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WILKES-BARRE — Just when it seems like an opponent — and there hasn’t been many this season — looks like its going to give Holy Redeemer a tough time, it happens.
Bang. Big inning. Game all but over.
The fifth was when Redeemer struck Thursday, using a grand slam by Allyson Laiuvara on the way to a 10-0 victory in six innings over Northwest in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 3 softball game.
Redeemer (11-0) clinched its fifth consecutive WVC Division 3 title with the win. The Royals are 59-0 in divisional play since 2013, but are taking their dominance a step further this season. They have outscored their divisional opponents 130-0. They finish off the regular season with consecutive games against winless GAR on Friday and Monday and then play Meyers on Wednesday.
“It’s a good winning streak so we’re going to keep it going as long as we could,” said Redeemer third baseman Brittany Hebda, who reached base four times. “We’re not going to slack off on anybody.”
Laiuvara wasn’t slacking off at the plate, but did admit she was in a slump. She broke out of it in a big way.
After Laiuvara flying out to deep center in the second, with Northwest center fielder Brooke Harvey making the catch at the fence, she singled and later scored in the fourth and her grand slam to center pushed the lead to 9-0.
“I’m more worried about (hitting) line drives especially since I was in a slump for a little while,” Laiuvara said. “It felt nice, especially for my team.”
Redeemer hit the 10-run rule mark in a painful way in the sixth. Kristen Coffay walked and Morgan Bienkowski doubled to put runners on second and third. The next two batters — Hebda and Abby Shorts — were hit by pitches to end the game.
Redeemer led just 3-0 entering the fourth, with Tiana Wren’s homer, Shorts’ ground out and Hebda’s single accounting for the runs. A big inning, though, kept lurking as usual and it came in the fifth.
“They’re better at it,” Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis said. “I don’t know what it is. It could be they’re seeing the ball better that inning, have seen the pitcher a couple times, knowing what you have to do, seeing how they defense things. Whatever it is, they do what they have to do.”
Northwest (7-5) played the closest divisional game against Redeemer — a 7-0 loss on April 18. Coach Kevin Harvey thought his team hit well in that setback. Thursday was different. Reagan Harrison had the only hit, a clean ground single to left in the first inning. After that, the Rangers had their next 16 batters retired in order with 11 — including the last six — striking out.
Northwest is done with Redeemer for the year. The Rangers will be in the District 2 Class 2A playoffs, while Redeemer bumped up to 3A under the PIAA’s new six classification system. The Royals won the last two PIAA 2A state championships.
“For us it’s easy,” Northwest coach Kevin Harvey said. “District playoffs are coming and we won’t have to deal with Holy Redeemer. Hopefully, we don’t run into anybody else with that kind of pitching staff. I think we will match up fairly with what we have to face in districts. We should be a tough out.”
Hanover Area 15,
GAR 0
Sarah Tuzinski tossed a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts in the Hawkeyes’ five-inning victory. She added a double at the plate while Tiffany Eustice homered. Eustice and Shannon Keating had three hits apiece.
Chloe Sromovoski had the lone hit for the Grenadiers.
Pittston Area 7,
Crestwood 4
Madisyn Antal hit a three-run double in the top of the seventh as Pittston Area rallied for five runs to defeat Crestwood.
The Patriots finished with six doubles, with Gabby Para and Alexa McHugh hitting two each. Nina Cencetti picked up the win, pitching two innings of relief with three strikeouts.
Katie Thomas had a double and single for Crestwood. Sydney Sobolewski added two singles.
Wyoming Area 9,
Coughlin 5
Kristi Skok and Julia Kopetchny had two RBI each as Wyoming Area held off a late Coughlin rally attempt.
Freshman Tinsley Sarnak pitched the victory.
Sarah Mayhue and Ashley Tomeo had two hits each for Coughlin.
Hazleton Area 10,
Wyo. Val. West 9
Hazleton Area scored twice in the bottom of the seventh after Wyoming Valley West took a 9-8 lead in the top of the frame to escape with a win.
Kyra Antolick and Megan Trivelpiece homered for the Cougars. Marissa Trivelpiece was 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Hope Kinney also had a RBI.
