WILKES-BARRE — The beginning of the game was exactly what a struggling Berwick team wanted on Wednesday. A two-run double by Emma Welsh and three mistakes by Holy Redeemer resulted in three runs.
Redeemer secured the win with two solo home runs in the first inning, leading to an 8-3 victory over Berwick in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 softball game.
Bella Boylan and Abby Williams hit the home runs for Redeemer (5-1 Div. 2, 7-3 overall) as they stayed competitive with first-place Lake-Lehman (7-0 Div. 2, 10-1). The two teams will face each other on Monday at Lehman.
Berwick's divisional championship hopes are nearly over as their record fell to 4-3 in the division and 7-5 overall. The team has now lost five out of their last six games and is also losing ground to Wyoming Area for the fourth seed in the District 2 Class 4A playoffs. The top-four teams are guaranteed home games.
“The last two weeks have been frustrating,” said Berwick coach Emily Johnson. “We've faced tough opponents, but I truly believe in our team and think we're not playing to our potential.”
Berwick scored three times in the top of the first inning with the help of two throwing errors and a fielding error.
“I wasn’t concerned,” said Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis. “But when it was happening, I was thinking, ‘What are they doing?’ That's why I went out there.”
After Welsh's double in the first inning, Berwick struggled to generate offense. Redeemer pitcher Ann Carter retired 18 of the next 19 batters. The shaky defense improved and caused frustration for Berwick batters.
Despite hitting three consecutive line drives, Berwick's hits were all caught by Redeemer fielders. Second baseman Grace Stetz-Madden caught a line drive from Giana Berlin, resulting in an inning-ending double play in the third.
Berwick's Makayla Brown and Nicole Yankowsky hit powerful shots to start the fourth inning but both were denied hits. Williams, Redeemer’s shortstop, jumped high to catch Brown’s line drive, and third baseman Zoe Pecuch made a diving catch to grab Yankowsky’s hit.
After Welsh’s double in the first inning, Berwick did not get another hit until Eden Savoy singled with two outs in the seventh.
By that time, Redeemer used a five-run fourth inning to take an 8-3 lead, scoring all of their runs with two outs.
Boylan's single was followed by an RBI single by Pecuch, and then another single by Williams. Carter then walked, and both Katie Genovese and Kaylee Grabowski hit two-run singles.
Holy Redeemer 8, Berwick 3
Berwick`AB`R`H`BI
Corro lf`3`0`0`0
Lewis ss`3`1`0`0
Starr cf`2`1`1`0
Welsh cf`2`1`1`0
Berlin dp`3`0`0`0
Brown p`3`0`0`0
Yankowsky 3b`3`0`0`0
Savoy 1b`3`0`1`0
Siegel rf`3`0`0`0
Kennedy 2b/fx`0`0`0`0
Totals`26`3`3`2
Holy Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI
Boylan cf`4`2`2`1
Pecuch 3b`3`1`2`1
Williams ss`4`2`2`1
Carter p`3`1`0`0
Genovese c`3`1`1`2
Gryboski 1b`3`0`2`2
Stetz-Madden 2b`3`0`0`0
Hayden rf`3`0`0`0
Lombardi lf`2`1`2`0
Totals`28`8`11`7
Berwick`300`000`0 — 3
Holy Redeemer`210`500`x — 8
2B — Welsh, Pecuch. HR — Boylan, Williams.
Berwick`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Brown (L)`6`11`8`7`2`4
Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Carter (W)`7`3`3`1`0`4
