Minor softball all-stars end run with win in consolation game

The St. Marys Minor League all-star softball team saw their final action in the 2021 8-10-Year-Old Little League Softball Pennsylvania State Tournament in Fairchance on Saturday afternoon as they defeated Bullskin Township Little League by a score of 5-3 in a consolation game.

St. Marys advanced to the tournament as the Section 1 champion while Bullskin Township was the Section 2 champion.

Both teams opened play on Thursday, with St. Marys losing to North Pocono Dandy Lion Little League by a score of 11-1 and Bullskin Township losing to Northwest by a score of 9-7. In loser’s bracket games played on Friday, St. Marys lost to Lower Perkiomen by a score of 5-4, and Bullskin Township lost to Central Columbia 13-3.

A strikeout, a groundout, and another strikeout sent batters for Bullskin Township down in order in the top of the opening inning of Saturday’s consolation game. St. Marys scored their first run in the home half of the inning as Lanie Weisner hit a two-out triple and then scored on a single by Bella Dixon. A groundout left Dixon stranded.

St. Marys held a 1-0 lead after one inning of play.

A leadoff hit batter gave Bullskin Township their first base runner of the game in the top of the second inning. However, the next three batters all struck out, preventing the team from scoring.

St. Marys added another run to their lead in the home half of the inning as Mia Azzato led off with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball, and later stole home. The run increased St. Marys’ lead to 2-0.

A leadoff walk to start the third inning once again gave Bullskin Township a base runner, but the next three batters all went down in order.

St. Marys scored their final three runs in the home half of the inning.

With one out, Anna Lanzel drew a walk, and then Weisner and Dixon hit back-to-back singles. All three would go on to score. Azzato also hit a two-out double in the inning but was left stranded.

The inning ended with St. Marys leading 5-0.

Bullskin Township got on the board with their first run in the top of the fourth inning and also left a runner stranded following a two-out walk.

Anna Geci led off the bottom of the inning with a single for St. Marys, and then Avery Stauffer was hit by a pitch with one out to join her. However, a strikeout and a lineout left both stranded.

St. Marys held a 5-1 lead at the end of the inning.

Bullskin Township scored their final two runs in the top of the fifth. A one-out error gave the team a base runner, and then the next batter drew a walk. A fielder’s choice allowed one run to score but erased the runner at second for the second out. A twoout triple resulted in another run scoring before a strikeout brought St. Marys back up to bat.

Lilah Forster reached base on an error with one out in the bottom of the inning, and then Lexi Sarginger drew a twoout walk to join her. However, a groundout left both stranded and ended the inning with St. Marys holding a 5-3 lead.

A trio of strikeouts sent batters for Bullskin Township down in order in the top of the sixth, securing the 5-3 consolation game victory for St. Marys.

The St. Marys allstars ended their season as one of the top eight Minor League teams in the state. St. Marys won both the District 10 and Section 1 titles.

Members of the team were Avery Stauffer, Anna Lanzel, Lanie Weisner, Bella Dixon, Violet Eckels, Addie O’Dell, Anna Geci, Kara Fleming, Mia Azzato, Ava Slinkosky, Lilah Forster, Lexi Sarginger,

and Ava Keebler. The manager was Eric Weisner, and the assistant coaches were Kevin Lanzel, Tony Azzato, Josh O’Dell, and Joe Fleming.

Also on Saturday, North Pocono advanced to the championship game as the undefeated team with an 8-0 victory over Avon Grove in the final of the winner’s bracket. Avon Grove will take on the winner of an elimination game between Lower Perkiomen and Central Columbia at 6 p.m. Monday in the final of the loser’s bracket. The winner of that game will play North Pocono for the state title at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. In the event an “if necessary” game is needed, it will be played at 6 p.m. Tuesday.