NETHER PROVIDENCE — The pitch evaded the glove of Villa Maria catcher of MaryCate Butler. Chichester’s Meghan Wimmer was stationed at third and had taken a comfortable lead off the bag. Her instinct when she saw the ball bounce away from Butler was to break for home plate.

It was a classic darned if you do, darned if you don’t moment.

Wimmer sprinted down the third-base line, then stopped dead in her tracks. The ball had taken the perfect bounce off the cage and into Butler’s glove. Now what?

Wimmer froze because she had no other choice. Butler ran to her and applied the tag for the first out.

This scenario played out in the bottom of the first inning in Thursday’s District One Class AAA softball final at Strath Haven High School between top-seeded Chichester and No. 3 Villa Maria. It turned out to be one of three seismic plays that worked in Villa’s favor.

After a 1-0 loss, Chichester had to live with the regret of not capitalizing on its chances to score runs. At the time Wimmer was caught in nowheresville, there was still plenty of time to recover. The Eagles figured they would have more chances to score runs.

Yet they became few and far between.

Wimmer didn’t sulk. She was excellent on the mound, pumping in 13 strikeouts while allowing four hits. But if she had a do-over, the All-Delco pitcher would have stayed put on the bag. That tough-luck decision set the tone for the Hurricanes, giving them the confidence that they could hang with the heavily favored Eagles.

Had Wimmer scored, the Eagles would’ve had the early lead with another runner at third base and nobody out with the meat of the order due up. Subsequently, Wimmer tipped her cap to Villa Maria, because what else could she do?

“The catcher got a really good bounce off the backstop and did a great job with it,’ Wimmer said, reliving the play like a bad dream. “You’re taught in that spot, when the ball gets behind the catcher, you go. It just came right back to her. When you (go) back to it, yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have gone anywhere. But it was the first inning, so there was a lot of game left. The catcher made a good play.’

The second key play transpired with Villa Maria at the plate in the fourth inning. Leadoff hitter Brianna Wright drilled a Wimmer pitch to the outfield for what should have been a double at most. However, a misplay in the outfield allowed Wright to sprint all the way home, a mistake that held up for the Hurricanes.

Chichester (21-2) didn’t do much against Hurricanes ace Maddie Abbot, who tossed a pair of gems in the district playoffs leading to the championship game. In a second-round win over Marple Newtown, Abbot was perfect. She was on point in Tuesday’s 5-4 victory over Upper Merion, too. Abbot wanted to make sure the Hurricanes avoided a repeat of the teams’ regular-season meeting a few weeks ago, when Wimmer struck out 14 Hurricanes en route to a 4-1 Chichester victory.

“We’ve never won against them until this game,’ said Abbot, who struck out seven while allowing only three singles with no walks. “I definitely think they went into this thinking, ‘ Oh, we got it, because we’re the No. 1 seed.’ Everyone else would think that, too, in their position. But we’ve been practicing really hard for this. Bri had an amazing hit and the fielding was really clean.’

Despite three errors, the Hurricanes made the plays on defense when it counted most. Chichester had another prime opportunity to plate at least a run in the fifth inning. Ashley Feehley started things off with a single. Tiffany Malin then laid down a sacrifice bunt. Third baseman Lisa Becker airmailed the throw to first, allowing Feehley and Malin to move into scoring position. For a second time, the Eagles had runners at second and third with nobody out. But it was all wasted away again.

Eight-hole hitter Janay Harris put down a squeeze bunt, but Abbot fielded the ball to begin a 1-3-2 double play. First baseman Jamie Brown threw home to nail Feehley trying to score the tying run.

The Eagles didn’t have another baserunner the rest of the way.

“Some days it goes your way, some days it doesn’t,’ Wimmer said. “Today, our hitting, one-through-nine, wasn’t as sharp as it has been. They made their plays in the field.’

The loss was a blow for the Eagles, who have lost two of the last three District One Class AAA title contests, but it’s not the end of the world. Chichester has the opportunity to hit the reset button Monday, when it will face the District 12 second-place team in the opening round of the state tournament.

“It’s heartbreaking because you knew this would be the year. We’ve been playing so well, the sticks have been going well for us and, you know, it comes down to having second-and-third two times with no outs and not pushing a run across,’ coach Jamie Blumenthal said. “We just couldn’t get the job done. They outplayed us today, even though Meg pitched great. You give up that one big hit, but you’ve got to be able to score and we weren’t able to do that today.’

Villa Maris Academy softball coach Claire Emplit pleaded with her team, “Please leave enough hair for me to braid.’

As the celebration subsided and the medals were handed out, two of the senior captains from the Villa Maria softball team pulled out the scissors to fulfill a bet Emplit made with her team.

“I told them they could cut my hair if we won a district title,’ Emplit said. “The only request was to leave enough hair for me to braid.’

On May 30 at Strath Haven High School, Villa Maria (16-6) won its first PIAA District One Class AAA title since 2003. The Hurricanes defeated Chichester, 1-0, thanks to stellar team defense combined with a clutch hit from Breanna Wright.

The 2003 team, coached by Kathy McCartney and assisted by Ed Thomas, was led by Claire’s younger sister and Ed’s daughter Maggie Thomas (the sixth girl in the family to attend Villa).

The district title was the culmination of a process put in place when Emplit took the reins of her alma mater four years ago.

Emplit said, “When I took the job I knew I would be rebuilding a program and that it was going to take time. I just did not think we would be able to experience this success so quickly.’

Keying the turnaround for Emplit was the senior class — Mary Cate Butler, Brigid Curley, Jamie Brown, Hannah Chambers and Chelsea Dillon — who arrived the same year as their coach as wide-eyed freshmen knowing patience and hard work would be the key ingredient.

“This moment is crazy,’ said senior left fielder Brigid Curley, after the district title game on May 30. “We are like a real family and it’s been awesome. We have grown closer each year.’

“The seniors have meant so much,’ said junior shortstop Sarah Rose Janik. “We would not be here without them.’

In what has turned out to be a season of firsts for Villa, they are hoping to add another first when they opened up play in the state tournament against District 3 third place finisher Conrad Weiser in a game played after Main Line Times went to print.

Combined with the senior leadership has been the stellar pitching of junior Maddie Abbot along with the defensive play of Janik at short at Wright at second.

“It has been awesome to see her grow,’ said Curley, referring to Abbot. “She is a confident pitcher and when you see that all you want to do is back her up in the field especially when you see her working hard.’

Janik added, “When Maddie pitches you always have to focus on one play at a time. You want to support her along with the rest of the team.’

“Our defense has been really good all year and I know when I take the mound my teammates have my back.’

They certainly did against ChiChester as they made all the plays that included two key plays that helped get Villa out of some tenuous situations. The win also allowed the kids to have fun and help coach pay off a bet.

“It was the best haircut I ever had,’ Emplit said with a smile following the game.

Villa Maria Academy’s post-season softball run has been keyed by the performance from Maddie Abbot inside the circle combined with key defensive plays in the field and a clutch hit at the dish.

In steady rain at SpringFord High School on Monday, the District One champions used the same recipe in a 3-1 win over Conrad Weiser, the third place finisher from district three.

With the score knotted at 1-1, Villa had runners on first and second with Mary Cate Butler stepping up to the plate. After falling behind in the count 0-2, Butler evened the count at 2-2 before fouling off four consecutive pitches.

With rain falling harder, Butler drove the ninth pitch of the at-bat down the right field line just over the outstretched hand of Emma R. Price. As the ball rolled to the fence, Brianna Wright and Marissa Bruder circled the bases giving the Hurricanes a 3-1 lead. Trying to take advantage of the conditions, coach Claire Emplit sent Butler who was eventually tagged out trying to get back to third base after she realized she was not going to score.

“I saw the pitch going outside and I just wanted to drive with the pitch,’ said Butler. “She had nice downward and outward movement and had us off balance all day. I knew she would eventually throw me a perfect pitch and she did.’

“It was a really close game and we were having trouble getting her timing down,’ said Abbot, who finished with 10 strikeouts while allowing four hits. “For MC (Mary Cate) to come through was clutch.’

Emplit added, “Mary Cate is a smart hitter who knows what she is looking to hit. She knows what to do with two strikes to make sure she does not strike out looking. If she gets her pitch she can take it for a ride and that’s what she did.’

The win allows Villa to continue its season of firsts that’s included an Athletic Association of Catholic Academies (AACA) title; PIAA District One Class AAA crown (first since 2003) and a state playoff victory.

“It’s been a long time since we won the league; first district playoff title since 2003 and our first state playoff win,’ said Emplit. “It’s been fun and it’s been great to share with my first senior class.’

“This season has been so memorable,’ said Butler, a senior captain. “To go through districts and now have a state playoff run has been awesome. I started at Villa the same year Claire came in and our goal each year has been to get better and better.’

The maturation of Abbot inside the circle has certainly been a key to Villa’s success. While her defense has been in the middle of her success, a more confident Abbot has allowed team chemistry to develop.

“It has been so awesome to share this experience with Maddie,’ said Butler, who is the catcher. “She has grown each year and has acquired more pitches. Since I call the pitches it’s great we have developed a trust with each other.’

“Mary Cate is great,’ said Abbot. “We have been close since my freshman year and now that she is catching she is like a sister to me.’

WHITEMARSH — The St. Basil Academy softball team waited and waited.

The Panthers’ PIAA Class AA first-round tilt with Palmerton was originally scheduled to be played Monday afternoon then was postponed until Tuesday afternoon before ultimately being played Wednesday at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.

