4-0 AT THE BEACH! The softball team strung together some impressive come-from-behind victories down in Myrtle Beach, S.C. at the Ripken Classic!
Day 1. Game #1 – Bethel Park 9 Patrick County 8
The Hawks walk it off in dramatic fashion as they trailed the Cougars 8-2 after two innings of play! Senior shortstop Audrey Campbell (Penn State Behrend commit) brought the Black Hawks back into the game by going 4-for-5 with two singles, a triple, and an inside-the-park home run! Campbell also knocked in a team-high four runs for Bethel Park! The Hawks claimed their first victory of the year in walk-off fashion!
Day 2. Game #2 – Bethel Park 9 South Fayette 1
Junior third-baseman Sia Spano registered two triples, an RBI, and a stolen base! Alongside teammate, junior center-fielder Courtney Roberts went OPPO-TACO with a momentum-shifting home run to right field to make it 8-1!
Senior Taylor Striegel was on the bump for the Hawks, and she was dealing to say the least! Striegel pitched 7.0 innings while surrendering only six hits and one earned run and striking out one batter! With the help of the defense behind her, the Hawks beat South Fayette in pure dominance!
Day 2 part 2. Game #3 – Bethel Park 18 Sharpsville 17
This is one of the best comeback victories in BETHEL PARK ATHLETICS HISTORY!
The Black Hawks gave up 11 runs in the first two innings. They also trailed by 9+ runs TWICE in the game. Yet, everyone in that dugout believed that if they banded together, they could make one of the most improbable comebacks you will ever see!
first inning – Bethel Park surrenders seven in the first but claws their way back with two runs of their own in the bottom half! After a hit by pitch, stolen base, and advancing to third on a wild pitch for leadoff hitter Kamiya Martin, the Hawks were able to score their first run after a sac fly by Courtney Roberts. Senior shortstop Audrey Campbell walked and stole second to get into scoring position. Junior first-baseman Madison Timms singled to center to score Campbell for the Hawks’ second run of the inning. That was all the Black Hawks could do for now.
second inning – Sharpsville was pounding the ball as they scored another four runs in the top half. However, the Black Hawks flew their way back into the game by scoring three runs off of an RBI single by Campbell, and a two RBI groundout by Roberts! The Hawks find themselves down six after two innings.
third/fourth innings – The Hawks settle in as they hold the Blue Devils to no runs in each inning. However, they gain a little momentum in the fourth inning as they get another run on the board after a double by Roberts puts her in scoring position. Following an RBI groundout by senior Sia Spano, Bethel Park cuts the Sharpsville lead to five.
fifth inning – Bethel Park loses control again as they give up four runs in the top half of the inning. Now for the second time this game, the Hawks are down by nine runs. Give up? I don’t think so…
The Hawks come back with four of their own to cut the lead back to five runs for the Blue Devils. RBI+ singles from junior Julia Bitkowski, senior Sia Spano, and junior Madison Timms were key to help them still stay in contention!
sixth inning- The Black Hawks blanked the Blue Devils in the top half, while scoring one of their own to bring it back to only four runs with a sacrifice fly by Spano to score freshman Marisa Whitmer!
seventh inning- Bethel Park gave up another two runs to Sharpsville, which makes the score 17-11. So, the Hawks would have to score six runs in the final inning to at least tie and/or possibly seven to win it!
Batter by Batter:
Sia Spano– infield single.
Madison Timms– walk, Spano advances to second.
Nina DePasquale– lines out to first baseman.
Cara Cummings– doubles to right center, scoring Spano and Timms! Sharpsville still leads 17-13 with one out in the 7th. Courtesy Runner: Whitmer for Cummings.
Emma Farrell– reaches on a hard hit ball to the second baseman. Runners now on the corners with one out.
Julia Bitkowski– fly out to left field. No runners advance.
*Hawks are down to their final out as they are still down four runs*
Kamiya Martin– doubles to left center, scoring Whitmer and Farrell. Sharpsville 17 Bethel Park 15 with two outs.
Audrey Campbell– walk, runners on first and second.
Courtney Roberts – DOUBLES!! (inches away from a home run)… Black Hawks tie it up as Martin and Campbell score!
Sia Spano – (We have now batted around)… singles through the left side to score Roberts for the winning run! The Black Hawks defeat the Blue Devils in one of the craziest games you will ever see.
Game #4 – Junior Courtney Roberts proved to be a difficult out as she went 4-for-4 with two triples, a double, single, and two RBI’s! Senior Taylor Striegel pitched her first shutout of the year while only giving up five hits and striking out two batters! Bethel Park went on to win 13-0 over JFK Catholic!
Congratulations to all of our girls and coaches as they start the year off with a bang!
The next game for the Hawks is on Monday, March 31 at Peters Township at 4 p.m.
