beating the Dragons, 6-3, last season.

Neither pitcher had much success last time against the opposing lineup as Baker gave up 10 hits and Dennis allowed 13.

"That game was right after vacation," said Edmeston coach Brian Burgess, whose team will make its third straight appearance in the T-V final today. "Both teams hit the ball really well. Not to take anything away from Worcester, but we were really flat that game."

The Wolverines were just the opposite, scoring in every inning but the second. Junior third baseman Emily Bristol highlighted Worcester’s sixth-best run total this season with a three-run, inside-the-park homer to right field in the sixth inning. That gave Worcester the lead for keeps, at 10-9.

"We went on vacation, I went to Scotland and the kids did whatever they did for spring break," Hilts said. "My assistant coach had a couple of practices for Nicole to pitch. Nicole came back and started throwing strikes."

Baker was tabbed the Wolverines’ starting pitcher during the basketball season, when junior Hilary Head suffered a torn ACL for the second straight year, Hilts said.

Baker has had control issues this spring, and her ability — or inability — to keep the ball in the strike zone today might play a major role in the outcome.

Baker has struck out 109 batters this spring. Hilts would not divulge how many her pitcher has walked, but that total is likely high since Baker has a 5.72 ERA and faces 36 batters per game.

"The thing in softball is, if she gives up a lot of walks, that’s going to lead to a lot of runs," Burgess said. "The first time we saw Nicole, she kept ball down and didn’t have a lot of walks against us. I heard she struggles in poor weather, so hopefully it will rain. That’s what I told Shelly at the All-Star meeting (Sunday)."

Dennis is 10-2 with 105 strikeouts in 82 innings, and Burgess said she hasn’t walked many. Dennis struck out 11 Wolverines on April 26 and also homered in a 3-for-4 effort at the plate.

"I hope we bring our bats like we did last time," said Hilts, who got four hits from Bristol and three apiece from Baker and shortstop McHargue during the regular-season victory. "We had seven extra-base hits and two homers (on April 26). Dennis provides a lot of power, so all you have to do is get your stick around and get on it and it’s going to go."

Another slugfest is likely as Edmeston features three players batting .508 or better. Junior center fielder April Bartlett is at .508 with a team-best four home runs. She’s also tied with Dennis and junior shortstop Annamarie Davoulas in RBIs at 26 apiece.

Davoulas bats a team-high .642, with three homers, five triples, four doubles and a team-best 34 runs.

Sophomore right fielder Brittanie Becraft, up from the modified team, has contributed a .532 average as the Panthers’ leadoff hitter.

"Kati’s been pitching really well and our bats are on fire lately," Burgess said. "If we hit like we have been, it’s going to be tough to beat us."