“The anticipation grew day by day,’ St Basil ace pitcher Nichole Eberhard said. “(The feeling was) ‘ I want to play, I want to play, I want to play,’ and finally it got here. I never wanted to play so bad in my life.’

The wait was well worth it. In fact, the Panthers even got to play a little extra ball as it was not until the bottom of the eighth inning that a runner was finally scored in the contest. Freshman shortstop Carly Jensen hit an RBI single to left field to plate Myranda Gormley for the only run, lifting St. Basil to the 1-0 walk-off win of the District 11 champ.

Going into the game, the Panthers probably knew there were not going to need many runs to advance to the quarters. The reason was Eberhard. The senior has pitched in big spot after big spot and big game after big game for District 1 champion St. Basil. And more often than not, she is there to slam the door shut on the opposition with freaky frequency.

Just by looking at the numbers of Eberhard’s performance there is nothing on paper suggesting she had a particularly dominating game. The right-hander had four strike outs and scattered six hits allowing two walks. The numbers, however, simply do not do Eberhard justice as her performance was nothing short of brilliant, keeping the Blue Bombers offense off balance all day long and working out of jams when she got in them.

“I thought today was one of the best games she’s ever pitched,’ St. Basil coach Steve Sonnenborn said. “She didn’t have a lot of strike outs but every time they put the pressure on us she came through.’

One of the largest pickles Eberhard worked her way out of came in the top of the sixth inning. Reese Dugan started the frame with a ground out to second base. The next two hitters reached safely on back-to-back singles, however the next batter hit into a 4-3 double play.

The inning pretty much epitomized the day defensively for the Panthers, namely because second baseman Abby Carter was responsible for all the outs. Carter was hands down the best fielder for St. Basil Wednesday afternoon. She made play after play — from the routine to the difficult — and was responsible for eight outs on day, a third of the outs recorded for the Panthers.

“Anytime their hitting the ball to Abby we’re happy,’ Sonneborn said. “She is so solid there. We’re so use to her making every play because she is that good.’

After an anxiety-filled couple of days early in the week waiting for game today the Panthers likely won’t have to worry about that again as they only have to wait one day for next game as its set to take District 3 runner-up Kutztown Thursday. Kutztown defeated Conwell-Egan 1-0 Wednesday at Arcadia University.

“We got to enjoy this today and come out tomorrow with our heads held high and just do what we did today and I think we’ll come out on top again,’ Eberhard said.

ALLENTOWN — Nichole Eberhard knew her arm would be tired.

But that wasn’t going to stop her from taking the circle Thursday afternoon. A four-year starting pitcher, her competitive side wouldn’t allow for anything less.

Eberhard fought through a little fatigue and spun another stellar outing as she pitched St. Basil to a 5-1 win over Kutztown in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AA playoffs at Patriots Park.

“I knew I was going to throw,’ Eberhard said. “I also knew my arm was going to be sore, but I just pushed through it.

“Toward the end of the game my arm started to feel a little tired but I knew my defense was behind me to back me up.’

A day after throwing eight shutout innings against Palmerton, Eberhard sent the Panthers on to their first-ever state semifinal appearance. The senior righty mixed her pitches, located and let her defense do the work behind her.

Eberhard finished with six strikeouts against two walks and allowed just two hits. Meanwhile, she clocked a double and got all the cushion she needed when battery mate Amanda Clark delivered a two-run double in the third inning.

“It’s a lot better knowing you have runs on the board and they now have to battle and try to beat you,’ Clark said. “There’s a lot less pressure.’

Eberhard was quick and efficient for most of the outing, needing just five pitches to escape the first. She retired the Cougars in order in four of seven innings and only allowed multiple base runners in the fourth, where Kutztown scored its sole run.

St. Basil went down quickly in the bottom of the first, but Clark saw something she passed along to Eberhard, who was due up to start the bottom of the next frame. The senior ace took the advice and hit the first pitch she saw out for a double, turning it into a run when courtesy runner Lisa Toroni stole third and came in on a single by Carly Jepsen.

“I said to Amanda is there anything to watch and she said first pitch strike down the middle,’ Eberhard said. “I just swung and it worked.’

The Panthers blew the game open the next inning after No. 9 hitter Kelly Ryan singled and stole second. Abby Carter reached on an errant throw then Myranda Gormley dropped a suicide squeeze to plate Kelly. Clark followed that up with a double to clear the other bases and later scored on an RBI groundout by Jensen.

“I was looking for a first-pitch strike,’ Clark said. “I’m always looking for my pitch to hit.’

That was all Eberhard would need, even as Kutztown pulled a run back on an RBI double by Kylie Balthasar in the next half-inning. Wednesday, St. Basil pulled off a 1-0 win over District 11 champ Palmerton in extras, so the senior ace had muc

“It felt a lot better than (Wednesday’s) game,’ Eberhard said. “It helped a lot, I had a lot of room to do what I do.’

ALLENTOWN — Throughout its prior four postseason games, the St. Basil softball defense had been on a roll.

The Panthers were smooth and clean in the field for the most part, senior pitcher Nichole Eberhard was getting out of rare jams and they weren’t giving opponents extra outs. But that hadn’t been the case all season.

Tuesday, that other side reared its head and it proved to be costly. Errors and miscues hit St. Basil at an inopportune time and the Panthers weren’t able to overcome them in a 4-2 loss to Holy Redeemer in a PIAA Class AA semifinal at Patriots Park.

“That’s what happens,’ St. Basil coach Steve Sonneborn said. “I thought we played well. We had a couple mistakes but we battled and that’s what we’ve been doing for most of the year.’

The game actually started on Monday, but lasted all of five batters before thunder, lighting and a deluge of rain forced a postponement. Roughly 23 hours later, the game picked back up where it was. While there were some challenges, including a long bus ride home, soaked equipment and a return trip up to Allentown, the Panthers were sharp and had energy in warm-ups.

Sonneborn was worried the team would be flat trying to pick up where it had left off. But once they got on the field, his concerns were gone at least through warm-ups.

Centerfielder Myranda Gormley, the team’s other senior, didn’t think there was any effect from the layoff, other than building anticipation of wanting to play. St. Basil had a runner in each of the first two innings but couldn’t drive anything home. While the Panthers scored first, things wouldn’t hold up.

“We worked hard,’ Gormley said. “We’re making school history just by being here. I’m really proud of where we are and I know everybody else is really proud. We knew we were going to play a good team and when you play a good team and make mistakes, they capitalize on them.’

The 2015 Main Line high school softball season featured a number of strong teams that made their presence felt this spring.

Villa Maria Academy captured its first AACA title since 2003; won its first-ever PIAA Class AAA District One championship, posted its first PIAA state tournament win, defeating Conrad Weiser out of District Three, and made it to the PIAA Class AAA state quarterfinals.

Episcopal Academy (24-4) captured its second consecutive Inter-Ac title (shared with Penn Charter) and advanced to the PAISAA state championship game.

Friends Central advanced to the Friends’ Schools League tournament semifinals.

In the Central League, Radnor bounced back from a slow start to qualify for the PIAA Class AAA District One playoffs. Harriton produced its finest season in recent memory and defeated Garnet Valley for the first time in school history.

The All-Main Line high school softball teams are selected by the coaches. Because Main Line Media News covers 19 high schools, the Main Line Media News sports staff limits the number of sports available to first team, second team and honorable mention – but follows the priority of the coaches’ selections.

What follows are the 2015 All-Main Line high school softball teams:

FIRST TEAM

Sophia Marlino, Academy of Notre Dame — Freshman shortstop, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, was noted for her standout defensive plays consistently throughout the season. Also swung a potent bat, with a .614 slugging percentage, .473 on-base percentage, eight stolen bases, 18 runs and 14 RBIs.

Michala Maciolek, Agnes Irwin – Sophomore catcher, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted well over .300 and had a slugging percentage close to .800, batting from the No. 3 spot. An excellent defensive catcher who threw out four of five attempted base stealers.

Samantha O’Keefe, Baldwin School — Junior pitcher, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, was the Bears’ MVP, recording 78 strikeouts and two shutouts on the mound. Batted .367 with .487 on-base percentage, 13 runs and nine RBI’s.

Noelle Zimmerman, Baldwin School – Junior shortstop and captain, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, was a fine all-around performer for the Bears, batting .410 with four doubles, 11 runs scored and 10 RBI’s.

Callie Wang, Conestoga — Junior pitcher/outfielder, a first team All-Central League selection, was the Pioneers’ MVP. Batted .340, with .500 on-base percentage and .620 slugging percentage, and collected 22 RBI’s, six doubles and 18 walks. Struck out 85 batters in 103 innings and allowed only 20 walks.

Jenna Wilson, Conestoga — Senior outfielder, a first team All-Central League performer, batted .439 and scored 37 runs in 21 games. Posted an excellent .909 fielding percentage in center field. Will play softball at Emory next year.

Emily Conaway, Conestoga – Junior shortstop, a first team All-Central League pick, batted .435 with a .652 slugging percentage that included five doubles, two triples and two home runs. A consistent all-around player who had 26 RBI’s.

Alex Viscusi, Episcopal Academy — Senior pitcher and captain was first team All-Inter-Ac selection all four years. Hurled seven shutouts, three no-hitters and a perfect game this season. Batted .600 with 48 hits in 28 games, including 13 doubles, six triples and eight home runs. Drew 22 walks and had 46 RBI’s. Will play softball for Princeton University.

