HS SOFTBALL: Pine Grove wins Schuylkill League championship

May 19--ORWIGSBURG -- "Cardinal Chaos'' carried Pine Grove to the Spotts Insurance Group Schuylkill League Softball Championship.

Slapping and running, bunting and running, stealing and always looking to take the extra base, Pine Grove tore down Tamaqua's defense in a 7-3 victory Thursday night at Blue Mountain's Patton Field.

"This is what we wanted the whole season,'' senior second baseman Jen Kaufman said. "We worked hard for it, and now we're finally here.''

The league title is the Cardinals' third since the league playoffs returned in 2009. Pine Grove also earned Schuylkill gold in 2010 and 2012.

The Cards finished as league runner-up to Williams Valley last season, and most of the players from that team returned for this go-around.

This time, Pine Grove would not be denied.

For the third time this season against Tamaqua, the Cardinals (20-2) scored in the first inning and made the Blue Raiders (18-5) play from behind the rest of the game.

"The kids really, really wanted this,'' Pine Grove coach Ryan Leffler said. "Goal No. 1 for them was to win leagues. They got something accomplished today. That feels good. They worked so hard for it. I'm just so proud of them.''

If you want an example of how Pine Grove won this game, consider Kate Rittenbaugh's trip around the bases in the bottom of the first inning.

Leading off, Rittenbaugh hit a one-hopper to shortstop. Sprinting down the line, she forced an errant throw and reached on the error. On the next pitch, Rittenbaugh stole second base. She took third on a passed ball and scored on Kaufman's RBI groundout to third base.

When the throw went across the diamond, Rittenbaugh broke for the plate and deftly slid around catcher Brooke Zellner's tag to make it 1-0 two batters in.

"I think that is the philosophy of our game,'' Kaufman said. "We put the pressure on them, and they have to make the plays.''

Rittenbaugh and Kaufman -- Nos. 1 and 2 in the PGA lineup -- got on base twice apiece, and they scored both times they reached. When Pine Grove gets four runs out of those two players, it's really tough to beat.

Tamaqua likes to do something similar with its top two batters, but winning pitcher Liv Lehman held them to a 1-for-7 day with a walk and no runs scored.

Rittenbaugh and Kaufman led off the third with infield singles, and two errors and a wild pitch produced two more runs for a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Pine Grove bunched a leadoff walk, five hits, two Tamaqua errors and two stolen bases to push four more runs across the plate. When the dust settled, the Cards led 7-0.

Early in that inning, Faith Sleva raced first to third on Avery Nagle's perfectly placed drag-bunt single. Nagle bunted past the pitcher into the open space vacated by the second baseman. That put runners at the corners with one out and set the tone for the big inning.

"You can't really play with the amount of errors we committed,'' Tamaqua coach Jillian Barron said. "I can't really explain it. ... That's the most errors we've given up all season.''

In the sixth inning, Pine Grove's defense stumbled, making three errors. Tamaqua took advantage to cut the deficit to four runs.

Miranda Chinchar led off with a single and raced to third on an outfield error. Cailyn Joseph followed with a single to drive her in.

After another error kept the inning alive, Jane Kupchinsky hit a bloop, two-run double to make it 7-3.

After Joseph's single, Jada Schellhammer lined into a 4-3 double play. If not for that, Tamaqua's rally inning could have been much bigger.

Now both teams will turn their attention to the District 11 playoffs. In the new six classifications, Pine Grove is Class AAA. Tamaqua is Class 4A. The Cardinals are the defending District 11 Class AA champion and reached the state semifinals last season.

"This is just the start,'' Kaufman said. "We have a long way to go yet.''

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Game Summary

Schuylkill League Championship

At Patton Field, Orwigsburg

TAMAQUA (3) -- Hoffman ss 3 0 0 0, Zellner c 4 0 1 0, Trevorah cr 0 0 0 0, Chinchar 1b 4 1 2 0, Joseph cf 3 0 1 1, Schellhammer p 3 0 0 0, Stauffenberg dp 3 1 2 0, Frederickson 2b 2 1 1 0, Kupchinsky rf 3 0 1 2, Matsago lf 3 0 0 0, Donnon 3b 0 0 0 0. Totals 28 3 8 3.

PINE GROVE (7) -- Rittenbaugh ss 4 2 1 0, Kaufman 2b 4 2 2 1, Kopinetz c 3 0 1 1, Behrent cr 0 0 0 0, Becher dp 3 0 2 0, Hasenauer 1b 3 0 0 0, L. Lehman p 2 0 2 0, M. Lehman cr 0 0 0 0, Sleva 3b 2 1 0 0, Nagle cf 3 1 1 0, Schaeffer lf 2 1 1 1, Hindman ph 1 0 0 0, Kershner rf 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 7 10 3.

Tam (18-5) 000 003 0 -- 3

PG (20-2) 102 400 x -- 7

E -- Tamaqua 6, Pine Grove 3. DP -- Tamaqua 1, Pine Grove 1. LOB -- Tamaqua 5, Pine Grove 4. 2B -- Kupchinsky, L. Lehman. SB -- Rittenbaugh, Kaufman, Schaeffer. S -- Frederickson, Sleva.

Tamaqua IP H R ER BB K

Schlhmr L,16-5 6 10 7 3 1 2

Pine Grove IP H R ER BB K

L.Lhmn W,17-1 7 8 3 1 1 3

WP -- Schellhammer. PB -- Zellner. T -- 1:34.

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