Kim Cherry smashed a triple and two doubles on her way to collecting five RBIs while leading Tyrone to a 15-2 mercy-rule victory over Bellwood-Antis in the opening contest for each team.
The Lady Blue Devils, who feature five freshmen in their starting lineup, opted to pitch around Cherry in the first inning, but the Lady Eagles still managed to score five runs in the inning.
Bellwood-Antis starter Emily Derr issued walks to Cherry and three other Tyrone hitters while giving up three singles, including a two-run single by opposing pitcher Laura Thompson.
“With five freshmen in the lineup playing their first varsity game, I knew there would be jitterbugs which some of the walks can be attributed to, but I think the girls really calmed down after that first inning,” Bellwood-Antis Head Coach Alex Sitman said.
Thompson battled her own case of wildness in the bottom of the first inning, hitting Bellwood-Antis leadoff hitter Pam Weyandt and walking the next two batters to lead the bases with no outs.
A force out at home on a fielder\’s choice and a strike out gave Thompson an opportunity to escape unscathed, but Derr reached on an infield single to put the Lady Blue Devils on the board.
Thompson regained her composure and struck out Danielle Riley to halt the Bellwood-Antis rally.
With two runners on, Cherry made the score 7-1 with a two-run triple in the second inning. Cherry doubled in her next two at bats, bringing in three more runs and scoring one herself.
“That\’s probably the best Kim has hit the ball in her career,” Tyrone Head Coach Lois Loncher said. “There seemed to always be runners on when she came up, and her hitting was crucial.”
Cherry\’s final hit, a double in the fifth inning, drove in the 12th Tyrone run of the game, which made the game eligible to end after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. The Lady Eagles added three insurance runs following Cherry\’s double.
Thompson then made short work of the Lady Blue Devils be retiring them in order for the second straight inning.
The Lady Blue Devils managed only one extra base hit, a double by Jenna Brown when two Tyrone outfielders collided, and recorded only three hits total, but Sitman saw encouraging signs from some of the solid hit balls that ended up as outs.
“We hit the ball well, and the girls made some good defensive plays,” Sitman said. “They just need some games under their belt, and they\’ll get there. The pitching has come a long way.”
Loncher believes Tyrone, playing with a large number of freshmen as well, will take a lot away from the victory.
“This really helps with our younger kids\’ confidence,” Loncher said. “Quite a few haven\’t played at the varsity level, and this will help us play with confidence.”
The Lady Blue Devils will be back in action Tuesday when they host Bishop Guilfoyle at 3:30 p.m. The Tyrone girls host defending Class-AA state champion Bald Eagle Area at the Harry Sickler Athletic Complex on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Tyrone 15 Bellwood-Antis 2
TYRONE – Ripka, ss, 3-3-2; Pennabaker, cf, 3-4-2; Cherry, c, 3-2-3; Turiano 3-2-0; Kobuck, 1b, 3-2-1; A. Shultz, lf, 3-0-1; Glashauser, rf, 1-1-1; Thompson, p, 2-0-1; S. Shultz, cr-ph, 1-1-0; Garbinski, 2b, 4-0-0. TOTALS 26-15-11.
BELLWOOD-ANTIS – Weyandt, cf, 2-0-0; Baldauf, ss, 2-1-0; Putt, dp, 2-0-0; Pfhlaer, 1b, 2-0-1; Askey, c, 2-0-0; Derr, p, 2-0-1; Riley, lf, 2-0-0; Brown, 3b, 2-1-1; Snyder, rf, 2-0-0; Hamer, flex, 0-0-0. TOTALS 18-2-3.
Score by innings
Tyrone 524 04X X 15-11-0
Bellwood-Antis 110 00X X 2- 3- 4
3B: Cherry
2B: Cherry 2, Brown.
RBI: Cherry 5, Thompson 2, Turiano 2, Pennabaker, A. Shultz, Snyder, Derr.
SO: Thompson 6, Derr 1.
BB: Thompson 2, Derr 9.
WP: Thompson LP: Derr.