Taylor Long, Episcopal Academy — Senior shortstop and pitcher, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection for the third time, batted .489 with .682 slugging percentage. Had 43 hits in 28 games, including nine extra-base hits and scored 27 runs. Posted a 5-0 record on the mound, and will play softball for Franklin & Marshall in the fall.

Arianna Feliziani, Episcopal Academy — Sophomore outfielder was considered the best hitter on EA’s squad, and had 30 hits (including six triples and four doubles), scored 29 runs, batted .375 and slugged .575. An All-Inter-Ac selection, she was noted for her great speed and glove.

Saoirse Hahn, Friends’ Central — Senior catcher, a first team All-Friends’ Schools League selection, batted .440 and led the Phoenix in hits (22) and RBI’s (18) and was considered the undisputed leader of the squad, an extremely valuable contributor in many ways. Had OPS of 1.060 with 31 total bases.

Heather Lazer, Haverford High — Sophomore third baseman, an All-Central League selection, was voted the Fords’ Most Valuable Player, batting .403 with .516 slugging percentage and 25 hits (including two triples).

Cori Pisauro, Merion Mercy Academy — Senior shortstop and captain, an All-Catholic Academies League selection, was voted the Golden Bears’ Most Valuable Player. A fine all-around performer who is considered a five-tool player, she batted .440 and will play softball for Fairleigh Dickinson.

Brooke McClatchy, Radnor — Senior center fielder, a first team All-Central League outfielder, was voted the Red Raiders’ Most Valuable Player. Radnor’s leadoff hitter, she batted .386 with 27 hits and 17 walks in 23 games, scored 21 runs, stole 15 bases and had 11 RBI’s.

Holly Pachella, Radnor — Senior catcher, an All-Central League pick, was the Red Raiders’ cleanup hitter and had many key hits, collefting a team-leading 19 RBI’s and 17 runs scored. Valued for her defensive ability behind the plate, she played a big role in the development of Radnor’s sophomore pitcher Brooke Nicander.

Christina Wentz, Shipley — Sophomore pitcher, utility player and co-captain was the Gators’ MVP and a first team All-Friends Schools League selection. Swung a powerful bat, with a .529 batting average that included three home runs, five triples and three doubles.

Maddie Abbot, Villa Maria Academy — Junior pitcher struck out 242 batters in 166 innings and only walked 33 batters while compiling a record of 18-6 for the PIAA quarterfinalists, and throwing a perfect game in the second round of Districts. Batted close to .300, with 11 runs scored, nine RBI’s, four triples and two home runs.

MaryCate Butler, Villa Maria Academy — Senior catcher and captain did an excellent job calling pitches for Maddie Abbot, and had 16 assists behind the plate. Batted .541 with 26 runs scored, 21 RBI’s, four triples, six home runs, four doubles and seven stolen bases.

SECOND TEAM

Academy of Notre Dame — Marissa Mycek, freshman third baseman; Emily Sheehan, senior second baseman.

Agnes Irwin — Rajaa Wilcox, freshman shortstop.

Archbishop Carroll — Alyssa Lemons, senior outfielder.

Baldwin School — Samantha Martin, freshman third baseman; Angela Smith, sophomore catcher.

Conestoga — Brittany Myers, senior catcher.

Episcopal Academy — Nina Pagano, junior outfielder; Ariana Pompei, junior outfielder.

Friends’ Central — Carolyn Spellacy, junior pitcher; Jane Goldstein, senior center fielder; Caroline Fakharzadeh, junior shortstop.

Harriton — Lyndsey Diebel, senior first baseman; Sonia Groeneveld, sophomore pitcher; Sydney Handel, senior shortstop.

Haverford High — Sammi Donato, senior left fielder.

Lower Merion – Moira McConnell, junior pitcher/first baseman.

Merion Mercy Academy — Briana Quinn, junior pitcher; Leah McCray, freshman outfielder.

Radnor — Megan McGrath, junior outfielder; Brooke Nicander, sophomore pitcher.

Sacred Heart – Jamie Falcone, senior pitcher; Ally Shell, junior second baseman.

Shipley — Elizabeth Durham, sophomore catcher; Sophie Weber, sophomore pitcher.

Villa Maria Academy — Sarahrose Jonik, junior shortstop; Brianna Wright, sophomore second baseman.

HONORABLE MENTION

Academy of Notre Dame — Emma Speader, senior pitcher.

Baldwin School — Arianna Hairston, sophomore center fielder.

Conestoga — Olivia Youman, senior outfielder.

Episcopal Academy — Kate Ortlieb, senior first baseman; Julianne Longen, senior second baseman.

Friends’ Central — Olivia Backal-Balik, senior left fielder; Caroline Bartholomew, senior first baseman.

Lower Merion – Jessie Epstein, sophomore shortstop.

Radnor — Katie Jordan, senior shortstop; Amanda Davis, junior third baseman; Sydney Aljian, sophomore second baseman.

Sacred Heart – Meghan Grogan, senior first baseman.

First Team

Meghan Wimmer, Chichester, Sr. P

Alex Viscusi, Episcopal Academy, Sr. P

Leigh Ann Jenkins, Ridley, So. P

Courtney Scarpato, Springfield, Sr. P

Reva Alderman, Garnet Valley, Jr. C

Tori DePietro, Springfield, So. SS

Kaela Kane, Cardinal O’Hara, Sr. SS

Taylor Long, Episcopal Academy, Sr. SS

Rylee Power, Marple Newtown, Sr. SS

Sam Tomasetti, Garnet Valley, Jr. SS

Taylor Winkelman, Springfield, Sr. OF

Sam Witmer, Upper Darby, So. OF

Second Team

Nicole O’Donnell, Chichester, So. C

RonnieMarie Falasco, Delco Christian, So. C

Amber Seamen, Interboro, So. C

Carli Sitkowski, Christian Academy, Jr. 1B

Ellie Oruska, Garnet Valley, Sr. 1B

Annmarie Banes, Cardinal O’Hara, So. 3B

Ashley Delgado, Springfield, Sr. 3B

Maura Kane, Cardinal O’Hara, So. OF

Sam Donato, Haverford, Sr. OF

Brandi James, Interboro, Sr. OF

Brooke McClatchy, Radnor, Sr. OF

Megan McGrath, Radnor, Jr. OF

Honorable Mention

Academy Park: Kim Palermo.

Agnes Irwin: Michala Maciolek.

Archbishop Carroll: Alyssa Lemons, Shannon Lloyd.

Bonner-Prendergast: Jess Knapp, Caroline Manfre.

Cardinal O’Hara: Mary Pat Brough, Taylor Connor, Mary Kate Fenning, Gabby Levy.

Chichester: Ashley Feehly, Alex Maher, Tiffany Malin, Maddie Thornton.

Christian Academy: Madi Dutton, Laura Plummer, Carly Ryle.

Delco Christian: Katherine Nichols.

Episcopal Academy: Ariana Feliziani, Nina Pagano, Arianna Pompei.

Garnet Valley: Hope DiMario, Morgan Morrisroe, Cori Snyder

Haverford: Tyler Beccari, Heather Lazer.

Interboro: Miranda Baylor, Becca Reifer, Rachel Reifer.

Marple Newtown: Amanda Goodyear, Caitlyn Spencer.

Notre Dame: Sophia Marlino, Marissa Mycek.

Penncrest: Olivia Rigby, Victoria Reed.

Radnor: Katie Jordan, Brooke Nicander, Holly Pachella.

Ridley: Taylor Eubanks, Lexi Goerlach, Alissa Higgins, Larissa Locke, Lauren O’Brien.

Sacred Heart: Jamie Falcone.

Springfield: Jenny Caggiano.

Strath Haven: Lana Duda.

Sun Valley: Brooke Duplicki, Mackenzie Lewis, AAmber Michael, Taylor Potter.

Upper Darby: Carli Benozich, Danielle Hotz, Alex Turchi.

There’s little doubt that District 1 boasts some of Pennsylvania’s premier softball talent.

Within District 1 itself, The Reporter/Montgomery Media coverage area sees some excellent athletes come through year after year. Local teams consistently contend for playoff bids while competing in tough conferences like Suburban One, BAL, Philadelphia Catholic and Catholic Academies. With such an abundance of talented players, it was difficult to narrow down the best of the best.

There are almost too many athletes worthy of this recognition, and all area players deserve their share of recognition for their play between the lines this season.

Player of the Year: Jackie Bilotti, senior pitcher, North Penn: One of the finest player in Maidens’ history, Bilotti did nothing to blemish her legacy as a senior. A record-setting season saw her go 19-3 with a 1.12 ERA as a pitcher while batting .439 as a slugging run-producer.

Nikki Ray, junior pitcher, Abington: The Galloping Ghosts returned to the playoffs for the first time in six years thanks to their workhorse pitcher. Ray went 15-6 and struck out 77 as the ace while also helping out with a .567 average

Kaelyn Motts, senior infield, Lansdale Catholic: A first-team PCL pick, Motts was the pop in the middle of the Crusaders’ order and she usually delivered. Motts batting a .342 average, scoring 17 runs and driving in 15. She will play at Scranton next year.

Abby Carter, junior infielder, St. Basil Academy: Carter might’ve been the most irreplaceable player during the Panthers’ playoff run. A nearly flawless glove at second base she mead every play look routine and set a high bar with her leadoff hitting and base stealing.

Sara Keeny, senior infielder, William Tennent: A surprise success story at the end of the year, Keeny was rock-solid all year long. She hit .423 and put her great speed on full display while also bringing an excellent glove to the middle of the infield.

