Skip to main content

SOFTBALL: Chambersburg's bats are productive in 11-5 win over Shippensburg


FAYETTEVILLE >> What a difference a day makes.

Chambersburg took on Shippensburg in a non-league softball game Friday afternoon at Norlo Park and got some runs early to take control on its way to an 11-5 victory.

It was in stark contrast to Thursday's game, when the Trojans fell behind Central Dauphin 8-1 and couldn't get enough clutch hits despite many opportunities in an 8-5 loss.

"It's been one of those years when you don't know which team will turn up from day to day," Chambersburg co-coach Ted Bittinger said. "The nice thing today was we had a big inning and got ahead early."

Trojan catcher Lily Nolan, who was 3-for-4 with two runs driven in, said, "Last night I think we took CD too lightly because of the score the first time we played them (21-4). But today we had more motivation and determination because we can't afford to lose two games in a row."

The Lady Hounds (6-3), meanwhile, were coming off perhaps their best game of the season, a 16-0 trouncing of Boiling Springs. But some shaky moments in the field helped Chambersburg (6-4) take a 10-1 lead in the fourth inning and Ship couldn't come all the way back.

"When you're playing on the road, you want to score first, and we did get one in the first inning," Shippensburg coach Mike Peters said. "But Chambersburg is a good hitting club and we didn't make some of the plays we usually do. If we had, that would have made it a closer game."

The red-hot Morgan Fetter got the Lady Hounds going in the first when her liner to center skipped past the fielder and she circled the bases for a single and three-base error.

But Chambersburg got that right back in the bottom of the inning. Chelsea Sommerville and Nolan singled and Tara Harmon boomed a triple to rightfield for a pair of RBIs. She later scored on a passed ball to make it 3-1.

Sommerville and Nolan hit back-to-back singles again in the third, and Sommerville scored on the second hit when it was misplayed. Nolan scored on a base hit by Leah Hunt to make it 5-1.

"I thought Chelsea had a good day hitting and played super at second base, too," Bittinger said.

The Trojans broke it open in the fourth with five more runs. Sommerville had a bases-loaded walk and Nolan followed with a two-run single. The fourth run scored on an error, then Hunt had her second RBI single to cap the inning off.

Trailing only 3-1 in the top of the third, Ship had a chance to have a big inning. Base hits by Brooke Barrett, Lexi Wolfe and Fetter loaded the bases with one out and the team's best hitter, Nicole Baker, coming up. On the first pitch, Baker hammered a shot to first base, but Sam Bender caught the screamer and stepped on first for a rally-killing double play.

Peters said, "We had a good situation there with the bases loaded and Nicole up, but then they got that double play. That was big. I think if we'd gotten something there it would have been a ballgame."

Laken Myers was the recipient of the key defensive play. She scattered 11 hits and walked just one while striking out nine.

Bittinger said, "I was glad to see only one walk – that's what we've been working on with her."

Her only bad inning came in the fifth, when Barrett reached on an error, Kayla Carbaugh singled and Fetter crunched a three-run homer to left-center.

Fetter, a freshman, hit her second homer in two days and is 6-for-8 in those games. She hit the first pitch in all four at-bats.

"I like to hit the first pitch because a lot of times, it's the best pitch," Fetter said. "I've been seeing faster pitching lately and I hit that better than slower pitching."

NOTES >> For Ship, Wolfe, Baker and Courtney Coy each had two hits ... Chambersburg's Sommerville and Hunt each had two ... Wolfe pitched the final two innings in relief of Coy and allowed only one hit and one unearned run.

Chambersburg 11

Shippensburg 5

ShippensburgChambersburgabrhbabrhbWolfe 2b4220Etter lf4200Crbaugh cf3110Somrvll 2b3321Macedo cf1000Nolan c4332Fetter c4233Harmon 3b4112Baker ss4021Secrist cf3000Coy p4020Kaufmn cf1010Davidsn dp4000Hunt dp4022Horst lf0000Kump rf0000Kline rf3000Kemp rf0000Miller 1b2000Myers p3000Porter 1b0000Ovrcsh ph1000Barrett 3b3010Bender 1b4110Glunt ss2110Brkhdr ph1000Totals325114Totals3411117
Shippensburg1000301—5Chambersburg302501x—11

E: Ship 5, Chbg 2; DP: Ship 1, Chbg 1; LOB: Ship 8, Chbg 6; 2B: Coy, Kauffman; 3B: Harmon; HR: Fetter (2); SB: Wolfe.

Shippensburg

Coy (L,5-3)41010812Wolfe211001

Chambersburg

WP: Wolfe; PB: Ship 1.

T: 1:47.

JV: Chambersburg 8, Shippensburg 2. The Trojans (8-0) were led by Kassidy Hunt (3-for-5, 2 RBIs), Hannah Weagley (2-for-4) and Bri Boyd (2-for-4), while Emma Carbaugh and Jordyn Amsley each had 2 RBIs. Caitlin Johnston earned the victory.