Meyers 13,
MMI Prep 3 (6 inn.)
Alexis Bruno pitched a four-hitter and knocked in three runs as Meyers took control with a five-run fourth inning.
Sara Morris was 4 for 5 with four RBI for the Mohawks. Erin Morris had two RBI.
Maddie Perchak had a double and single to pace MMI.
Holy Redeemer 10, Northwest 0 (6 inn.)
Northwest`AB`R`H`BI
Harvey cf`3`0`0`0
RHarrison 2b`2`0`1`0
TBabcock ss`2`0`0`0
NCragle p`2`0`0`0
BBabcock 3b`2`0`0`0
CCragle c`2`0`0`0
Wufsus lf`2`0`0`0
Kline dp`2`0`0`0
Culver rf`1`0`0`0
Sorber ph`1`0`0`0
JHarrison 1b`0`0`0`0
Totals`21`0`1`0
Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI
Wren cf`4`1`1`1
Coffay p`3`3`3`0
Bienkwski ss`3`2`2`0
Hebda 3b`2`1`2`1
Shorts c`2`0`0`3
Armstrng 1b`2`1`0`0
Laiuvara lf`3`2`2`4
J0sefwicz dp`3`0`1`0
Kuhar rf`0`0`0`0
Totals`22`10`11`9
Northwest`000`000`—`0
Redeemer`201`151`—`10
2B — Bienkowski 2, Hebda. HR — Wren, Laiuvara.
Northwest`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
NCragle (W)`5.0`10`9`8`1`0
Harvey`1.0`1`1`1`1`0
Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Coffay (W)`3.0`1`0`0`0`4
Bienkowski`3.0`0`0`0`0`7
Hanover Area 15, GAR 0 (5 inn.)
Hanover Area` `425`31`—`15
GAR` `000`00`—`0
Pitching — HAN, Sarah Tuzinski (WP) 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K. GAR, Chloe Sromovoski (LP) 5.0 IP, 14 H, 15 R, 10 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.
Top hitters — HAN, Tuzinski 2-4, double; Tiffany Eustice 3-4, home run; Shannon Keating 3-4. GAR, Sromovoski single.
Wyoming Area 9, Coughlin 5
Coughlin`000`031`1`—`5
Wyo Area`013`023`x`—`9
Pitching —COU, Brittany Nastawa (L) 6 IP, 12 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO. WA, Tinsley Sarnak (W) 4 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, o SO. Cassidy Graham 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0. Gwen Glatz 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO.
Top Hitters — COU, Sarah Mayhue 2-3; Ashley Tomeo 2-3, double. WA, Jess Parente 2-4, triple, RBI; Bri Pizzano 3-4, double, RBI; Kristi Skok 2-4, double, 2 RBI; Julia Kopetchny 2-4, 2 RBI.
Pittston Area 7, Coughlin 4
Pittston Area`001`010`5`—`7
Crestwood`100`120`0`—`4
Pitching — PA, Alexa McHugh 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO; Nina Cencetti (W) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO. CRE, Haley Naperkowski (L) 6 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO; Abby Waite 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO.
Top Hitters — Gabby Para single, 2 doubles; Lexi Felinski single, double; McHugh single, 2 doubles; Madisyn Antal single, double, 3 RBI. CRE, Sydney Sobolewski 2 hits; Katie Thomas single, double; Kayla Kulp hit; Sarah Macko hit; Emily Traficante hit.
Meyers 13, MMI Prep 3 (6 inn.)
MMI`002`010`—`3
Meyers`2000`542`—`13
Pitching — MMI, Olivia Minzola (L) 6 IP, 16 H, 13 R, 9 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO. MEY, Alexis Bruno (W) 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 9 SO.
Top Hitters — MMI, Maddie Perchak 2-3, double; Gabriella Kupsho 1-1; Caelyn McGran 1-2. MEY, Sarah Morris 4-5, 4 RBI; Erin Morris 2-4, double, 2 RBI; Alexis Bruno 3-3, double, 3 RBI; Ashley Bruno 2-4; Lydia McFarlane 2-4.