Dee Moyer, junior infielder, Hatboro-Horsham: A first-team SOL Continental pick, Moyer was consistently good for the Hatters. Defensively, she formed one of the best middle infields in the area and she often collected multiple hits every time out.

Morgan Yoder, senior catcher, Souderton: A clear-cut SOL first-team pick, Yoder was the heart and soul of the defending state champions. While the Indians didn’t reach those heights again, Yoder was simply excellent leading a young pitching staff and producing runs.

Jen Cader, senior outfielder, Hatboro-Horsham: Foes who test Cader’s arm were often made to look foolish. With a cannon, the rangy senior commonly cut down greedy runners and also led the team with a .373 average, scoring 26 runs on 25 hits.

Angie Carty, junior outfielder, Souderton: Versatile, speedy and dynamic, Carty was the right pick to leadoff for Big Red. When she was feeling it at the plate, Souderton could pile up runs as it did in a 15-5 season. Carty’s glove can’t be ignored either.

Madison Gianelle, junior outfielder, Cheltenham: The Panthers’ leadoff hitter, Gianelle was one of a handful of underclassmen to make a mark this season. A first-team SOL American pick, Gianelle patrolled the outfield well and brought speed to the bases.

Emily Gordon, senior catcher/utlilty, Christopher Dock: A tough as nails gamer, Gordon backstopped a successful Pioneers team for three years while swiping bags at a record pace. The school’s stolen base queen, this leader will continue playing at MontCo.

Second Team

Nichole Eberhard, Sr. P, St. Basil Academy

Ashley Seal, Jr. P/Utl, Lansdale CatholicJackie Heim, Sr. Inf, William Tennent

Brianna Littlepage, Sr. Inf, Springfield Twp

Becca Simms, Sr. Inf, Cheltenham

Jaynie Black, Sr. Inf, Hatboro-Horsham

Allie Miller, Jr. Inf, Upper Moreland

Nicole Yanni, Sr. INF, North Penn

Alexa Wister, Sr. OF, Upper Moreland

Brittany Gelman, Sr. OF, Wissahickon

Becky Christoffers, Sr. OF, North Penn

Honorable Mention

Rachel Matricardi, Sr. C, Upper Dublin

Lauren Weidler, Sr. P/Inf, Christopher Dock

Emily Groarke, Fr. P/Inf, Chirstopher Dock

Jamie Gosselin, Sr. OF, Abington

Jewell Ringgold, Sr. INF, Springfield Twp

Lexie Campbell, Sr. P, Hatboro-Horsham

Grace De Rosa, Sr. P, Cheltenham

Alexis Scheeler, Fr. P, Souderton

It wasn’t big or bold, but the sign that hung above the St. Basil Academy softball bench was the last thing players saw before they took the field.

Sacrifice/Regret: your choice.

With a good team in place, plus a couple of freshmen ready to jump in, the Panthers looked like they had a chance to chase a Catholic Academies title, a District 1 Class AA title and win an elusive PIAA game. Yet, through the first half of the season and then some, things weren’t materializing that way.

There were flashes of it, like an eight inning 1-0 win over Villa Maria, but also poor moments, like a lopsided loss in the very next game. Finally, roughly three-fourths through the season, the Panthers met.

Coach Steve Sonneborn, his assistants and his players all felt they needed to talk some things out. The meeting would change their season.

Sonneborn learned a little about himself as well and the Panthers responded, winning the district title and advancing all the way to the state semifinals, the first state playoff wins in history. For his role in taking St. Basil to new heights, Sonneborn was selected as the Reporter/Mongtomery Media Softball Coach of the Year.

“With everybody returning, if we could stay healthy, I thought we could do well in the Catholic Academies,’ Sonneborn said. “That was our goal to start with, to win the league. In the beginning of the year, I really believed those goal were achievable. As the season went on, we went on some ups and downs and it really confused me as to what kind of team we had.’

Theoretically, St. Basil was well-positioned for a good season. Senior pitcher Nichole Eberhard was a workhorse, solid and a gamer while senior outfielder Myranda Gormley was a key offensive piece and the team’s heart. Junior second baseman Abby Carter is an outstanding defender and an offensive machine, hitting leadoff, stealing bases and creating runs.

In March, the team took a trip to Flordia, and though Eberhard couldn’t go, it brought the group together. The players became close, the young players and selected JV athletes got vital playing time and it looked like St. Basil would be a factor.

But when things weren’t going the way the players or coaches had hoped, they mutually decided to come together.

“Three-quarters through the season, we called a team meeting, they were frustrated with me and I was frustrated with them because I didn’t think we were playing up to our capability,’ Sonneborn said. “Once we had that meeting, I think we aired out a lot of stuff. A couple of things were said that opened up some eyes.’

Sonneborn is a stickler for fundamental softball and he felt his girls were making too many fundamental errors. He was surprised to hear some of the players were afraid to make mistakes because they were upsetting him.

The veteran coach ends each season by meeting each of his players and driving home it’s “our team, not my team.’ When he heard and realized his players thought he was putting too much pressure on them, Sonneborn knew things had to change right there. It was time to reevaluate himself.

All year up to that point, one of his assistants always told the girls to just go out and have fun. Sonneborn came to the conclusion his players knew they were talented and knew what they had to do, so he bought in and also started encouraging them to go out and just have fun.

After that, the Panthers got rolling.

“We just started winning and it was really contagious,’ Sonneborn said. “The kids were all buying and at the end of the year, Nichole really stepped up. That stretch run that she pitched for us was the best she’s pitched in her four-year career. Hearing what the girls had to say and listening to my other coach then sitting back and saying you might need to change a little bit seemed to work.’

Sonneborn, who will enter his 17th season next year, even learned a valuable lesson.

“We weren’t what I expected, I called the meeting and I felt they were all on board with it,’ Sonneborn said. “The kids were very blunt and very honest. I’ve got kids like Myranda, who’s mature beyond her age saying what she thought was happening and a couple of the other girls stepping up and saying some stuff. It was really good they were all willing to speak their minds.’

After the meeting, the dynamic changed. The Panthers played like weights had been lifted from their shoulders, they were loose and the coaches lightened up. While they kept a focus on winning, the dugout became more fun, with some jokes going around in games.

Sonneborn described his sign as a choice. A player could dive for a ball or sprint to extend a hit, giving something to help the team or not do it and regret it for as long as they kept playing. In his moment to choose, Sonneborn opted to sacrifice and the result was a special run to the state semis.

If he had decided to stay rigid, or not even call the meeting, he may well have lost his team and regretted not seeing where their talent could have gone. Sonneborn said he also gained respect for any team that’s ever won or reached a state title game, seeing just how difficult it is to climb to that point.

Next year’s group returns mostly intact sans Gormley and Eberhard, and the goals will be the same. But this time, the coach will be one year and quite a few lessons wiser.

As for that little yellow and blue sign, the one that hung with the team’ monument of ribbons, it even found its way into valedictorian Myranda Gormley’s commencement speech.

“I’ve been around this game for a long time and when you stop learning, then you’ve got a problem,’ Sonneborn said. “If you think you know it all, you’re going to have problems. You have to have an open mind and listen to the people that are around you that are trying to help you. That’s what we did this year.”

MALVERN >> Villa Maria pitcher Maddie Abbot struck out a dozen and the Hurricanes played stellar defense behind her as Villa Maria (5-0, 6-2) shut out visiting Villa Joseph Marie (4-4, 2-3) by a score of 6-0 Tuesday afternoon.

“We have such a mix of extremes with seniors and young players, it’s great to see them coming together the way they have,” said Villa coach Nicole Hartshorn. “This was an all around team effort today. We had power hitters bunting when we needed, and hitting for extra bases when we needed that.”

The two teams were scoreless until Villa manufactured a run in the third. Marissa Bruder got things going when she bunted for a base hit. Bri Wright followed with a single up the middle to make it first and second, then Sarahrose Jonik brought Bruder home with a little blooper to short left.

“Marissa is a big asset for us,” said Hartshorn. “She is everything you want as a lead-off hitter, and then you saw what she can do with the glove running down that ball. She doesn’t make that play, it’s a whole different game.”

Abbot, meanwhile, was throwing BBs. The Lebanon Valley recruit was perfect through the first four, and finished the complete game shut-out allowing just three hits. She struck out twelve, and did not walk a batter.

“I got them swinging at the rise ball, but most everything was working well,” said Abbot. “This has been a really fun season. There’s so many young players, the future is really bright here, and this is going to be a great way to go out for the seniors.”

Abbot continues her march towards the state record for strikeouts in Class AAA, currently held by Chichester’s Meg Wimmer, who finished her stellar career with 748.

“Nothing can distract her from her train of thought,” said Hartshorn of Abbot. “She wasn’t getting the calls from the ump on the rise ball, but she just kept throwing it, knowing it was going to get her outs.”

Villa broke things open with three runs in the fourth, and another pair in the fifth.

Leading the way offensively for Villa was freshman Alyssa Viscardo, who finished two for three with a triple, scored twice, and knocked two in. Viscardo, a pitcher on her travel team and the heir apparent to Abbot, is happy to make her contribution playing shortstop and swinging a hot bat.

“I’m just having so much fun playing high school softball,” said Viscardo. “I’m so used to travel ball, I was honestly not sure I’d like playing high school softball. But this team is so much fun to play with, and Maddie is a senior, so I’m happy to do whatever coach Nikki wants me to do.”

