This was printed in today's Morning Call:
COLONIAL LEAGUE
Matchup: No. 3 seed Bangor vs. No. 1 seed Pen Argyl
When/where: 5 p.m. Thursday at Pates Park, Allentown.
BANGOR (15-6, 11-5 CL)
Coach: Rich Kessler (first season).
Projected lineup: 1. Lexi Kessler (Fr. RF) .458, 30 Rs, 16 RBIs, 7 extra-base hits, 9 SBs 2. Mikayla Mulea (Jr. SS) .326, 14 Rs, 11 RBIs; 6 extra-base hits; 3. Kaitlyn Caleen (Fr. DP) .500, 20 Rs, 20 RBIs, 3 extra-base hits; 4. Kiley Kuchar (Sr. CF) .485, 27 Rs, 33 RBIs, 12 extra-base hits, 4 HRs, 5 SBs; 5. Samantha Zeruth (Sr. 2B) .313 16 Rs, 19 RBIs, 2 HRs; 6. Courtney Constable (So. LF) .393, 23 Rs, 19 RBIs, 9 extra-base hits, 2 HRs; 7. Makayla Adams (Jr. 1B) .368, 10 Rs, 8 RBIs, HR; 8. Kailey Smith (Jr. C) .262, 8 Rs, 11 RBIs; 9. Allison Phillips (So. 3B) .286, 20 Rs, 7 RBIs.
Pitching: Melissa Langdon (Jr.) 5-4, 3.35 ERA, 561/3 IP, 71 H, 9 BB; 18 Ks; Nikki Kessler (Fr.) 7-1, 4.31 ERA, 371/3 IP, 44 H, 11 BB, 27 Ks.
About the Slaters: Qualified for the league tournament for the first time since winning the crown behind Amanda Whitford in 2008. … Kessler, who had coached at Pius X last season, is the program’s third coach in three seasons. … Team was 6-14 in 2012, 9-11 last year. … Advanced with a 13-6 win over Catasauqua, collecting 17 hits. … In a 4-3 loss to Pen Argyl on May 7, Caleen had two hits and knocked in two runs. Zeruth had two hits in 18-2 loss to Green Knights on April 23. In both games, Slaters were limited to five hits.
PEN ARGYL (17-4, 14-2 CL)
Coach: Bill Schankel (25th season, 382-189).
Projected lineup: 1. Laura Zanette (Jr. 3B) .471 30 Rs, 20 RBIs, 12 extra-base hits, 3 HRs; 2. Alyssa Weaver (Jr. SS) .391, 30 Rs, 7 RBIs, 3. Emily Smull (Sr. P) .471, 11 Rs, 27 RBIs, 6 HRs; 4. Corinne Ashmore (Jr. 1B) .327, 11 Rs, 16 RBIs, 6 extra-base hits, HR; 5. Brittany Ruch (Sr. LF) .322, 13 RS, 10 RBIs; 6. Ali Heisler (Jr. DP) .200; 7. Madisyn Einfalt (Sr. RF) 8 Rs, 9 RBIs; 8. Rachel Warren (Sr. 2B) .341, 10 Rs, 8 RBIs, HR; 9. Cindy Antonioli (So. CF) 8 runs. Flex, Marissa Kresch (Jr. C).
Pitching: Smull 12-2, 1.68 ERA, 952/3 IP, 60 H, 18 BB, 97 Ks, 3 SHO.
About the Green Knights: In the league finals for the fourth straight year and sixth time overall. Won titles in 2007 and 2012. Lost in finals in 2010, 2011 and last year. … Advanced with a 7-2 win over Southern Lehigh. Smull scattered nine hits and benefited from four doubles plays. She also had three hits and 4 RBIs, including a 3-run HR. Zanette added a two-run triple. … It was the team's seventh straight win. ... Swept Bangor 18-2 and 4-3. Rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh in last week’s meeting when Ruch was 3-for-4 and had game-winning RBI.
Keith Groller’s prediction: Bangor’s resurgence has been one of the season’s best stories, but Pen Argyl is more proven in the postseason and features one of the area’s elite players in Smull. Green Knights 7-5.
LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE
Matchup: No. 2 seed Emmaus vs. No. 1 Parkland
When/where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Pates Park, Allentown.
EMMAUS (15-5, 10-4 LVC)
Coach: John Eyer (15th season, 215-121).
Projected lineup: 1. Claire Harris (Sr. 3B) .479, 24 Rs, 7 RBIs, 8 extra-base hits, HR; 2. Rachel Brown (Sr. RF) .339, 13 Rs, 13 RBIs, 7 extra-base hits, HR; 3. Miryah Palko (Sr. SS) .508, 17 Rs, 23 RBIs, 13 extra-base hits, 3 HRs; 4. Olivia Marcks (Sr. DP) .296, 13 Rs, 10 RBIs, 8 extra-base hits, 2 HRs; 5. Erin Schmick (So. 2B) .236, 10 Rs, 8 RBIs, 3 2Bs, HR; 6. Alyssa Krasnansky (Fr. C) .211, 9 Rs, 10 RBIs, 7 extra-base hits, 2 HRs, 7. Sydney Wertheimer (Jr. 1B) .300; 8. Faith Montgomery (Jr. CF) .159; 9. Kristi Morello (Sr. LF) .213.
Pitching: Marcks 9-1, 1.87 ERA, 71 IP, 49 H, 34 BB, 104 Ks.
About the Green Hornets: In the finals for second straight year after falling to Bethlehem Catholic 4-0 in 2013. Also lost to Northampton in the 2007 title game. … Never won LVC, but won four East Penn Conference titles, including three in a row from 1999-2001. … Advanced with a 5-4 win over Liberty, scoring in the bottom of the seventh on RBI single by Palko. … Lost to Parkland 9-3 on April 16 when they committed five errors and had just four hits. Marcks tripled and scored in that one.
PARKLAND (19-0, 14-0 LVC)
Coach: Barry Search (fifth season, 76-25).
Projected lineup: 1. Jordy Augustus (Sr. C) .351, 21 Rs, 14 RBIs, 9 extra-base hits, 3 HRs; 2. Abby Fritzinger (Jr. RF) .414, 17 Rs, 8 RBIs; 3. Courtney Miller (Sr. CF) .368, 21 Rs, 7 extra-base hits; 4. Madi Marshall (Jr. LF) .415, 12 Rs, 19 RBIs, 8 extra-base hits, 2 HRs; 5. Emma Varrato (Jr. SS) .310, 14 Rs, 11 RBIs; 6. Morgan Rentzheimer (Sr. P) .362; 7. Sydney Stibitz (Jr. DP) .367, 13 Rs, 16 RBIs; 8. Sam Pickar (Jr. 2B) .308; 9. Taylor Knappenberger (So. 3B) .310. Flex, Rachel Smerdon (Sr. 1B).
Pitching: Rentzheimer 15-0, 1.08 ERA, 1032/3 IP, 65 H, 15 BB, 107 K, 9 SHO.
About the Trojans: In the league finals for the first time since beating Northampton for the crown in 2009. Also won titles in 2004, ’05 and ’08. Program also won a MVC title in 2001 and 11 EPC championships. … Finished regular season unbeaten for the first time since 2005. … Rentzheimer hasn’t allowed a run in 42 innings, since the sixth inning of a 15-6 win over Bethlehem Catholic on April 24. … South Carolina-bound Augustus had two hits in previous win over Emmaus.
Keith Groller’s prediction: Emmaus will be tough behind Marcks on its home field. But Parkland has been the area’s best all season. Trojans 5-2.
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