Chambersburg opens softball season with win over CD

FAYETTEVILLE - Dori Loukopoulos is one game into her varsity softball career for Chambersburg, and she will have a tough time topping that first game.

Loukopoulos, a junior designated player, went 3-for-3 and drove in four runs to lead the Trojans to a 6-2 Mid Penn Commonwealth Division victory over Central Dauphin on Thursday afternoon at Norlo Park in their season opener.

"I was a little tense in scrimmages, so coach told me to just calm down," Loukopoulos said. "I had confidence today, and I know my teammates had confidence in me."

They had good reason.

Loukopoulos grounded a single to right in the second inning. In the fourth, with Leah Hunt (2-for-2, 1 RBI) on second and Sam Bender on first, she smoked another grounder into the gap in right-center for a two-run double. And in the fifth, with two outs and the bases loaded, she grounded one through a hole in the right side to score two more runs.

"We were trying to take a chance in the fourth inning and it didn't work, but Dori bailed us out," said Chris Skultety, coaching his debut game for Chambersburg. "That hit was huge. She's batting sixth, but she could be a 3 or 4 hitter for a lot of teams."

CD coach Ken Williams said, "I didn't know anything about her before the game, but I will when I look in the scorebook. I don't think she'll see any outside pitches next time we play them."

Winning pitcher Laken Myers allowed the Rams 10 hits, but they were well-spaced. In the first inning, Central Dauphin's Nicole Bechtel doubled with two outs and was followed by three singles. But only Bechtel was able to score and Myers didn't allow another run until the seventh when Bechtel singled in a run.

Skultety said, "I think Laken was a little juiced up early and got her pitches up. But she settled down and had a good game."

Notes: Lexi Leedy singled in the other Trojan run ... Chambersburg did not commit an error.