FAYETTEVILLE — Molly Keefer drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Chambersburg a 7-6 lead over Central Dauphin, and pitcher Mackenzie Stake made the lead stand up in the seventh for a huge Mid Penn Commonwealth win Tuesday at Norlo Park.
“It was a huge win,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “The girls felt like they gave one away yesterday (loss to Waynesboro), and they really accepted the challenge today. I was really proud of them for responding.”
Chambersburg (5-3 (5-2 MPC) struck for 3 runs in the bottom of the first inning off Rams ace Kristin Cusick, with the big hit a 2-run double by Brooklyn Miller. But CD came back with 5 in the third, helped along by 3 Trojan errors. By the bottom of the sixth, Central Dauphin led 6-4.
But after pushing across a run to make it a one-run game, Keefer dialed up a base hit to bring in two runners and give Chambersburg the lead for good.
“I challenged Molly to be the hero in her last at-bat and she produced,” Skultety said.
Stake went the distance for the victory, allowing 7 hits and one walk while striking out 6.
Kirsten Johnson and Kara Neidigh each had a pair of hits to lead the 8-hit Trojan attack.
Skultety said, “This is the type of win to build on and get us going for the rest of the year. The girls refused to lose.”
The Rams, who began the day in first place in the division, are 8-3 (6-2 MPC).