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Littlestown win, coupled with Kennard-Dale loss grants Thunderbolts YAIAA Division III title


The bat of Kaitlin Yealy and the pitching of McKenzie Somers led Littlestown to more than just a win on Monday. The duo, combined with Kennard-Dale's loss, helped the Thunderbolts clinch the YAIAA Division III softball title.

Yealy was 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, a double and drove in seven runs, while Somers fired a two-hitter from the circle with seven strikeouts and no walks and Littlestown breezed past Eastern York, 10-0 in six innings.

It was Yealy's three-run round-tripper in the bottom of the sixth that brought on the mercy rule ending.

"Kaitlin always hits the ball hard," Thunderbolts coach Henry Wardrop said. "She doesn't always get a hit, but she puts the ball in play."

Littlestown (15-3, 14-1 YAIAA III) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Yealy ripped a two-run homer just inside the left field foul pole. That rally started when Michaelya Yealy led off the inning with a single.

In the second, the Bolts struck for five more with Jill Gauthier smacking a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded and Kaitlin Yealy followed by doubling to the gap in right-center to plate another two runs. Somers doubled home Yealy to push the lead to 7-0.

"Usually you have one inning that decides the game. Whether its good or bad," Wardrop said. "Today we had the big inning."

A big lead in hand, Somers rolled into fourth inning working on a no-hitter, that ended when Ashton Evans led off with a single. But Evans went no further as Somers induced a pair of pop outs to herself and struck out the other batter.

"McKenzie has been pitching her heart out for the team this year," Wardrop said. "Every time she goes out there, she gives everything she has."

Evans had the other Eastern (4-14, 4-10) hit in the top of the sixth when she singled with two outs. The only other Golden Knight hitter to reach base came when Anna Amsberger got reached on an error to leadoff the game, but Somers retired the next three hitters on a pair of pop outs and Karlee Livelsberger's long fly ball that was tracked down by Michaelya Yealy in front of the center field fence.

The game-ending rally was started by a Vickie Skillman single to leadoff the bottom of the sixth and Dani Payne followed that with a bunt single. Eastern reliever Riley Duraski retired the next two hitters before Yealy blasted her 2-2 offering well over the left field fence to end it.

While Yealy paced the Bolts' 11-hit attack, Somers and Skillman each contributed two hits to the offense, as well.

After taking care of business, the Thunderbolts were officially crowned Division I champions when York Suburban stunned Kennard-Dale in dramatic fashion.

The Trojans scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning to top the Rams, 7-6. Jess Clancy, Susan Lloyd and Brooke Day hit consecutive doubles during the rally.

Day's third double, and fourth RBI of the game, drove home Lloyd and with the eventual winning run.

Kennard-Dale (15-3, 12-2) took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Kaila Beach hit a solo home run. Suburban (10-6, 10-4) scored two of its own runs in the bottom of the inning, courtesy of Day's double.

The Rams went up 6-2 after five innings, but a two-run fifth, followed by the three-run sixth from Suburban completed the comeback.

Littlestown 10, Eastern York 0

EY, Sierra Arnold, Ryley Duraski (3) and Ashton Evans, Arnold (3). Lt, McKenzie Somers and Kaitlin Yealy.

SO-BB — EY, Arnold 2-0, Duraski 0-0. Lt, Somers 7-0; W — Somers; L — Arnold; 2B — Lt, Somers 2, Yealy; HR —Lt, Yealy 2.

York Suburban 7, Kennard-Dale 6

Kennard-Dale2110200—6122York Suburban002023x—7123

KD, Brittany Orwig and Katelyn Mayle. YS, Olivia Eytcheson and Emmy Turybury.

SO-BB — Orwig 2-0, Eytcheson 4-1; W — Eytcheson; L — Orwig; 2B — KD, Megan Gereny. YS, Brooke Day 3, Jess Clancy, Susan Lloyd 3B — x; HR —KD, Kaila Beach.