FAYETTEVILLE — Runs have not been hard to come by when State College and Chambersburg have met on the softball field this spring.

Such was also the case Tuesday afternoon when the teams played for the third time, but a five-run third inning by the Trojans was the difference in a 10-5 Mid Penn Commonwealth victory over the Little Lions at Norlo Park.

In three meetings, the teams have combined to score 60 runs, 36 by the Trojans in three wins.

Chambersburg is now 9-4, and its 7-2 MPC Commonwealth mark has it tied for first place with Mifflin County.

“After the loss to (Cumberland Valley), I got on the girls pretty good,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “They know what I expect of them and they are getting after it. We’re starting to click and really gel.”

They will need it, because still left on the division schedule are two games vs. Mifflin County, as well as one each against the teams directly behind them — Cedar Cliff, Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley. Plus, a home game Friday against unbeaten Central York, ranked No. 1 in the district in Class 6A.

Tuesday, the Trojans scored in all but one inning, but the five-run third did the most damage. Brooklyn Miller slammed a two-run home run to left-center field (see photo at top) to get the party started, Mackenzie Stake doubled, then Alexis Estep, Alyssa Wenger and Molly Keefer each hit RBI singles. The team had seven hits in the inning.

Skultety said, “I was happy that the girls made their pitchers work by not swinging at too many pitches early in the count. They’re all pretty good two-strike hitters. We had some good at-bats, but we could use even more quality at-bats.”

Miller also had a two-run single in the first inning and finished with four runs batted in. Keefer had two RBIs and a triple, while Haley Privett belted a pinch-hit homer in the sixth — her fourth of the season — depositing the ball well over the fence in left field.

“We’ve been working on Privett’s long swing,” Skultety said. “You saw that on the pitch before that, and we told her about it. The next pitch, she crushed it 225 feet.”

NOTES: Stake pitched the first five innings to earn the win, while Miller pitched the final two … Taylor Myers, Miller and Keefer (in photo below) each had two hits … Ashley Thomas was 3-for-4 for the Little Lions (5-7, 4-7 MPC).

Chambersburg 10, State College 5
State College: Morgan Arnold, ss 4-1-0-0, Ashley Thomas, lf 4-0-3-1, Brandi Triebold, 3b 3-0-0-1, Ashley Blumenthal, 1b 3-1-1-0, Addie Wasikonis, 2b 4-0-2-1, McKenzie Shannon, c 3-0-1-0, Sara Conklin, cf 3-1-2-1, Brittany Reese, ph 1-1-0-0, Ainsley Sheplock, rf 2-1-1-0, Lauren Alexander, ph 1-0-0-0, Sarah Bowman, dp 2-0-0-0, Emma Wolfe, p 0-0-0-0, Sophia Keene, p 0-0-0-0, Hayleigh Harpster, p 0-0-0-0, Sierra Kunis, ph 1 0-0-0. Totals 31-5-10-4.
Chambersburg: Kirsten Johnson, 2b 2-1-1-0, Summer Sellers, ph 2-0-0-0, Kara Neidigh, lf 3-1-1-0, Laikyn Wagner, ph 0-1-0-0, Taylor Myers, cf 4-1-2-0, Brooklyn Miller, 3b 3-1-2-4, Rebecca Fischer, 3b 0-0-0-0, Mackenzie Stake, p 4-1-1-0, Alexis Estep, ss 3-2-1-1, Haiden Brookens, ss 1-0-0-0, Hannah Weagley, c 2-0-1-0, Haley Privett, ph 1-1-1-1, Alyssa Wenger, rf 3-1-1-1, Molly Keefer, dp 3-0-2-2, Sara Washabaugh, 1b 0-0-0-0. Totals 31-10-13-9.
State College          020   201   0   —   5
Chambersburg      215   101   x   —   10
E — SC 1; Chbg 3. LOB — SC 10; Chbg 9. 2B — Thomas 2, Conklin; Stake. 3B — Keefer. HR — Miller (2), Privett (4). SF — Triebold; Keefer. SB — Myers, Wenger.
State College Pitching
                                      ip  h  r  er  bb  so
Wolfe, L                       2.2  9   8   8   1   2
Keene                           1.1  1   1   1   1   0
Harpster                       2    3   1   1   0   1
Chambersburg Pitching
Stake, W (5-3)              5   7   4   2   4   3
Miller                            2   3   1   0   0   1
HBP — by Wolfe (Johnson), by Harpster (Wagner). WP — Wolfe, Keene 2; Stake 2. PB — SC 1; Chbg 2.

(Photos by Darby Sell)