Becahi rallies past Donegal 5-2, advances to the PIAA 3A softball quarters

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

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Bethlehem Catholic rallied from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 and then erupted for three runs in the bottom of the sixth on Monday night to post a 5-2 win over Donegal in a PIAA 3A softball first-round game at Patriots Park.

The Lehigh Valley Conference and District 11 champion Golden Hawks (22-2) advance to Thursday's quarterfinals against either District One champ Nazareth Academy or District 12's Franklin Towne Charter. Those teams were rained out on Monday and will play at 4 p.m. today at Plymouth-Whitemarsh.

Becahi won a state playoff game for the first time since 2009 when it advanced to the PIAA 3A title game.

This one was a back-and-forth battle.

Donegal scored in the top of the fourth when Katrina Martin and Erin Tirko singled and winning pitcher Joelle Morey couldn't handle Lindsey Mackley's comebacker.

Becahi came right back to tie it in the bottom of the  fourth on a single by Morey, two wild pitches and a sacrifice fly by Kate Yanders.

However, Donegal, the No. 3 team out of District 3, came back again and regained the lead in the fifth when Hayley Bollinger doubled and scored on Madi Emenheiser's infield single up the middle.

Becahi got the tying run in the last of the fifth on a RBI by Jackie DeSarro.

Morey retired Donegal 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, but the Golden Hawks put together the winning rally in the bottom of the sixth when Julia Madison and Jean Markovic set the stage with infield singles. Marissa Merriman moved up Madison and courtesy runner Angelys Cotto with a sacrifice bunt.

The runners held as Lauren Visconti grounded to third, but junior Emily Brandstetter came up with the biggest hit of the game with a sinking liner to center that fell for a go-ahead, two-run double. DeSarro then capped the inning with a RBI single.

"When you have six seniors who have been playing this long, you kind of expect them to battle back like they did today," Becahi coach Rich Mazza. "We were hitting the ball pretty well, but for a long time nothing was happening.

"Our seniors will have graduation on Thursday, but they will now have to play earlier to play earlier in the day. They're going to be ready."

Donegal  --- 000 110 0 -- 2 5 0

Becahi --- 000 113 x -- 5 12 1

Leaman and Emenheiser; Morey and Markovic.