Softball Power Rankings: Bolts, Squirettes, Mustangs top the charts
Most softball teams are right around the halfway point of their season, so what better time to take a look at our first softball power rankings of the season?
Below are the top 5 teams in the Hanover-Adams area through April 15.
The Mustangs and Bolts are surging. The Squirettes and Rockets are probably better than their record shows. And what's up with Gettysburg?
Top teams
Littlestown (9-2) – Who needs seniors? Not the underclassmen-heavy, seniorless Bolts lineup, apparently. McKenzie Somers can pitch, the Yealy sisters can hit, and there’s no easy-out in the lineup.
The Bolts started off 4-0 while giving up just five runs during that stretch, then lost two close games to Greencastle-Antrim and Kennard-Dale, before recovering and winning their last five in a row, highlighted by a 7-2 victory over rival Delone Catholic.
Another impressive fact: The Bolts have given up more than three runs in game just once this season.
Delone Catholic (7-3) – Delone has jumped out and taken a comfortable lead at the top of Division IV. The Squirettes stumbled early, losing two games to Kennard-Dale and Susquehannock by a combined three runs, but they’ve won six out of seven since then. The lone loss in April was to Littlestown (9-2).
Outside of the loss to the Bolts, Delone has given up just eight runs in six April games.
Other than a rematch with Littlestown on April 20, the schedule is pretty light for Delone, with just two remaining games coming against teams with a winning record.
South Western (5-3) – After losing three of their first four games, the Mustangs have won four in a row, including victories at Central and at Spring Grove.
South Western’s pitchers have given up just six runs combined during the winning streak.
The Mustangs will get their second shot at the two teams ahead of them in the division (Dallastown and Central) in mid-April.
Spring Grove (3-5) – This seems like an odd placement for a team that’s 3-5, but hear us out. They crushed Gettysburg, 9-2, in their only head-to-head matchup and they lost to South Western, 10-3, so this would seem to be a snug fit for the Rockets.
They lost to the two top teams in Division I (Central and Dallastown) by a combined three runs and both were on the road.
Snapping a three-game skid and putting 17 runs up against Red Lion should be a nice confidence boost for Spring Grove as they play four of their next five games at home.
The Rockets can hit up and down the lineup, there’s no doubt about that. They have some young pitching led by sophomore ace Julia Wivell, but if the pitching can come around, then the Rockets are in good shape to make a run at the postseason.
Gettysburg (6-5) – The Warriors may be the biggest question mark on the list. They’ve blown opponents out and played good teams close, but they don’t have a single signature win on the schedule. None of the six teams that Gettysburg has defeated is above .500.
They have a chance to change that with games against Dallastown (8-2) and South Western (5-3) in the next four days.
A win or two in those matchups and the Warriors move up the charts.
Next up: Biglerville (4-6), Fairfield (3-5), Hanover (3-8)
Upcoming games to circle on your calendar:
April 17: Gettysburg at Dallastown
April 20: Delone Catholic at Littlestown
April 20: South Western at Gettysburg
April 27: South Western vs. Central York
April 27: Littlestown at Kennard-Dale
April 29: Spring Grove at South Western