Pen Argyl Area High School softball team upsets Saucon Valley to reach Colonial League finals

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

In a game filled with defensive miscues and lackluster offense, the Pen Argyl Area High School softball team was able to overcome its own struggles to pull out an upset win.

The fourth-seeded Green Knights took advantage of four Saucon Valley errors to upend the top-seeded Panthers, 3-2, in the Colonial League semifinals this afternoon at Patriots Park in Allentown.

The loss marks the second straight for South division-winner Saucon Valley (17-2) after it won its first 17 games of the season.

Pen Argyl (14-6), which won the North division, will face No. 2 seed Southern Lehigh, 1-0 winners over Notre Dame earlier today, in the finals at 4 this evening at Pates.

"Southern Lehigh is always ready," Pen Argyl coach Bill Schankel said. "It's a game we have to play well to win. They aren't going to beat themselves."

Both the Green Knights and Panthers struggled at the plate netting only four hits apiece. However, it was the defense of each that let the teams down. Of the five runs scored in the game, only one was earned - the Panthers' Courtney Cawley's RBI-double in the bottom of the first inning.

Pen Argyl jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Kassy Beckage hit a one-out single and moved to second on an error by Cawley on Taylor Presby's grounder. Both runners then advanced on a passed ball. With the infield up, Emily Smull grounded to Cawley, who tried to get Beckage at the plate. However, Cawley overthrew catcher Kelly Schreder, allowing the run to score.

The Panthers wasted no time tying the game.

Jess Mowrey hit a two-out single. Cawley redeemed herself by nailing a double that bounced off the bottom of the fence allowing Mowrey to scored easily from first base.

Saucon went up 2-1 in the second.

Courtney Laub led off with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and ground out. She then scored as shortstop Mallory Oyer overthrew first base on Lori Werkheiser's grounder.

However, Pen Argyl pitcher Delilah Schriner lived on the outside corner and was able shut down the Panthers the rest of the way, allowing just three baserunners.

Amy Thatcher led off the bottom of the seventh with a single for Saucon, however, she was doubled up on a line drive to Beckage to end the game.

"I relied on (the outside pitch) a lot," Schriner said. "I was on it today."

The Green Knights collected two hits and capitalized on two errors to score twice in the top of the fourth.

After Pen Argyl loaded the bases, Saucon pitcher Stephanie Rusu nearly got out of the jam, however, two errors on Beckage's grounder to short resulted in two runs and a 3-2 lead for the Green Knights.

In a battle of the wild-card teams, Southern Lehigh (16-5) was able to shut out Notre Dame (13-8) for the third time this season.

The Spartans, thus far, have been the only team able to hold the Crusaders scoreless.

"This is the best we played (against them)," Notre Dame coach Joe Ruane said. "Bottom line is you can't win if you don't score any runs."

Southern Lehigh was able to put runners on the bases, but unable to capitalize. Corinne Ozanne made sure that didn't matter as she nailed a lead-off solo home run to dead center in the bottom of the third.

Ozanne's blast easily cleared the temporary 190-foot fence and nearly went over the permanent 250-foot fence. Her shot bounced half way up the wall.

It was the only bad pitch Notre Dame pitcher Erika Esposito made all game.

"One bad pitch goes in and (Ozanne) can hurt you," Ruane said.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/05/pen_argyl_upsets_saucon_valley.html