Villa Maria 6, Villa Joseph Marie 0
VJM ab r h bi             VILLA ab r h bi
Booth dp 3 0 0 0      Bruder cf 2 1 2 0
Hocker 2b 3 0 1 0     Rohr cf 1 0 0 0
Tsiouplis ss 2 0 1 0   Becker lf 4 0 0 0
Buchanon 1b 3 0 0 0 Wright 2b 3 0 1 0
Capozzi p 3 0 1 0       Jonik c 3 1 1 1
Alexndr ph 1 0 0 0    Abbot p 1 0 0 0
Abel lf 2 0 0 0           D’Acsnzo 1b 1 1 1 0
Russell ph 1 0 0 0    Viscardo ss 3 2 2 2
Gordon 3b 1 0 0 0   Delviscio 3b 3 0 1 1
Zaldi cf 2 0 0 0        Crrocchi rf 2 1 1 0
Cosgrove rf 1 0 0 0
Totals 23 0 3 0        Totals 24 6 9 4
Villa Joseph Marie 000 000 0 — 0
Villa Maria 001 320 x — 6
2B – Delviscio. 3B – Viscardo.
IP H R BB SO
Villa Joseph Marie
Capozzi, L 6   9  6   3    3
Villa Maria
Abbot,  W   7   3  0   0  12

The Christian Academy’s Carli Sitkowski hit for the cycle in the Crusaders’ 13-2 victory over Faith Christian. Sitkowski was 4 for 4 and her two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning ended the game.

Grace Gormley (two RBIs) and Maddi Dutton both added two hits in support of winning pitcher Carly Ryle.

In the Del Val League:

Interboro 19, Penn Wood 3 >> Sophomore Bridget Bailey held the Patriots hitless over three innings and helped herself at the plate with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored for the Bucs (4-2).

Chichester 11, Academy Park 0 >> Makayla Donovan tossed a five-inning no-no and received plenty of offensive support from Nicole O’Donnell (2 for 3, 4 RBIs) and Alex Maher (2 for 3, 2 RBIs).

In the Catholic League:

Bonner & Prendergast 3, Hallahan 0 >> Pandas ace Molly McNulty yielded no walks and struck out five in a shutout performance. Melissa Callahan roped a two-run single and Kaitlyn Martin tripled for Prendie (3-2, 2-2).

In the Inter-Ac League:

Agnes Irwin 9, Baldwin 6 >> Paige DiLullo hurled a complete game with 12 strikeouts and went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs for the Owls (4-2, 3-1). Lily Zelov was a double shy of the cycle and drove in three runs.

In the Catholic Academies:

Sacred Heart 4, Gwynedd Mercy 3 >> Norah Sanoury delivered the walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Lions to their first win of 2016. Mia Anthony (five Ks) pitched all nine innings and Ally Schell paced the offense with two doubles and the game-tying RBI.

In nonleague action:

Delco Christian 14, Lincoln Academy 0 >> Molly Harnish pitched a five-hit shutout with seven punchouts as the Knights earned their first victory. Ellie Eppright had three RBIs and Kiera Berol doubled and knocked in two runs.

Michaela Maciolek smacked two doubles and knocked in five runs to lead Agnes Irwin to a 13-3 victory over Sacred Heart in a nonleague game.

Pagie DiLullo picked up the win with eight strikeouts for the Owls (5-3). Mary Naylor was 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

Isabella Chan (triple) and Elizabeth Franz both went 2 for 2 in the loss for Sacred Heart.

Interboro 10, Springfield (Montco) 0 >> Bridget Bailey pitched a one-hit shutout with 10 punchouts and at the plate was 2 for 2 with an RBI. Mel Chubb socked three hits, including a double, with two RBIs for the Bucs (6-2). Barb Carosi chipped in with two hits and three ribbies.

In the Catholic League:

Cardinal O’Hara 3, Hallahan 0 >> O’Hara ace Mary Pat Brough threw a two-hit shutout with five strikeouts, outdueling Hallahan’s Maddie Mcbride, who is a Sharon Hill resident. McBride notched eight strikeouts and allowed just one earned run.

Leading the Lions (8-1, 7-0) at the plate were Maura Kane and Breanna Hickey, each of whom had two hits. Alexia Galli added a double and two RBIs.

In the Ches-Mont League:

Bishop Shanahan 9, Sun Valley 4 >> Carly Williams (two doubles, three RBIs) and Amber Michael (3 for 4, double, two runs) provided plenty of thump, but the Vanguards (1-10) had trouble containing Bishop Shanahan’s bats. The Eagles hit four home runs, including two by Miranda Bedics.

Mackenzie Lewis added two singles for Sun Valley.

In the Bicetennial League:

Christopher Dock 16, Delco Christian 1 >> The Knights managed only two hits on the way to suffering their seventh loss of the season.

Malvern – With a bevy of new players comprising the Villa Maria Academy softball roster this spring, first-year coach Nikki Hartshorn’s first task was to establish an environment that would allow the opportunity for each player to succeed.

Establishing a team building program accompanied with off-season workouts, Hartshorn worked with senior captains Maddie Abbott, Sarah Rose Jonik, Emily Cosgrove and Colleen Rohr to put together a road map for success for a team that advanced to the second round of last year’s PIAA Class AAA state tournament.

“From the start I knew the biggest problem I had to face was bringing together a roster that included key returnees along with many new faces,” said Hartshorn, who took over as head coach after spending the past two years as an assistant. “My top priority was putting in team building activities along with holding off-season workouts to make sure we were all on the same page.”

“The seniors and coaching staff have been so amazing,” said freshman Fran Delvsicio. “They have been so kind and welcoming. No matter how we do they always know what to say and how to pick us up.”

Hartshorn’s worries have been put to rest thanks to key senior leadership who have helped blaze a path for the younger kids that has allowed Villa Maria (7-2 overall, 7-0 AACA) to bounce back from a 1-2 start that included hard fought losses to AAAA powers Neshaminy and Hatboro-Horsham to roll off six consecutive wins with their latest victory coming in a dominating fashion over host Mount St. Joseph’s on April 21.

Maddie Abbott delivered a scintillating outing allowing only two hits while striking out nine and getting the first strike on 16 of the 20 hitters she faced.

“Maddie is getting better with every season,” said Hartshorn. “Her composure is great and she doesn’t quit. When I took over I hired her pitching coach Dr. Bill Miller as an assistant and that has paid off.”

“This year has been great,” said Abbott. “I trust my field behind me and I feel if we do fall behind we can rally with our bats. Having my pitching coach from when I started playing at age nine has definitely helped.”

Offensively freshman Fran Delviscio delivered the big blow with a three-run line drive home run to center that gave Villa a 4-0 lead and the entire cushion Abbott would need.

“I was looking for a pitch to drive and the pitcher threw one down the middle that I was able to slice through the wind,” said Delviscio, who finished 2-3 with three RBI’s one run scored against Mount St. Joseph.”

“That hit by Fran was great, said Abbott. “We only had a 1-0 lead at the time and Fran hit a bomb that gave us momentum.”

Delviscio’s hit was the latest example of the balanced attack Villa has received this season. In earlier victories, Villa has received key play from different players including sophomore Lisa Becker, freshman Alyssa Viscardo and junior Bri Wright.

“I feel blessed,” said Hartshorn. “I am truly blessed the girls have entrusted me and played the game mentally and to see them flourish, be nurtured and to see coming out on top leaves me excited for the rest of the season.”

It certainly doesn’t feel like it, but the regular season portion of the high school softball calendar is quickly coming to a close.

With a little more than three weeks left, teams in the Reporter, Montgomery and Times Herald areas are going to be making a push to get into districts and fight for the best available seeding. District 1 hasn’t released power rankings just yet, but those should come early next week.

Even a very preliminary ranking would do a lot to take some of the fog off the landscape, where teams have seemed to go round-robin in beating each other up in conference play, where the coveted power ranking points come from. The level of parity has been high for the most part, especially in the Suburban One League Continental Conference.

It might be reasonable to rename the conference the SOL Clog-inental for the rest of the season, with six of the eight teams having at least four wins with either four or five games to play. Thursday’s rain threw a wrench into the schedule, but still saw Quakertown and Central Bucks East tied at the top with a 6-2 SOL record.

Close behind is North Penn at 5-3 in the league. The Maidens beat Quakertown in their first meeting and were going to play CB East for a second time Thursday, but the weather pushed that one back to May 9.

Behind the top three is a three-team tie for third with four wins. Hatboro-Horsham and CB South each had 4-5 records after Thursday when the Titans topped the Hatters Wednesday afternoon while Souderton’s game with Quakertown was pushed back because of the rain. CB West is 3-5 in conference while Pennridge has struggled to a 1-7 league record.

It’s been tough for teams to string together long winning streaks. North Penn started 4-0 in the league but is just 1-3 since, showing the ebb and flow in the Continental this season. Souderton and Hatboro-Horsham also have the lineups to get right back in it, but the key for these three teams is finding consistency each game.

Still, anytime one of these teams meets, the outcome is anything but a given. The area teams in the conference will turn to their seniors even more these next few weeks as the need to pick up wins intensifies.

North Penn has catcher Jovanna Alfonsi and infielder Katie Beer, Souderton has Angie Carty, Missy Wiley, Savannah Bostwick and Dayna Shelly, the Hatters look to Kaeli Simmons and Dee Moyer while the Bucks have their sole senior Abby Morrison as they continue to show plenty of growth from last season.

Quakertown and East still have control, but as this season has shown, they can be beaten.

TENNENT TAKES AIM
Last year, the Panthers were the 23rd team into the district playoffs in Class AAAA.

