Thursday's softball roundup: Groller Curse is still in effect (sorry Northampton)

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

It is uncanny.

I don't know how many times it has happened, but it has happened way too often.

I will talk to someone early Thursday afternoon and interview them about how well they're doing, write  a column about them and then they'll go out and lose later that same day.

It happened with Bangor and Northern Lehigh earlier this season and yesterday it happened with Northampton.

You may note that I featured the Konkrete Kids in my weekly softball notebook in the back pages of our sports section.

The K-Kids have been one of the most positive surprises of this strange season. Since I have not covered them in person, they were a perfect topic for the notebook.

First-year coach Kevin Mann talked about how they've been more aggressive at the plate this year and scored a lot of runs. So what happened? Pleasant Valley 2, Northampton 1.

Now, PV is a good team. So, I can't take full responsibility for what happened.

Yet, I wonder if anyone from any team will talk to me again, especially on a Thursday.

Here's a look at what was played on Thursday:

LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE

Freedom 16, Central Catholic 1 --  Hunter Schantz 3-3, HR, R, 5 RBIs; Kelsey Brandle 3-3, 3 Rs, RBI; Shayla Peterson 3-4, 2 Rs, 3 RBIs.

COLONIAL LEAGUE

Palmerton 8, Northwestern 3 -- Blue Bombers won't make the league tourney, but now just need one more win to clinch distict spot. Kendra Pekurney 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs; Jordan Boyer 3-3, 2 RBIs; Janel Tracy 2-4.

Wilson 9, Saucon Valley 1 -- Warriors are suddenly hot again. Meredith Campbell 2-4, RBI; Hannah Calantoni 2-4; Tawny Handelong 2-3.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE

ES South 15, PM West 1 -- Three-inning win for the Cavs. Shannon Cloke 2-3, 2B, 3 RBIs; Corrie Snyder picked up the win with 6 strikeouts during 3 innings of work

NONLEAGUE

Liberty 2, Pottsville 1 -- Nicole Iasiello hit a home run.

Pleasant Valley 2, Northampton 1 -- K-Kids limited to two hits, both by Kendel Reed. For the Bears, Jordan Meckes 2-3, R; Madison Shaneberger 2-3, R; Tracey Deubler 1-2, 3B, RBI.

UPDATED STANDINGS

LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE

WEST DIVISION

Team                    LVC        All

Emmaus                6-4        9-5

Allen                      2-7        3-9

CCHS                    1-9        1-11

Dieruff                    0-10       0-14

NORTH DIVISION

D11-Parkland         10-0      14-0

D11-Northampton   8-2        12-3

D11-Nazareth        5-4        10-4

Whitehall              3-7        7-7

EAST DIVISION

D11-Liberty           8-2        12-2

D11-Becahi           6-3        10-4

Freedom               6-4        9-5

Easton                 3-6        7-7

COLONIAL LEAGUE

NORTH DIVISION

Team                    CL        All

D11-Pen Argyl     10-2       11-4

D11-Catasauqua   9-3        11-3

D11-Bangor          9-4        10-5

Northwestern        7-6        9-7

No. Lehigh            5-6        6-8

Palmerton            5-7        9-7

SOUTH DIVISION

Southern Lehigh   7-4       9-5

D11-Salisbury      8-5       10-6

Wilson                8-5      10-5

Palisades            3-8       4-9

Saucon Valley     2-10      2-13

Notre Dame         0-13      0-14

MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE

Team                    MVC    All

D11-Pleasant Vly  7-0      9-3

D11-Stroudsburg   7-1      9-3

Lehighton              4-4      6-8

ES North               3-4     5-6

ES South             2-5      2-9

PM East               1-5     3-9

PM West             0-5      2-10

D11: Clinched District 11 tournament berth.