Solanco's varsity softball team opened up their four-game schedule last week with a 6-1 win over the visiting Ephrata Lady Mountaineers. Pitcher Hanna Phillips was dominating inside the circle. The sophomore windmiller struck out 13, issued no walks, scattered four hits and allowed only one earned run. Solanco scored first in the third inning with two outs, when Randi Rambo, the number three hitter, was hit by a pitch. The Mule shortstop scored when cleanup hitter, Liz Mowrer, hit the right field gap for a triple. With the score 1-0 Mules, the Mounts tied it up on a leadoff double, sacrifice and a two-out RBI single up the middle in the top of the fourth.
Solanco regained the lead in their half of the inning when Lindsey Lane reached base on a swinging bunt single, advanced on a fielder’s choice and scored on Alicia Henretty’s two-out single. The Golden Mules broke it open in the bottom of the fifth. Katelyn Sheaffer led off with a walk and Rambo singled, both advancing a base on a wild pitch; Mowrer than drove in both with a two run single. With one out Kara McClune reached base on a bloop single to center. She scored on a Lane double to left. “We got the results we were looking for and valuable varsity team experience, but we certainly made this a more challenging game then it needed to be,” said head coach Brett Miller. “Mowrer and Lane showed some hitting discipline and maturity as they adjusted to the pitcher throughout the game. Liz three RBIs and Lindsey going three-for-three with an RBI certainly paced our offensive pressure.” Coach Miller also had praise for his young pitcher. “A week after her last outing, Hanna had overpowering velocity, at times, but we continue to look to put speed with a more consistent, finer pitch location, for every batter and every pitch,” said Miller. The Mules lost to the always challenging Elizabethtown Bears on Tuesday, April 11, by a one-run margin, 7-6. In the third inning Alli McDowell led off with a single and Henretty followed with a hit. The Bear right fielder threw the ball away and McDowell scored. Abby Heidelbaugh walked and Henretty scored on a wild pitch for Solanco’s second run. Sheaffer followed with a single and Heidelbaugh scored the third run on a Kayla May single. In the bottom of the fourth McDowell led off with a single and eventually scored on a Heidelbaugh base hit. The Mule scoring ended in the seventh when Heidelbaugh led off with a walk and scored when Rambo drove one deep for a two-run round tripper. Phillips went the distance again. The right hander gave up eight hits, seven runs (six earned) walking five, while striking out 10. “You can win games and you can lose games in many different ways throughout a season,” wrote Coach Miller. “Today, we had moments of good and some not so well.” The coach said each game is a character builder. He added that his team had several opportunities for some individual players to learn and focus on maturing as a team. “McDowell and Henretty have been showing and giving us some offensive impact,” said Miller. “They both can strain a defense with their hitting and foot speed. That’s a valuable asset to the team.” The Mules got back on track on Wednesday, April 12, defeating the Conestoga Valley Buckskins 8-1. Heidelbaugh led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run. In the bottom of the third, Sheaffer dropped in a one-out bloop single to right. Heidelbaugh then lined a single past the third baseman. McClune continued the offensive assault driving in Sheaffer with the third Mule consecutive base hit. Heidelbaugh scored on a fielder’s choice and the CV second baseman dropped an infield pop fly with McClune crossing the plate increasing the lead to 4-0. Lane opened the bottom of the fourth with a ringing line drive that nipped the CV left fielder’s glove, but rolled down field to give her the Mule second home run of the game. Henretty bunted her way on and scored when McClune doubled to left. With the score 6-0, the Bucks scored their only run in the top of the fifth on a leadoff walk. Phillips got the next two Bucks, but an RBI double drove in the only run CV would muster. Solanco closed out the scoring in the bottom of the fifth. Mowrer led off with a double and advanced on a wild pitch. Both May and McDowell worked their way on with a free pass to load them up. Lane worked the CV pitcher for an RBI walk and Sheaffer singled May in for a two-run inning and a final 8-1 score. Both Heidelbaugh and McClune went three for four. Phillips again went the distance surrendering five hits, one earned run, striking out 13 and walking three, all in the fifth inning. “I was proud and encouraged by the way we responded as a team in yesterday’s game,” said Miller. “It was a positive team effort. We improved our defensive play and intensity behind Hanna’s strong performance against a team that has been scoring runs.” Penn Manor came to town on Thursday, April 13, and left for Millersville with a 5-3 win. Heidelbaugh gave the home team an early 1-0 lead when she sent one deep to left for a leadoff round tripper. The Comets erased the lead in the top of the third with two outs on a single, walk and three-run home run deep to left. Solanco tied it up in the bottom of the fourth inning when Randi Rambo blooped one behind second and Mowrer followed with a monster drive to left for a two-run home run. Penn Manor took the lead in the top of the fifth on a one-out walk and a sacrifice. With two outs, Phillips walked the next two hitters before Manor’s batter singled up the middle scoring two. Rambo led off the top of the sixth with a single to right, but was left stranded. “We played well enough to win against a good team and a very good pitcher,” said Coach Miller. “Abby’s leadoff home run and Liz’s fourth inning two RBI blast were two very good at bats off a strong pitcher.” Miller said that Phillips is a real competitor and possesses the determination needed to be a pitcher. “Pitching the fourth game in four consecutive days,” added the coach. Phillips struck out 13 and walked seven. “A few of the walks she issued were situational decisions. She had enough velocity to battle through and gave her team the opportunity to win the game. We look to carry forward these last two game’s playing intensity and effort into next week’s game. Comments are closed.
|
Archives
August 2023
Categories
All
|