Joines plays like seasoned vet for Dominican

Desiree “Desi” Joines made her debut pitching this spring for the Dominican College softball team, but she pitched like a tried and true veteran.

The Lady Chargers knew they had something in the ninth game of the season on March 9 when she pitched a no-hitter and came up a walk short of a perfect game in a 2-0 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas.

“Desi was a Godsend,” Dominican coach Joseph Burbridge said. “We really needed someone to lead our young pitching staff and it was clear that she had the ability to do so.”

Joines, a Kennard-Dale graduate who's currently a sophomore at Dominican, has pitched in 30 games this season with 24 starts and 12 complete games. The 5-foot-9 right-hander had a 15-7 record with two saves with a 2.09 earned run average. In 154.1 innings, she gave up 127 hits and 56 runs, 46 earned, with 41 walks and 78 strikeouts.

Besides the no-hitter, Joines had two other standout performances – a two-hitter in a 3-0 victory over Wilmington, Del. and a four-hitter in a 2-0 triumph over Chestnut Hill. One of her losses was 1-0 and on two other occasions the Lady Chargers were shut out.

“Desi is one of the most low-maintenance players on the team,” Burbridge said. “Her work ethic is second to none.”

Dominican College, located in Orangeburg, N.Y., finished 30-16-1 overall and 22-4 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, but as the No.2 seed the team dropped both of its games in the league tourney.

“We are so excited that Desi has two more years left with us,” Burbridge said. “We expect to compete for the conference title next year and she will be a major cog in the wheel.”

Norton a top rookie

St. Francis freshman Hayley Norton is one of 25 finalists for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Rookie of the Year award.

Norton (Spring Grove) leads the Red Flash in hitting with a .348 average. She has 57 hits in 164 at-bats and leads the team in doubles (14) and home runs (14) and is tied for first in triples (three). She’s also second in RBIs with 53 and third in runs scored with 44. Her RBIs are a St. Francis single-season record and ranks in the top-three in Division I.

“When we recruited Hayley we knew she was a special player,” coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift told the media when the announcement was made. “She makes it (hitting) look easy and that confidence against opposing pitchers is contagious to the rest of the lineup.”

St. Francis is 30-21 overall and 10-2 and in second place in the Northeast Conference. The Red Flash have two doubleheaders left on the schedule, against Central Connecticut today and Fairleigh-Dickinson Saturday, both in Loretto.

The NEC Championship will be held next week.

First team for Bortner

Junior Sarah Bortner (South Western) has been named to the PSAC Central softball first team for her efforts with league champion Bloomsburg. She was an at-large selection.

The right-hander posted a 15-6 record with five saves for the Huskies with a team-best 1.16 earned run average heading into the NCAA Division II Championship. In 138.2 innings, she’s given up 93 hits and 43 runs, 23 earned, with 37 walks and a team-high 141 strikeouts.

Bortner was 2-1 during the PSAC Championship. In the title game, she started and pitched six scoreless innings to pick up the 5-1 victory over California.

The Huskies face the Vulcans again in the first round of the NCAAs today in Buckhannon, W. Va.

East Stroudsburg senior Haley Thomas (Northern) was named to the PSAC East team as an at-large player. She hit .371 (43-for-116) with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs, 21 runs scored and 27 runs batted in. She started all 40 games behind the plate for the 19-21 Warriors.

Kauffman an All-American

Kean sophomore Jacob Kauffman was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American second team.

Kauffman (York Suburban), a 6-foot-4 outside hitter, led the Cougars with 280 kills and service aces with 61. He also had 101 digs and 42 blocks and posted a solid .304 hitting percentage.

Kean finished 31-7 and captured the Skyline Conference title with a 16-0 record. The Cougars defeated Endicott 3-1 in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament but saw the season end with a 3-0 loss to No. 2-seed Springfield in the quarterfinals.

Sophomore Jared Warner (Red Lion) and freshman Chadd Jones (Dallastown) were also on the squad.

Apicella selected 

Senior Vince Apicella was an easy choice as a first-team selection in the South Atlantic Conference after a big season pitching for the Carson-Newman baseball team.

Apicalla (Northern) posted a 10-3 record with seven compete games and three shutouts and a 3.45 earned run average. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound left-hander pitched 94.0 innings and gave up 74 hits and 39 runs, 31 earned with 32 walks and 105 strikeouts. The victories tied for first and the strikeouts were second in the SAC.

The Eagles finished 31-21 overall and 14-10 in league play and finished 2-2 in the league tourney.

Valway honored

Freshman Ashley Valway was named to the Colonial States Athletic Conference first team for her play with the Marywood women’s lacrosse team.

Valway (Susquehannock), a 5-foot-1 attack, has 41 goals and 15 assists for 56 points and scored four goals to help the Pacers defeat Gwynedd Mercy 17-5 in the first round of the CSAC tourney. She also has 18 ground balls, 27 draw controls and six caused turnovers.

Marywood is 8-9 but is seeded second in the tourney after going 7-2 in league play.

Lippy finishing strong

Sophomore Anthony Lippy is 5-3 pitching for the Elizabethtown baseball team, but the 5-foot-10, 150-pound right-hander won his last two starts heading into the Landmark Conference Championships.

Lippy (New Oxford) pitched a complete-game seven-inning 4-1 victory over Drew on April 23. He gave up a hit, a run, walked one and struck out five. In his latest start, an 8-2 triumph over Susquehanna last Saturday, he started and worked five innings, giving up a hit and a run while walking three and striking out three.

Lippy has worked 51.1 innings and given up 54 hits and 24 runs, 19 earned, with 14 walks and 27 strikeouts. His earned run average is 3.33.

The Blue Jays will take a 23-17 record into the tournament.

Gatchell pitches in

The Cedarville men’s team captured its third-straight Great Midwest Athletic Conference outdoor track title and freshman Ethan Gatchell picked up points for the Yellow Jackets in two events.

Gatchell, from Red Lion (home school), finished third in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:03.73. He also grabbed a point for finishing sixth in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:59.18.

Shorts top rookie

Stevenson freshman Landon Shorts was named ECAC Division III Rookie of the Year in men’s volleyball. Earlier, the 6-foot-2 outside hitter was named Continental Volleyball Conference Rookie of the Year and was the only freshman to earn All-CVC first team honors.

Shorts (Central York) led the Mustangs in kills with 345, service aces with 58 and points with 430.0. He also had 154 digs, 46 blocks, 37 assists and a .316 hitting percentage.

Stevenson finished 26-8 and saw the season end with a 3-0 loss to Springfield in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament.