(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – Little went wrong as No. 7 Wilson handled No. 10 Rosemont in five innings in the United East Championship first round game on a warm, sunny spring Wednesday. The Phoenix battery carried a no-hitter into the fifth while the offense belted out 16 hits to eliminate the Ravens.
Three pitchers combined for the dominant affair as
Julia Wilkes (FY, Abingdon, Md. / John Carroll) started the game,
Elena Worthington (So., Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) pitched the third and fourth innings, while
Rylee Piper (So., Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) closed it out in the fifth. At the plate, the Blue and Whites' 3-4-5-6 starting hitters went a combined 10-for-10, scored nine runs, and tallied seven RBIs for more than enough run support.
The Basics
Score: No. 7 Wilson 12, No. 10 Rosemont 1
Venue: Wilson Softball Field
Records: Wilson 21-13, Rosemont 11-26
How It Happened
- Fresh off a no-hitter on Sunday, Wilkes set the tone early. Although the first batter reached on a wild pitch after striking out and another batter walked, Wilkes got out of the jam with two more strikeouts and a fly out to right.
- The flood gates opened in the bottom of the first as Wilson scored early and often. Katelyn Keller (FY, Orrtanna, Pa. / Gettysburg), Kayla Talbert (So., Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown / Saint Peter's), Sydney Hartle (FY, Keedysville, Md. / Boonsboro), and Carleigh Magers (FY, Mt. Airy, Md. / Urbana) all hit in runs on base hits for a quick 4-0 lead. Lindsey Dalenberg (So., Niles, Mich. / Edwardsburg) drove in another with a base hit up the middle while Jenna Weaver (FY, Camp Hill, Pa. / Cedar Cliff) put the finishing touches with a double to right center in her second at bat to score a second pair.
- The Phoenix didn't slow down and added another trio of runs in the second. Keller led off with a bunt single and was brought in on a triple by Talbert. Hartle singled in Talbert through the left side and Madison Briggs (Jr., Lock Haven, Pa. / Central Mountain) made it 10-0 as she drove in Hartle with a base hit up the middle.
- Worthington entered in the third and promptly retired the order with a pair of ground outs to Briggs and Talbert as well as a fly out to Payton Kendall (Sr., McConnellsburg, Pa. / Forbes Road) after she chased it down in foul territory just before the fence. In the bottom of the frame, Morgan McMaster (FY, Chambersburg, Pa. / Cumberland Valley Christian) delivered an RBI as Keller scored from third on a ground out and Magers brought in Talbert with a deep shot to center to make it 12-0.
- Rosemont eventually got on the board in the fifth as back-to-back hits ended a second consecutive no-hit bid as well as the shutout. Josie Krieman hit a sharp single down the third base line that literally hit the bag and bounced 15 feet in the air. She scored on the next play as Kendyll Strohl doubled to right center. No further damage was done as Strohl was left stranded as the next two batters grounded out.
Inside The Numbers
- Of the 16 hits Wilson recorded, 13 came in the first two innings to help build a 10-0 lead.
- Coupled with Sunday's no-hitter, Wilkes has now tossed 8.0 consecutive innings of hitless softball.
- Worthington was the pitcher of record as she threw a pair of perfect innings in the third and fourth. She is now 5-3 on the season.
- Keller and Magers each went 3-for-3 on the day. Keller scored thrice and drove in one while Magers scored once and drove in a pair.
- In the last three games, Keller has gone 8-for-11 with seven RBIs and seven runs scored.
- Keller was a speed demon on the base paths as she swiped four bags. She now has 24 stolen bases on the season in 25 attempts.
- Talbert recorded her team-leading eighth multiple RBI game of the season.
- Weaver extended her reached base streak to a team-best 11 games.
- Ten different players recorded hits for the Phoenix.
Up Next
The Phoenix will now head to Media, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia to take on Penn State Brandywine in the second round which is a best-of-three series. Games 1 and 2 will take place on Friday starting at 4:30 p.m. If necessary, Game 3 will be on Saturday.
