YORK, PA - The York College softball team snagged two tight
victories on Sunday afternoon, topping visiting DeSales 3-2 in game
one before mounting a late come-from-behind 6-5 triumph in game
two. With the two wins, the Spartans head into the Capital Athletic
Conference Tournament with a standout 30-6 mark. The Bulldogs drop
to 13-13 in 2010.
In both games, the Spartans would need clutch seventh-inning
performances in order to secure the victory.
In the first contest, the Spartans held a slight 3-2 margin
heading into the top of the seventh. Christine Petrilla opened
DaSales' half with a ringing double for the Bulldogs. With a
runner in scoring position and nobody out, Spartan starter
Brittany Therres (Hughesville, Md./Thomas Stone)
looked to be in a precarious position. However, that would prove no
matter to the York ace. She induced a groundout to third and a
pop-out to short to record the inning's first two outs. She
then left no doubt as she rung up Kristen Cybularz on a called
third strike to end the game.
In game two, it would be the offense that needed to come through
in the final frame. The Spartans were on the short end of a 5-4
score heading into the bottom of the seventh. Despite the slim
deficit, the Green and White showed the spunk they had displayed
for much of the 2010 campaign. Speedy left-fielder Hannah
Hugel (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) led off the inning with an
infield single to short. Veteran Sam Lawrence (Bethlehem,
Pa./Liberty) followed with a shot through the middle of
the infield. After Hugel was later caught trying to steal third,
Lawrence stood on second and then advanced to third on a
Heather Bormann (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) rip
back up the middle that knocked off Bulldog pitcher Jen
Lococo's glove and slowed down just enough to give Bormann
time to get to first. Threatening to at least tie the score,
clean-up hitter Meghan Van Meter (Hanover, Md./Archbishop
Spalding) drew a walk to load the bases. Kelly
Smith (Riverdale, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) then proved
the game-two hero when she banged line drive down the right field
line which scored both Lawrence and Bormann to win the game in
walk-off fashion.
Corrine Majczan (Center Valley, Pa./Southern
Lehigh) secured the win in the circle for the Green and
White in that eventful second game. After giving up three in the
first inning, Majczen did not allow a Bulldog run during the rest
of her time in the circle. She was lifted for Therres after five
full innings, but returned after the Spartan ace struggled. Majczen
finished the game, tossing a total of 6.1 innings, striking out
three, and walking two.
Bormann had a tremendous day as she posted a 5-for-6 performance
over the two games. She drove in each of York's three runs in
the opener before scoring two times, including the game-winner, in
the afternoon's second tilt. Hugel, York's lead-off
hitter, went 4-for-8 at the dish and scored a trio of run. Smith
finished with a 3-for-7 performance and added three RBI to her
season total.
York also played outstanding defense throughout the day. The
Spartans made all the routine plays, as they did not commit a
single error during either game, while making several difficult
defensive plays.
For the Bulldogs, Petrilla registered a solid day at the plate
as she went a combined 4-for-6. Two of those four hits were of the
home-run variety as she blasted two over Spartan Stadium's
right field wall – registering both during her first at-bat
in each game. She totaled five RBI and two runs scored. Kate
Steiner finished the day by going 4-for-6 at the plate.
In game one, Therres tossed the full seven innings to nab her
21st win of the season against a mere three defeats. She
scattered four hits and only allowed two runs – both of which
came on Petrilla's first big fly – while striking out
six and not allowing a walk.
Petrilla suffered the loss in the first game as she threw 3.1
innings and allowed all three Spartan runs. Lococo took the defeat
in game two as she tossed 6.1 innings, allowing 11 hits and four
earned runs.
The Spartans now turn their collective attention to the Capital
Athletic Conference Tournament, which begins on Tuesday, April 13.
York hosts Stevenson in the first round tilt slated to begin at
3:30 p.m.
Game 2 Box
Photo: Corrine Majczan
threw a terrific game in the latter tilt against DeSales - courtesy
of Brent Duffy