That seems good, except only 23 teams actually make the cut, with the No. 1-9 seeds all getting first round byes. Still, Tennent exceeded expectations with an upset of Spring-Ford in the first round before losing in the second round.

This year, the Panthers not only want to get back in the playoff hunt, but they want to do it as a higher seed. Just past the halfway mark of SOL National play, they’re in a pretty good spot. Tennent is currently 5-3 in the National, third place behind 8-0 Neshaminy and 6-1 Council Rock North.

The Panthers were swept by North and lost their first meeting with Neshaminy, but considering those are two of the stronger teams in the district, none are really bad losses. Senior shortstop and cleanup hitter Jackie Heim has authored a stellar season so far.

A conference title is likely out of reach, but the Panthers do face Neshaminy one more time and if they can handle business with the rest of the conference, they probably won’t have to sweat out even making the field.

VIKINGS CRUISING
After senior catcher Micaela Ghanayem asked for a player’s only meeting early in Upper Merion’s season, the Vikings have been tearing up the SOL American.

Upper Merion is atop the league with an 8-0 American mark and an 11-1 record overall, having gone without a loss since early April. Coach John Whitney has a core group of seniors which also includes pitcher Olivia Sborlini, first baseman Dezerea Kandy and outfielder Abby Volpe.

Having won the American the last three years, the seniors want to make it four-in-four years and also bring home the program’s first Class AAA district title and state playoff bid. Sborlini is a top pitcher in the American and if she gets run support, the Vikings are a very tough team to beat.

They haven’t locked anything up yet however, with Springfield Twp hanging around with a 6-1 conference record. The Vikings did handle the Spartans in their first meeting, but that’s enough to keep them focused, plus Whitney has a few tough non-league games coming up.

AMERICAN HUSTLE
While the Vikings have seniors all over, much of the conference is pretty young.

Upper Dublin routinely starts two or three freshmen, plus a number of sophomores as it continues to grow.

Cheltenham graduated a lot last year and while outfielder Maddie Gianelle is still an all-league player, the lineup around her is fresh-faced or inexperienced and it’s a similar story at Norristown where a young group is rotating into bigger roles.

Plymouth Whitemarsh and Upper Moreland, both tied for third with 4-3 conference records, have a mix of experienced core players and younger kids filling in the spaces. PW is coming off a 2-12 season and has been playing much better behind its seniors like Marissa McBride, Ashley Yeager, Elena Iannuzzelli and Amanda Galcyzk. The Bears are led by vets like senior third baseman Allie Miller and shortstop Brianna Byard.

Springfield, a Class AA school, is 6-3 overall with a relatively young roster. What the Spartans have helping them is a senior ace in Jen Hammons, a multi-year starter who improved her command over the summer and has kept her team in almost every game. With the Class AA field including only four teams, including usual title contenders Christopher Dock and St. Basil Academy, the Spartans will need a top-form Hammons if they want to surprise some people in the postseason.

TRAILBLAZING PIONEERS
It was fair to expect that Dock wouldn’t get off to a booming start after graduating a significant portion of its starting lineup.

The Pioneers did open up 3-4, but two of those losses were to Neshaminy and BAL Class A power Bristol. Since falling to District 3 school Oley Valley on April 21, the Pioneers have won four in a row and are 7-1 in the BAL with a rematch at Bristol slated for Friday, April 29.

Dock has gotten a big lift from senior Ella Barlick in the pitching circle and she’s been very strong as the No. 1 hurler. Junior shortstop Jill Bolton can swing the bat, sophomore Emily Groake is also a capable pitcher and infielder and seniors like Lanae Hunsberger, Maddie Swartley and Natalie Schweizer provide the leadership.

The Pioneers have lost the last two District I title games to St. Basil, and with only one team advancing to states, this group has eyes on turning the tables.

WATCHING WOOD
Archbishop Wood is putting together a pretty nice season in the PCL, standing at 6-1 after Thursday’s game at St. Hubert was postponed to May 4.

At 6-3 overall, the Vikings are certainly on their way to improving on last season’s 6-10 season. Coach Kevin Rosini, in his second year at the helm, has the team heading for a PCL playoff bid and a chance to go a bit deeper than it did last season.

Probably the biggest reason for Wood’s success was the addition of Marisa Browne to the roster. The sophomore, who transferred from St. Basil, immediately took hold of the pitching spot and has delivered a lot of strike and hasn’t given up a lot of runs.

Wood can hit a little, but the team’s biggest struggle this season has been driving in those runners once they get on base. There are bats up and down the order, and if they can get going in some of those big spots, Wood could make a little run late in the season.

A big test comes to town early next week when PCL leader Archbishop Ryan visits on Tuesday. The Vikings also have a date at Lansdale Catholic looming, a big game for Class AAA purposes.

UNDER THE LIGHTS
The end of the season means (hopefully) better weather and longer hours of sunlight. With that, it also brings up some evening games to finish up the schedule.

Pennridge, which plays at Druckenmiller Park, has a couple of night starts coming up the next two weeks, Dock and Souderton’s annual night game is set for next Friday and Upper Merion has some lights-only affairs, including a nonleague title with PAC-10 power Perkiomen Valley.

It’s not always friendly to deadline writers, but night games are fun and a nice reward for teams after a long season of hard work.

The senior second baseman, co-captain and leadoff hitter is batting .609 with eight triples, four doubles, nine walks and a .685 on-base percentage (as of Monday). Last summer, she was a member of a Carpenter Cup softball team. She also received an Outstanding Achievement Award as a scholar-athlete from the Triangle Club of Montgomery County. This fall, she will be attending Cabrini University, where she will play softball and volleyball.

Q: What is your approach to taking pitches as a leadoff hitter? Does your batting approach change when you come to the plate with runners on base?

A: I have similar mindsets when I’m leading off or when one of my teammates are already on base. Either way I am looking for a way to get someone or myself to the next base. Getting into scoring position is of utmost importance for Sacred Heart. I am always looking to get a good swing on a strike to put the ball in play.

Q: Sacred Heart softball coach Kevin Grogan mentioned your defensive consistency as a middle infielder. Are you primarily a second baseman, or do you play some shortstop too?

A: My natural position is second base but I can play shortstop as well. Coach Grogan saw it more advantageous for me to play the position I am most comfortable at. Also at second I feel I can communicate better to my other teammates to make sure they know what to do.

Q: As the team’s co-captain, are you the team’s on-field leader in the infield? Can you give us an example of how you exercise that on-field leadership?

A: It’s not good enough to just be given a leadership position but you must embody that leadership. To do that I lead by example and I feel communication is the most important thing for my team. Constantly talking to my teammates is a key. It keeps everyone’s head in the game and it calms them down. Since I’m in the infield, I am able to talk to my pitcher, other infielders, and outfielders too. I am able to let them know what to do with the ball and make sure they are ready for anything.

Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game? What part of your game are you working on the most currently?

A: I love batting, and who really doesn’t? It is a lot of pressure since all the attention is on you but it’s still fun. All of my coaches have always remind me to relax and smile when I’m up to bat and I love to do just that. With that, I am always working in the batting cages. From tee work, soft toss, front toss, and the pitching machine I see a lot of simulated pitches to work on my batting form. But with that, nothing is like a pitch from a real pitcher. Batting is something I will always work on.

Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.

A: In general, I am a fairly calm person so I don’t go running through my school’s halls the day of a game screaming my head off. I like to conserve my energy until we get on the bus or to the cars. My other senior co-captain and I actually drive the underclassmen to our home fields off campus. Since I drive a convertible, it’s a tradition to put the top and the windows down and play whatever comes on my Spotify playlist. There’s excitement that comes just from the drive to the fields that gets everyone excited.

Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 1 for Sacred Heart. Is there a reason you chose that number – does it hold any significance to you?

A: Typically I always have worn No. 1. I am fairly small and have always been on the smaller size of previous teams. When I first started playing softball, I played in a township league where the smaller numbers were the smaller t-shirts. When the coaches would get new jerseys they would see that I was obviously a small and they would end up giving me No. 1.  No. 1 is a strong connection to where I started off playing the sport I love.

Q: What (to you) has been the highlight (most memorable moment) of your Sacred Heart softball career?

A: There have been so many memorable moments throughout my years playing for Sacred Heart softball but I think the most memorable was actually from this year. We were playing Nazareth Academy at home. I thought it was going to be a normal game but it turns out I was wrong. My grand slam and triple apparently wasn’t enough for us to win this 24- 27 game. That game was amazing. Everyone on both sides were getting hits and putting balls in play. We were winning in the last inning but were weren’t able to keep Nazareth down nor were we able to score in the last inning. Even though it was a loss, I was so proud of my team and everything they did. Everyone kept their heads in the game and were focused.

Q: What was your most memorable experience as a member of a Carpenter Cup team last summer – can you share it with us?

A: Carpenters Cup was an absolute blast last summer. I am so glad I was able to be a part of that. I love talking to new people and that was a perfect opportunity to talk to new people. Because I was a part of a largely-based Philadelphia team, I was able to meet a bunch of new people. I actually was able to meet up with a few of them over the year, seeing them at travel team tournaments. But the head coach, Coach Henderson, saying that he wish he had a team full of me’s was a honor. I don’t think I could recreate those moments ever again.

Q: What did it mean to you to be a recipient for Outstanding Achievement Award as a scholar-athlete from the Triangle Club of Montgomery County?

