by Bud Hart Behind the 12 strikeout performance of Solanco’s Hanna Phillips and the timely hitting of Ally McDowell, Liz Mowrer, Kara McClune, Skyla Townsley and Sierra Dean, the Mules advanced in the L-L League championship by handing Annville-Cleona a 6-2 loss at Penn Manor’s Middle School complex on Saturday, May 12. Phillips dominated, holding the Little Dutchwomen hitless until their number two hitter lined a ball to right field in the sixth inning. On the way to her victory inside the circle, Phillips established a school record recording her 500th strikeout.
"Truly a remarkable accomplishment, 500 career strikeouts,” wrote head coach Brett Miller. “Congratulations to her on the milestone, she is certainly deserving and worthy." Solanco took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when McClune led off with a single and, with one out, Mowrer drove one deep for an RBI double. Mowrer eventually scored on a Dean infield single. A-C scored an unearned run in the top of the second with one out when Phillips hit an A-C batter with a pitch. That batter eventually scored on a passed ball and a Mule error, the sole Mule miscue on the day. With the Mules up 2-1, Solanco increased their lead when McDowell led off the fourth inning and crushed the first pitch to deep right center for a triple. She scored on McClune’s fielder’s choice. "Ally McDowell came up with a solid performance at the plate, a couple of important hits, both the triple and RBI single," said Miller. In the fifth inning, the Mules increased their margin, scoring two runs on a McDowell RBI single and an A-C error, one of four on the day. The Mules sixth run came courtesy of a Jade Eshelman one-out triple and a Dean RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. "Sierra was, and has been, consistent with some timely hitting, again," said Miller. With one out, Townsley sent one deep to left for a double, but Dean was ruled out at the plate on the throw in from left field, preventing another score. Townsley advanced to third on the throw, but was left stranded. A-C’s second run came when their leadoff hitter got a walk in the top of the sixth inning. The next hitter lined one to right. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to third and the cleanup hitter laid down a bunt scoring the second A-C run. That was it for the Dutchwomen, two runs, one earned. Phillips ended any hopes for Annville-Cleona when she K’d their leadoff hitter. McClune made the catch of the afternoon with an over the shoulder grab in short center field in back of her second base position for out number two, and Phillips put the exclamation point on the game striking out the last batter. "Hanna pitched with a consistent focus and was overpowering at times," wrote Miller. Solanco banged out 14 hits, but left the bases loaded in the third with one out. "We left too many runners on base and will need to improve, but we did cash in enough to record the win,” wrote Miller. Solanco advances to the semifinals. "In the playoffs, you cannot expect to blow out teams, but you need to take advantage of the opportunities and have one more run then them in the end,” added Miller. "It's the playoffs and we got the result we were looking for." Comments are closed.
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