FAYETTEVILLE — Chambersburg totaled 10 hits and scored 7 runs in just 4 innings against Stella Gasper, one of the best pitchers in District 3.
But the Trojans could not put away opportunistic Central Dauphin, which, thanks in part to a bevy of Chambersburg errors, scored 6 runs in the final 2 innings to swipe a 12-10 Mid Penn Commonwealth victory at Norlo Park on Monday evening.
Samantha Paetow
"This one is going to sting for awhile," Trojan coach Chris Skultety said in front of a somber home dugout.
Chambersburg (8-2, 3-2 MPC) scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to bump its lead to 10-6 and pitcher Kori Leedy got the first two outs of the sixth inning in quick order.
Kayla Fletcher got the Rams (7-2, 4-2 MPC) started with a spinning ball that was not caught by the third baseman. Leedy then induced a pop-up into short left field, but the ball was dropped for an error. Leedy walked Allie Wenrich intentionally — not surprising, since she had belted two home runs earlier — then Gasper ripped a double to right-center that brought in all 3 runners and got CD to within 10-9.
With the score still 10-9 entering the seventh, Leedy got a strikeout to start, and Maddie Paul hit a high fly ball that was over-run by the rightfielder and the ball hit the grass. Rachel Burke then blasted a two-run home run to right-center to put the Rams ahead, 11-10.
Fletcher then manufactured an insurance run by hitting a single, stealing second and racing home when an attempted pick-off throw to second went into centerfield.
Of CD's 12 runs, only 4 were earned runs. Chambersburg made 8 errors.
Skultety said, "That was the worst defensive game I've seen us have in nine years. Missing routine fly balls and routine ground balls. Throwing the ball away. Not covering bases on bunts. It was like we were in a funk on defense."
When Chambersburg was hitting, it was a different situation. Finding themselves down 4-0 after two and a half innings (on 3-run and solo homers from Wenrich), the Trojans got right back in it with a four-run third inning.
Bree Paetow reached on an error, Addison Gsell singled and Sam Paetow pounded a shot over the fence in left-center to make it 4-3. Saleen Null got a base hit and eventually scored when the Rams misplayed a single by Malia Cramer.
In the fourth, with two outs and nobody on, the Trojans got to Gasper again. Bree Paetow singled, stole second and scampered home on a Gsell base hit. Sam Paetow then tagged a Gasper pitch deep to left, well over the fence, to put her team up 7-4.
"When you can hit Gasper that hard, you should win the game every time," Skultety said. "Our hitting was great … but it was wasted."
Central Dauphin scored two unearned runs in the fifth on a walk and two errors, but Chambersburg jumped on reliever Bre Lock for three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Lauren Allison, Brooke Leedy and Bree Paetow hit singles, Sanay Jones and Sam Paetow walked and Gsell hit a sacrifice fly.
It could have been more, but CD shortstop Fletcher stretched and snagged a roasted line drive by Null for the final out.
That 10-6 lead looked good, especially with just four outs to get.
Skultety said, "Leedy pitched pretty well. She made a few mistakes, but her defense let her down."
NOTES: For the Rams, Fletcher was 4-for-5 and Burke went 3-for-4 … For the Trojans, Null was 3-for-4 and Sam Paetow had 5 RBIs … Chambersburg out-hit CD, 13-10, but the Rams had only 3 errors, all in the third inning … The Trojans were missing first baseman Karley Skultety, who was ill.
