SOFTBALL: Thursday's roundup, James Buchanan remains unbeaten with win over West Perry
MERCERSBURG >> James Buchanan piled up five runs in the third inning and again in the fourth to subdue West Perry and hand the Mustangs (3-1) their first loss in a non-league softball game on Thursday afternoon.
The Rockets (3-0) trailed 1-0 until the bottom of the third. But RBI singles from Shania Fogelsonger, Taryn Miller, Jennae Piper and Nina Shatzer and a run-scoring groundout by Charity Miller broke the game open.
In the fourth, now holding a 5-2 lead, JB struck again. Abbie Doyka came through with a two-run single, Shatzer singled in another run and additional runs came in on a sacrifice fly by Piper and a fielder's choice by Taryn Miller.
"The girls really came around hitting the ball after the second inning," JB coach Eric Reed said. "We put together some nice at-bats and ran the bases well. Nina Shatzer, Shania Fogelsonger and Brooke Pittman highlighted the offense and Abbie Doyka had a big hit there in the fourth."
Fogelsonger and Shatzer both had three hits, Taryn Miller had three RBIs and Pittman scored three times.
Taryn Miller earned the win, allowing three hits and no earned runs, and fanning 11 batters.
Reed said, "Defensively, we made some miscues, but nothing that can't be corrected. Overall, it was a good team win."
James Buchanan 11 West Perry 3
West Perry0011100—333J. Buchanan005510x—11137
W — Taryn Miller (2-0); L — Gingrich.
2B — (WP) Zaring; SB — (JB) Brooke Pittman 2, Shania Fogelsonger, T.Miller, Jennae Piper, Nina Shatzer.
GREENCASTLE 8, LITTLESTOWN 7 >> Greencastle-Antrim let a four-run lead slip away but rebounded to pull out a non-league win in walk-off fashion.
With the game tied at seven in the final inning, Erin Bontrager hit a single to lead off the inning for the Blue Devils (2-0). Brooke Zeger followed with a hit, and pinch runner Ali Sherman advanced to third. Then after a pair of outs, Mackenzie Oberholzer came on to pinch hit, and she ended the game with an RBI single.
"This game was back and forth, and the girls never gave up," Greencastle coach Mark DeCarli said. "Littlestown is a good team and we were able to come out on top. We hope to keep building off of this."
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 6-2 lead after a four-run fourth inning, but Littlestown responded with three runs in the fifth. After Greencastle added a run in the bottom of the frame, Thunderbolt Katelyn Yealy belted a two-run homer to knot the game at seven. Elizabeth Ward got the win on the mound, giving up just eight hits, but the Blue Devil defense committed seven errors.
DeCarli said, "Our defense did not do well today, but our offense stepped it up for us. It definitely looked like we haven't played in 10 days."
Jess Root and Bontrager each had three hits for Greencastle, and Alison Shockey, Ward and Zeger all had two.
Greencastle 8, Littlestown 7
Littlestown0020320—783Greencastle2004101—8147
W — Elizabeth Ward (1-0); L — McKenzie Somers.
2B — (L) Kelsey Eevis; 3B — (GA) Alison Shockey; HR —(L) Katelyn Yealy; SB — (GA) Jess Root 2.
SHIPPENSBURG 4, MECHANICSBURG 3 >> Shippensburg overcame a one-run deficit with a pair of runs in the fifth inning and edged Mechanicsburg 4-3 in a non-league game.
The previously unbeaten Wildcats (5-1) scored all of its runs in the third inning off Ship pitcher Courtney Coy, including a home run by Erica Molovich.
But Coy and Morgan Fetter each had two hits, including a double and an RBI, and Kayla Carbaugh also knocked in a run. Coy also earned the win, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out four.
Lady Hound coach Mike Peters said, "Today was a great early season game by both teams. Mechanicsburg was on a roll and we needed to bounce back after a loss Monday. Courtney did a great job handling a powerful lineup. Offensively, we had very good discipline at the plate and hit the ball hard. The girls showed a lot of mental toughness to beat a good team in a close game."
Shippensburg 4 Mechanicsburg 3
Mechanicsburg0030000—35Shippensburg0200204—40
W — Courtney Coy (2-1); L — Erica Smiley.
