http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/
FROM KEITH GROLLER
Kiley Kuchar said she didn't know how many hits she had.
"I wasn't keeping track," the Bangor senior outfielder said.
It was tough to keep track of all the hits she and her Slaters collected.
They pounded out 17 and pulled away to a 13-6 win over Catasauqua in the Colonial League softball semifinals Tuesday night at Pates Park.
The Slaters, who have not won a league title since 2008, will return to Pates at 5 p.m. Thursday to face either Southern Lehigh or Pen Argyl for the championship.
"It's an amazing feeling to be going to the championship game," Kuchar said. "We've come a long way and we've worked hard. I don't remember what our record was two years ago, but it wasn't very good."
Bangor (15-6) was very good on offense, getting hits up and down the lineup.
Lexi Kessler, Katlyn Caleen, Kuchar, Courtney Constable and Allison Phillips had two hits apiece. Sam Zeruth had three hits and four RBIs, including a two-run double in the fourth.
The Slaters struck for five runs in the top of the first, but Catty came back with three in the bottom half.
The Roughies closed to within 5-4 in the bottom of the third and added single runs in the fourth and fifth, but couldn't stay out of the big inning defensively.
Bangor scored three in the fourth and blew it wide open with four in the seventh. Seven Catty errors only added to the Slaters' merry-go-round on the bases.
"We work hard on hitting and it's paying off," first-year coach Rich Kessler said. "We split our two games with Catty, but we came here confidence because of how hard we work on hitting. It started in the gym. We spent a lot of time in there when practice started because of the weather, but the extra work has paid off."
Catasauqua, the defending league champs, now needs to work on its defense.
"They found the holes for a lot of hits and our defense didn't help," said disappointed Roughies coach Bob Thomas. "We had a terrbile game defensively. it's hard to play catchup. We got down 5-0 and got back in it and then allow them to come right back and score runs and go back up by four or five again. We got back in it, and then we let it get away from us. The defense just was not there."
The Roughies (15-6) will be in the District 11 2A tournament. They reached the tourney finals last year.
"My message was that if we play on playing past the first round of districts, we need to focus a little more," Thomas said. "We need to step up to the challenge of playing for the district title. We're fully capable. We've just been too inconsistent, especially in the second half of the year. At this time of year, you have to play your best. If you don't, you'll get the result we had today."
Bangor 500 310 4 -- 13 17 3
Catasauqua 301 110 0 -- 6 11 7
Langdon and Smith; Ayache and Matos.
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