A: Being nominated and recognized for my work was an honor as well. Being surrounded by the many stellar scholar athletes was at first intimidating. But then being reminded of all the work I have done up to that point allowed me to realize all the accomplishments I have reached.

Q: Who have been your biggest softball mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you?

A: The three biggest softball mentors actually live with me, my mother, father and sister Alyssa. My mom is always a great support system for anything I do and encourages me to do the best I can in everything. She inspires me to put my whole heart into everything I do. My father started me on this journey from the beginning and has continued helping me. He works with me whenever I need help and never complains. He loves seeing me succeed in all that I do. Alyssa, my sister, inspires me constantly. She went to Sacred Heart and played softball and volleyball. She then went to Muhlenberg College and continued playing softball and volleyball [while earning] a difficult Bachelors in the Sciences. She is living proof for me, that shows that I can do anything I put my mind to.

Q: Why did you choose Cabrini?

A: I started the college search unintentionally by going with my sister on all of her college trips. Through that, when I started my official college search I told my mom: I want small, suburban, and close. A few colleges filled those requirements but walking on Cabrini’s campus I felt a special connection. After my tour and naming that my No. 1 college, my mother promptly told me, “I told you so.” She had a feeling I would be drawn to Cabrini but she never said anything. Since she had graduated from there, she didn’t want to sway my decision.

Q: You also will be playing volleyball as well as softball for Cabrini. What position(s) will you be playing for the Cavaliers?

A: For softball, my main position is second and I will hopefully be given an opportunity there. For volleyball, I am a libero and a defensive specialist. I also hope on the court I can have my skills be utilized.

Q: What did you like best about attending Sacred Heart?

A: Sacred Heart is a family, it truly is. That is why I feel a special connection to the school. I have 35 other girls graduating with me that I know I can call up any time to talk with. Also, the small class sizes allow for more one-on-one opportunities with my teachers. All around, I loved my experience at Sacred Heart and couldn’t imagine it any other way.

Fun facts – Ally Schell

Favorite book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Favorite author: Charles Dickens.

Favorite TV show: Supernatural.

Favorite movie: Pitch Perfect.

Favorite athlete: Misty May- Treanor.

Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Work from Home by Fifth Harmony.

Favorite team: Phillies.

Favorite place to visit: Hershey Park.

Favorite pre-game meal: Pizza rolls.

Favorite color: Purple.

Person I most admire: “My sister- simply because she proves you can do anything you put your mind to.”

Birth date: Oct. 16.

Place of birth: Philadelphia.

Family members: Chris (dad), Rosemarie (mom) and Alyssa Schell (sister).

(To be selected Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)

UPPER MERION >> After Friday afternoon’s 7-0 stroll past Nazareth Academy in the PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals, the Upper Merion softball team is now one win away from a place the Vikings softball program has never been — the state tournament.

Olivia Sborlini tossed five innings of six-hit, shutout ball and drove in five runs as the Vikings survived a top-of-the-first-inning scare, then bested the Pandas, many of whom were forced to arrive moments before game time after a senior graduation ceremony held at 2:00 Friday afternoon.

As for the Vikings, they’ll need one more win, over Bishop Shanahan, at a neutral site on Tuesday, to go into uncharted territory.

“That’s been our goal from Day One,” said Upper Merion head coach John Whitney. “The deepest the program has ever been has been the third round of districts back in 2004, with a team coached by Bob Crooks and that had (pitcher) Katie Luenger and my daughter (Shannon) on the team.

“Now we have a chance to get to states.”

But first, Sborlini had to do a little high-wire maneuvering. After fanning the first hitter she faced, Sborlini yielded successive singles to Lindsay LeVan, Georgia O’Conner and Bethany Liberatore.

But Sborlini wriggled out of the bases-loaded jam, catching Natalie Minitti looking, getting a pop up from Katie Driscoll, then in the bottom of the inning putting the Vikings up, 2-0, with a homer to center field.

“I think that really helped, getting out of that first inning,” Sborlini said. “I was a little more relaxed after we got out of that.”

Suitably relaxed, Sborlini clubbed her homer, then went on to toss three innings of hitless ball.

After escaping another three-hit inning in the fifth, Sborlini gave way to Nicole Kowalski, who shut down the Pandas over the final two innings.

By then, the Vikings had a 5-0 cushion thanks to Riley Kontra’s RBI single and Sborlini’s two-run double in the fifth.

“I was getting a little tired,” Sborlini admitted.

“It was a tough day to pitch,” said Whitney, referring to the oppressive heat. “(Sborlini) was pretty gassed, so we put Nicole in there, and she did a good job.

“And our defense played very well all day.”

“I just kept trying to hit my spots and keep the batters off balance,” Sborlini said. “Ski came in and was very good.”

And by game’s end the Vikings were standing where no other Vikings softball team had been — a win away from states.

As for the Pandas, head coach Danielle Vittitow was just as pleased with the play of her team.

“I thought we played well,” she said. “We stayed focused and our defense made some great plays. We did not let up.

“Even though things didn’t turn out well for us, the girls can be very proud of the way they played under some unusual circumstances.

“The ones who graduated and made it here for the game, it’s a testament to them. They left everything on the field.”

Meanwhile, the Vikings were looking ahead to Tuesday’s historic contest.

“We know if we win our next game we go to states,” Sborlini said. “No matter who it is we have to be ready.

“This is the year. We have to do it this year.”

VIKING NOTES: The performance of the Vikings softball team was not the only good news to come out of Upper Merion. Vikings graduate Chris Sanders, now a junior at La Salle University advanced to the NCAA Semifinals in the 800 meters with school record performance on Friday night in Jacksonville, Fla. Sanders ran the third fastest time in the 800 meters at the NCAA Quarterfinals on Friday night and has advanced to the NCAA Semifinals at the University of Oregon from June 9-11. His time of 1:46.65 broke his own school record of 1:47.78, set earlier this season at Princeton.

SPRINGFIELD >> By the time Julie Burns struck out the last batter in the seventh inning, the Mount Saint Joseph middle infield pair of Angela Gervasi and Kailey Karabin had added another color to their uniforms.

On top of the black, purple and yellow, the shortstop and second baseman had added a thick coating of dirt brown to their attire. That alone said enough about the way the Magic had rallied back from three runs down in the sixth inning.

Mount’s aggressiveness and willingness to take a risk and go for it helped propel the Magic to a 5-4 win over visiting Penncrest in a District 1 Class AAA softball quarterfinal Friday afternoon.

“Whenever we’re in a slump, we start bunting just to give us the confidence we can make contact with the ball and get runners on,” Karabin, the senior second baseman said. “We’re a team of pretty good baserunners so as long as we get someone on, it usually lets us get something going.”

For five innings, it was all Penncrest pitcher Maya Hartman. The sophomore hurler had Mount out of sorts and frustrated, retiring the first nine hitters in order and pounding the outside corners of the strike zone.

Penncrest had just one senior in the field Friday in third baseman Sam Crann but saw a couple of untimely miscues aid Mount’s comeback effort.

“We made some mental mistakes instead of getting an out when we needed an out,” Lions coach Earl Evans said. “(Hartman) kept them off balance, they didn’t know what was coming. She had her spots for the most part, I’m very pleased with her outing.”

The Lions struck for two off of Mount starter Sophia Little in the third, with a pair of Magic errors aiding the visitors when Julia Eckels’ RBI single brought in a second run on an outfield misplay. They might have scored more if not for a double play by Mary Buckley and Gervasi and a called batter interference for the third out.

Penncrest also plated two runs off reliever Julie Burns in the fifth when catcher Kailey Martin belted a two-run double to score Samie Martin and Eckels. Eckels, Kailey Martin, Samie Martin and Emma Stauffer each had two hits for the No. 5 seed.

“I think we’re heading in the right direction,” Evans said. “We challenged these guys about midway through the season. We challenged them to dig deep and find a way to get things done. They took that from there and put together a real nice run. I’m proud of them.”

Mount made it a 2-1 game in the fourth thanks to a lot of hustle and some risk-taking by Gervasi, who bats leadoff. The junior, who’s main sport is soccer, bunted for a single to open the inning, then stole second and moved to third on a sac bunt by Daria Vining.

With Karabin at the plate, Gervasi started for home and prompted Martin to make a choice with the ball. The Penncrest catcher threw to the covering shortstop and that was the opening Gervasi needed, going all-in and scoring the run.

“I’m one of the faster players on the team and I usually make my own decisions when to go for it,” Gervasi said. “I just kept going, I zoned everyone out and kept going for home.”

Gervasi said there was an extremely positive vibe going on the Mount bench the entire game, noting the JV players and Little giving plenty of encouragement after stepping out of the circle. Other than the fifth inning, Burns was strong in the circle, allowing just one single in her other three innings of work with five strikeouts.

The shortstop’s bunt was the team’s only hit through five innings but there was plenty of confidence going out for the sixth. After No. 9 hitter Lila Moore put down a bunt for a hit with one out, Gervasi followed with a single of her own to put runners at the corners.

“Just getting a person base gets everyone going,” Gervasi said. “We practice that 24/7 with the bunts. To adjust, we started to stand closer to the plate because the umpire was calling outside pitches. Toward the end of the game, we stepped in and hit those pretty well.”

After Gervasi stole second, in a cloud of dirt, Vining put Penncrest in a tough spot when she grounded to second. The fielder’s choice throw to home was too late to get Moore and too high to stop Gervasi from aggressively going all the way.

A passed ball let pinch-runner Brigid O’Neill to reach second before Karabin singled her in to tie the game up.