2B — (M) Taylor Clark, (S) Coy, Morgan Fetter; 3B — (M) Clark; HR — (M) Erica Molovich.
MEYERSDALE 6, SOUTHERN FULTON 4 >> Southern Fulton played a clean defensive game, but couldn't muster enough offense in a non-league loss to Meyersdale.
The Indians (1-2) racked up 10 hits but pushed only four runs across. Meyersdale scored two more runs on one fewer hit.
"We made some changes tonight, but we still need to score more," SF coach Stacy Smith. "We had a good defensive game, but we have to get the offense going. We're stranding too many runners."
Olivia Mottern (1-2) struck out seven in the circle, and she added three hits and scored two runs. Allison Spade had a pair of hits with three RBIs, and Lakyn Morton also had two hits and scored twice.
Meyersdale 6 Southern Fulton 4
Southern Fulton1020100—4100Meyersdale111021x—692
W — Deakins; L — Olivia Mottern (1-2).
2B — (SF) Mottern, Allison Spade, (M) McKenzie, Kretchman, Deakins; 3B — (M) Cerreta; HR —(M) Miller; SB — (M) Cerreta, McKenzie, Miller.
EVERETT 10, FORBES ROAD 2 >> Forbes Road racked up eight hits but couldn't convert them into runs in a Sideling Hill League/Inter-County Conference loss to Everett.
The Cardinals (3-1, 2-1 SHL/ICC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but Everett scored one run in each of the first four innings and put the game away with a six-run fifth.
"We played well. Unfortunately, we stranded too many runners," Forbes Road coach Beth Bryant said. "We just didn't get the hits at the right time."
Olivia Hall and Haley Lashinsky each had two hits for the Cardinals, and Kristina Parsons also had a pair of hits, including a double.
Everett 10, Forbes Road 2
Forbes Road1000100—283Everett1111600—10121
W — K.Morral; L — Courtney Schoen (0-1).
2B — (FR) Kristina Parsons (E) Laidig, Rice, Ritchey; HR — (E) Rice.
CHESTNUT RIDGE 9, FANNETT-METAL 2 >> In a Sideling Hill League game shortened to five innings by rain, Chestnut Ridge got the jump on Fannett-Metal early with three runs in the first inning.
"Those three runs early made a difference," F-M coach Michael DeAngelo said. "We need to become more aggressive in our approach both offensively and defensively."
Amanda Laye plated both of the runs for the Tigers (0-4, 0-3 SHL) with a double in the third inning.
Chestnut Ridge 9
Fannett-Metal 2
Fannett-Metal00200—2Chestnut Ridge32121—9
W — J.Carthew; L — Brooke Harris.
2B — (FM) Amanda Laye, (CR) S.Fleegle.
TUSSEY MOUNTAIN 11, MCCONNELLSBURG 1 >> McConnellsburg committed seven errors and had just four hits in a Sideling Hill League/Inter-County Conference loss to Tussey Mountain.
The Spartans (1-4, 1-3 SHL/ICC) spotted the Titans a 3-0 lead in the first inning but got one back in the fourth when Madison Koontz hit an RBI triple. But Tussey put up eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game away.
McConnellsburg coach Junior Swope said, "We're still learning and trying to get things together."
Tussey Mountain 11
McConnellsburg 1
W — Barnett; L — Carly Swope (1-3).
2B — (TM) Angelo, Fields; 3B — (M) Madison Koontz, (TM) Clark.
MERCERSBURG 2, HILL 1 >> Mercersburg Academy gutted out a narrow victory over Hill to claim its first Mid-Atlantic Prep League victory of the season.
"Hill is our biggest rival, so it's always good to beat them," Blue Storm coach John David Bennett said. "It was a classic barnburner, but it was actually one of the better games we've played against Hill in a while."
Sydney Reath threw a three-hitter, striking out nine and walking three. She didn't give up any earned runs. The Blues had a chance with the tying run on third base in the top of the seventh inning, but Reath fanned the final batter to ensure the win for Mercersburg (4-2, 1-2 MAPL).
Reath was also 3-for-3 with a double, and Mallory Sipes had a single and a stolen base.
Mercersburg 2, Hill 1
Hill0000100—130Mercersburg2000000—242
W — Sydney Reath (4-2); L — McKee.
2B — (M) Reath; SB — (H) Dempsey, (M) Mallory Sipes.