http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/
FROM KEITH GROLLER
The Lehigh Valley Conference went out in style, and with a little controversy.
The last LVC softball title game and the final head-to-head LVC event of any kind proved to be an absolute classic Thursday night at Pates Park.
Madi Marshall doubled and scored what proved to be the winning run on a controversial play at the plate in the bottom of the seventh as Parkland beat Emmaus 1-0 to win the last LVC championship.
It was the Trojans' fifth LVC title in the league's 12-year history and the program's 17th league crown overall.
It was also Parkland's 20th win of the season and easily the toughest one to earn.
Trojans ace Morgan Rentzheimer and Emmaus senior Olivia Marcks were locked in a terrific pitcher's duel chock full of quality defense for 6-and-half innings.
Marshall led off the bottom of the seventh with a fly to shallow left that had Green Hornets shortstop Miryah Palko hustling after it. She tried to make an over-the-shoulder catch, but the ball dropped for a double.
Marshall alertly moved to third on Emma Varrato's grounder to short. Rentzheimer walked. Sydney Stibitz then grounded to third.
Hornets third baseman Claire Harris threw home and the ball was there in plenty of time for the out, but catcher Alyssa Krasnansky couldn't hold on to the ball.
The ball and Marshall were both on the ground for at least a second or two. What happened next is a matter of interpretation. People will want to see the replay from the Service Electric TV2 broadcast to get a more definitive answer.
Emmaus coach John Eyer, Krasnansky and Green Hornets fans said that the ball was picked up and the tag was still applied before Marshall touched the plate.
Marshall said: "It just kind of happened. I absolutely touched the plate before I was tagged. I saw the ball on the ground and I tried to break through the tag and I did. I thought about sliding around her, but I couldn't get there in time. So I just tried to slide through it."
The only opinion that mattered belonged to home plate umpire John Delucia, who signaled safe.
Eyer protested and wanted Delucia to ask for help, but he made the call himself.
"I saw Alyssa drop the ball, pick it up and tag her before she ever got to the plate," Eyer said. "Alyssa was up the line and [Marshall] was stuck under her. That's the way it goes. There's nothing you can do about it."
It will go down as the final play, and one of the most talked about plays in LVC softball history.
The story of the night to that point had been the pitching excellence of Rentzheimer and Marcks.
Emmaus was limited to three hits and Parkland had just one before Marshall's double to start the seventh.
"Miryah gave it a great effort and nearly caught it," Eyer said. "If she held on, it would have been a great catch."
It was the break needed in a game void of scoring opportunities.
Through six innings, Parkland had just two runners on base in an inning twice and Emmaus threatened only in the seventh when Harris singled and Rachel Brown walked with one out.
"Emmaus is a quality club and they played a great game tonight," Parkland coach Barry Search said. "I have no doubt we'll see them again."
"This type of game was a great experience for us," Rentzheimer said. "It was good to have that pressure on us. It's only going to help us going forward."
Emmaus 000 000 0 -- 0 3 0
Parkland 000 000 1 -- 1 2 0
Marcks and Krasnansky; Rentzheimer and Augustus.
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