“We all met in the middle, got fired up and said let’s keep a positive attitude,” the senior co-captain said. “Let’s cheer for each other, stand at the fence and even if you’re not on the field, be in the game.”

Karabin added some more dirt to her collection by stealing second with backstop Jess Burns up and it proved a key moment when the catcher laced a base hit into the outfield. As soon as the ball left Burns’ bat, Karabin was off.

“At first it looked like she was staying on first base and I really didn’t think she was going,” Gervasi said. “But she’s very aggressive and our team captain so she’ll take that risk.”

“I was just running as hard as I could,” Karabin said. “I saw the ball and I saw the catcher was going to have the ball but we have as much space as we can to get around that, so I did whatever I could to just get my hand on the plate.”

Karabin beat the throw in, giving Burns the go-ahead RBI and her sister three outs from a win. Julie Burns then went out and shut down the Lions, blowing the last strike by a swinging Eckels to move the Magic on to a semifinal with top-seeded Villa Maria.

The squads have met twice this season in the AACA, but the Magic players said even though it’s a big challenge, at least they have an idea what to prepare for.

“It’s going to be a tough game but we’re ready,” Karabin said. “It’s kind of intimidating when you face a new team so at least it’s kind of comfortable facing Villa, we know their pitcher really well so we can actually practice for her this weekend.”

WHITEMARSH >> As the Villa Maria softball team celebrated its third, and most important, win of the season Tuesday over league rival Mount Saint Joseph Academy, senior Maddie Abbot jumped on the shoulders of a younger teammate for a photo just behind first base.

It was a fitting reversal for the Hurricane senior, who had just finished carrying the youthful Hurricanes on her back for the better part of two hours.

Abbot only struck out five Magic hitters — a low tally by her high standards — but was otherwise on-point as the Hurricanes allowed just three hits in a complete-game shutout as Villa Maria blanked Mount Saint Joseph, 4-0, in a District 1 Class AAA semifinal Tuesday at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.

The win secured a state playoff bid for top-seeded Villa Maria (18-2), and puts the defending District 1 Class AAA champion Hurricanes back into Thursday’s championship game, where they will face Bishop Shanahan at a site to be announced. The Eagles posted a surprising 10-0 win over Upper Merion in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

“We’ve won districts before,” said Abbot. “But we have so many freshmen on this team. So to get a chance to do it twice, I feel like our program has really been building. To have all these freshmen get to experience this in their first year is amazing.”

The loss ended the season for the Magic (11-7), since just two teams qualify for states in Class AAA, and was the third defeat for the Mount this season against their Athletic Association of Catholic Academies rival.

“In a way, it was good to face a familiar team,” said Mount pitcher Julie Burns, who pitched a solid game after a tough first inning. “We know what they are and it gets us pumped up. But it’s kind of hard to lose to them again. We played a hard game but it’s tought to lose again to them.”

Coming off a dominating 14-strikeout performance against Radnor in the quarterfinals, Abbot’s day got off to a rough start Tuesday when she hit Mount Saint Joseph leadoff hitter Angela Gervasi with the very first pitch.

But on the very next pitch, Abbot got Mount third baseman Daria Vining to pop up a bunt attempt that turned into a 2-4 double play. After Kailey Karabin flew out to center field, Abbot had completed a pretty strange 1-2-3 winning on just six pitches.

The bottom of the first was even more eventful for the Hurricanes off Mount starting pitcher Burns.

Marisa Bruder drew a leadoff walk and Bri Wright followed by capping a lengthy at-bat with a double to left — on a fly ball Mount left fielder Kailyn Muhl would probably like back — to give Villa a 1-0 lead.

Left fielder Lisa Becker followed with an RBI double of her own into right-center, and catcher Sarahrose Jonik added a single to put runners on the corners, with Jonik alertly taking second on the throw.

Alyssa Viscardo capped the early scoring with a sacrifice fly, giving Abbot a 3-0 lead before she took the mound for the second inning.

“We were a little nervous and didn’t want to take the Mount too lightly,” said Wright, noting the ’Canes two relatively easy wins over the Magic in AACA play. “Getting a jump in the first innig was key. Usually if we get a jump early in the lineup, it gets everyone going and it makes the rest of the game much easier.”

The Mount picked up its play after a few first-inning miscues, as Burns and relief pitcher Sofia Little combined to allow just one more Villa Maria run on four hits in the final five innings.

But on the other side, the Magic never really threatened against Abbot, who — according to Villa Maria records — is just two strikeouts shy of the PIAA Class AAA strikeout record of 757, set by Chichester’s Meghan Wimmer.

Barring a miracle, Abbot should match and break that mark Thursday against Bishop Shanahan, if not in the first round of states.

“I think we knew better because we knew what to expect from them,” Abbot said. “But the Mount came out much stronger today than I’ve ever seen them before. It was like a different team today.”

The Hurricanes will face a much different test Thursday against an unfamiliar foe in Shanahan. With a win — and a second straight District 1 crown — Villa would enter states as the top seed and face the third-place team from District 3.

The loser of Thursday’s game will face the top AAA seed out of District 12 to open states.

“I think it’s really exciting for us,” Wright said of the game against Shanahan. “They’ve never seen us before and never seen Maddie before, so it should be really exciting.”

WARMINSTER >> As they warmed up next to each other, St. Basil Academy senior first baseman Amanda Clark took a glance over at pitcher Arianna Sticco.

What Clark was all she needed to know about the kind of outing Sticco was going to give the Panthers. Considering that just a few weeks ago, Sticco was the team’s No. 2 hurler with next to no experience, it was a big sign.

Sticco didn’t pitch like a newbie while Clark and the bats broke out as Basil topped Christopher Dock 10-0 in six innings in the District I Class AA title game Thursday at William Tennent.

“She was down and in the zone and that’s what you need to keep batters off balance,” Clark said. “She did well mixing up speeds, mixing up locations, everything. She pitched a great game and her not being a pitcher until this year and having to just jump in and work on things, it was hard for her.”

Thanks to their emergency arm, the Panthers are back-to-back-to-back district champs and on to the state tournament for the third straight season. To get there, they needed to figure out Dock sophomore Emily Groarke, who’s been throwing very well after coming off an early season injury.

Sticco took over after starter Kiera Peters was lost for the season due to injury.

For two innings, it looked like runs would be a scare commodity on both sides. Sticco pitched around a leadoff double by Groarke in the first while Groarke stranded runners in the first two innings. St. Basil’s defense proved early on that it was locked in.

“(Sticco) wasn’t an overpowering pitcher but we couldn’t seem to square up today,” Dock coach Wayne Benner said. “It sounds like a complaint and I know the score is 10-0 but we did hit some balls really hard to their fielders and they had some of the opposite where the ball would hit the dirt and spin and we couldn’t throw them out. But that’s not going to add up to 10 runs and it doesn’t change the outcome, it just seemed to be one of those days.”

Both teams employ sneaky good seniors as their No. 9 hitters and it was Basil center fielder Lindsay Joyce that helped finally crack the scoreboard. The Panther’s last hitter led off the third with a single, then swiped her way to second base and then stole third while the next two batters went down.

Having drawn a walk her first time up, Clark came to the plate knowing this was the time to cash in. Clark and Groarke just battled all game, with Clark going 2-for-2 with three RBIs and walking twice and in that third inning at-bat, the senior first baseman delivered, singling in Joyce.

“She pitched around, she was all over and it was kind of hard, actually,” Clark said. “The first time she got me with a lot of foul balls and even though she walked me, she really battled back. I could tell she didn’t want to pitch it to me and it was hard for me because I really wanted to swing at every pitch that was coming. I knew I had to be patient.”

That run was huge for Basil and even bigger after Sticco came back and got a shut-down top of the fourth on just seven pitches. The senior was even better in the fifth, putting the Pioneers away on five pitches.

“She has been incredible,” St. Basil coach Steve Sonneborn said. “She’s made really good pitches where teams are popping up or hitting ground balls. I can’t speak enough of how she did for someone who’s not, quote, a pitcher. She took the ball and was hungry for it.”

The Panthers were still walking a tenuous line in the fifth when Clark drew a walk with senior second baseman Abby Carter at third base. Paige Larini, a recent JV call-up, came up clutch when she skied a ball to the deepest part of center field for a sac fly that easily plated Carter.

Basil’s baserunning overall was strong Thursday, with five steals as a team and plenty of runners moving up on passed balls or wild pitches. So when Clark took second in the fifth, it set her up to score when Angela Zeidler ripped an RBI single to left.

“Getting to three runs, knowing it’s harder for them to get three than one and continuing to keep producing was huge for us,” Clark said. “Coach always says keep going, it’s never enough. You always have to get a couple then get a couple more.”

Basil’s bats broke the game in the sixth when Clark hit a two-run single and two batters later Zeidler crushed a two-run ground rule double. Shortstop Jess Marino then ended the game when she hit into a fielder’s choice and an errant throw sailed past the first baseman, bringing in the last two runs.

The loss ends a solid run for Dock’s seniors but they’ll have some key players back including Groarke, junior shortstop Jill Bolton and catcher Olivia Boyle. After a slow start, the Pioneers came on strong and were trending up heading into the postseason.

“Every year I say the same thing that I hope we’re healthy and we’re playing our best ball come district time,” Benner said. “Although I’m disappointed in the way we played today, I wish we had five more games left because we’re getting better every game. It took us a long time to get where we were on a plane where we could keep moving forward.”

Basil and its nine seniors move on to states, thanks to one who’s delivered for years with her bat and another who’s been delivered for just a few weeks with her pitching.