Shore minor softball advances to state championship after defeating Bullskin
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STRODES MILLS – The Mifflin County Little League softball League hosted the 8-10 year old all-star softball tournament this past weekend at Strodes Mills.
The tournament was a full four days of constant action culminating in a Sunday of championship action. Eight teams from all over the state merged on the Strodes Mills complex with the hopes of punching their ticket to the Eastern Regionals held this year in Mountain Top.
In the opening action, Jersey Shore and Bullskin met up in the semifinals with the winner moving on to the title tilt.
The game was a nailbiter but Jersey Shore came out victorious, 5-4.
Bullskin won the toss and chose to be the home team.
In the opening at-bats, Jersey Shore led off the game with a double to left by Faith Wrench. She stole third and scored on a double by Sophia Lehman. Lehman advanced to this on the throw home and later stole home, scoring Jersey Shore's second run of the inning.
Wrench and her Bulldog defense kept Bullskin off the scoreboard in the first.
In the bottom of the second, Bullskin added a run as Emma Rhodes started at first on a walk and stole second, third and home, cutting it to a 2-1 contest.
Bullskin picked up its first hit of the game in the bottom of the third when Camden Wallace hit one back up the middle.
However, she was left stranded as Wrench struck out her sixth, seventh and eighth batters.
Jersey Shore started the fourth with some strong batting at the plate. Riley Bowmaster walked and eventually scored and Lehman made her second hit of the game. Lehman stole home, upping it to a 4-1 advantage. Cali Black also scored via a stolen base, upping the lead to 5-1.
Bullskin refused to go away. In the bottom of the fourth Lia Hiles started off the inning with a walk. That was followed by Kendall Minnick blasting a double.
Teammate Nikki Hall sent a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Hiles. Emma Rhodes grounded in Minnck hustling out an infield single.
Hardy did it from the offensive side as well, closing things in on Jersey Shore by stealing home, making it a 5-4 game.
Going into their final at-bats, Jersey Shore held a 5-4 advantage.
Kendra Minnick came in as relief and had her team behind by just one run as the team.
Londen Wallace led off the inning with a walk but was thrown out trying to steal second. Isabella Kezmarsky reached base on a walk as well. Hiles singled, putting runners on first and second.
Wrench notched a strike out and ground out to preserve the 5-4 win.