Becahi gets its three-peat, beats Emmaus 4-0 for Lehigh Valley Conference softball title

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FROM KEITH GROLLER

When the game and medal ceremony were over on Thursday night at Pates Park, Bethlehem Catholic softball coach Rich Mazza could catch his breath and express his admiration for his seniors.

"They have no idea how much they've done for this program," he said. "I can say enough about them. They have truly elevated Becahi softball to a high level."

Several of those seniors elevated Becahi to a 4-0 win over Emmaus and a third straight Lehigh Valley Conference championship.

Senior pitcher Joelle Morey tossed a five-hitter, getting some spectacular defensive help from her outfield.

Marissa Merriman, another of the six seniors in the Golden Hawks' lineup, spanked a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth to break open a 1-0 game.

Earlier, left fielder Lauren Visconti, yet another senior, made a spectacular backhanded, diving catch that on a liner that robbed Emmaus' Olivia Marcks of extra bases. The catch would become more even more important later since the Hornets would go on to load the bases, but failed to score.

Becahi scored in the first when Visconti singled and scored on Morey's two-out double. Jackie DeSarro was thrown out at the plate on the same play.

It stayed 1-0 until the three-run sixth by Becahi.

Emmaus had five hits and benefitted from a walk and two two errors, but left eight on base. The Green Hornes only went in order in the first and seventh.

"We had our chances and we gave them a lot that we shouldn't have given them," Emmaus coach John Eyer.

Eyer said that he still feels Northampton, who his team beat in the semis, is the best team in the league.

"They're even better than what Becahi is," he said.

When asked if he wanted to say that, Eyer said; "I can say that. I just believe they're a stronger team because they have the better pitching. We had about the same amount of hits. We just made the mistakes that came back to bite us."

Bethlehem Catholic (19-2)  will be the top seed in the upcoming District 11 3A tournament. They will face the Saucon Valley-Wilson winner in the semifinals.

But the Golden Hawks wanted to savor this championship first.

"This feels really unbelievable," Merriman said. "I am really proud of this team because we stuck together and worked really hard this year."

Emmaus (15-7)  will now be the No. 6 seed in the 4A bracket and play No. 11 Pocono Mountain East in a first-round game on Thursday at Pates Park.

"Are we disappointed, yes," Eyer said. "But w're not dead yet. We'll regroup and come back in districts and give it our best shot."

Emmaus 000 000 0  -- 0 5 2

Becahi    100 003 x -- 4 6 2

Brown and Natiello; Morey and Markovic.