Taylor Myers
FAYETTEVILLE — Chambersburg’s 15-5 Mid Penn Commonwealth softball win over Cumberland Valley on Thursday at Norlo Park could be distilled down to one inning.
In the top of the third, the Eagles struck for two runs. More on that later, because it could have/should have been more.
In the bottom of the inning, with the game tied at 2-2, the Trojans (4-0, 4-0 MPC) raced around the bases and weren’t done until they had scored nine times to make it 11-2.
CV (3-2, 3-1 MPC) brought five batters to the plate in the top of the third and had three singles, a double and a walk, yet scored only twice. The Eagles had three base runners thrown out — two at third base and one at second.
“Our defense was a lot better today,” Chambersburg coach Chris Skultety said. “We worked on it and it paid off.”
CV’s Rachel Thompson led off with a single and Trystan Salvador doubled to the fence in left. But perfect throws from Kara Neidigh to Alyssa Brechbill to Haiden Brookens gunned Thompson down at third.
Salvador was also thrown out at third trying to steal, with catcher Haley Privett throwing to Brookens.
Sydney Hutcheson then walked and Alyssa Flanagan singled, and Hutcheson would have been thrown out at third, except that Brookens dropped the ball. Otherwise, she would have had three putouts in the same inning.
Instead, Kayla Vonstein singled in two runs, but she was thrown out at second trying to advance.
In the bottom of the third, the Trojan offense terrorized the Eagles with their speed.
Chambersburg racked up eight hits in the frame, stole four bases and picked up extra bases too numerous to count.
Taylor Myers, who was 4-for-4 with four runs scored, said, “We took advantage of every chance we could to steal a base or move up.”
Myers led off the inning with a single and later lined a two-run triple to left. Brechbill had RBIs on a sacrifice fly (to the second baseman) and a double. Brookens, Neidigh and Privett also drove in runs during the big inning.
“When the top of the order can get on base, like today, it makes a difference,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “That’s our brand of ball, because we have girls who can really run.”
The Eagles scored three runs in the top of the fifth off reliever Brooklyn Miller, but the Trojans came right back in the bottom of the inning with four runs to end the game.
Brechbill and Miller drove in runs and cleared the bases with two outs and a 14-5 score. Then Alyssa Wenger stepped in a clubbed a shot over the fence in left-center for a home run to end the game.
Myers, the leadoff hitter, had two previous games of 0-for-4 this season, very uncharacteristic for her. She may have found a solution.
“I broke my bat yesterday,” she said, “and I found one of my sister’s old bats and used it today. I’d been trying to slap the ball (Tuesday), but they were playing me in today so I hit away.”
Chambersburg 15, Cumberland Valley 5
CUMBERLAND VALLEY
Trystan Salvador, lf, 3-0-2-0; Sydney Hutcheson, 2b, 2-2-1-0; Alyssa Flanagan, cf, 3-2-3-1; Kayla Vonstein, 3b, 3-0-2-3; Kenzi Kapp, dp, 3-0-0-0; Caitlyn Saccory, c, 0-0-0-0; Ali Wagner, p, 2-0-0-0; Lauren Kruger, p, 0-0-0-0; Lizzy Barnett, p, 0-0-0-0; Dallas Speicher-Ramirez, ss, 2-0-1-0; Olivia Hamme, 1b, 2-1-1-0; Rachel Thompson, rf, 2-0-1-0. Totals 22-5-11-2.
CHAMBERSBURG
Taylor Myers, cf, 4-4-4-2; Kirsten Johnson, 2b, 3-2-2-1; Raelynn Johnson, 2b, 1-0-0-0; Alyssa Brechbill, ss, 3-1-2-3; Brooklyn Miller, 3b, 3-1-0-2; Rebecca Fischer, 3b, 0-0-0-0; Alyssa Wenger, rf, 2-2-1-2; Haiden Brookens, dp, 3-1-1-1; Mackenzie Stake, p, 0-0-0-0; Kara Neidigh, lf, 1-1-1-1; Brynn Schoenberger, lf, 1-0-0-0; Sara Washabaugh, 1b, 1-0-0-0; Hannah Weagley, 1b, 2-1-1-0; Haley Privett, c, 2-2-1-1. Totals 26-15-13-13.
Cumberland Valley 002 03 — 5-11-1
Chambersburg 209 04 — 15-13-2
DP — CV 1. LOB — CV 3; Chbg 3. 2B — Salvador, Flanagan; Brechbill. 3B — Myers. HR — Wenger (1). SB — Flanagan; ; Myers 3, K.Johnson 2, Wenger 2, Miller. CS — Salvador 2. SF — Brechbill, Miller.
Cumb. Valley pitching: Wagner (L) 3.1 ip, 5 h, 7 r, 7 er, 3 bb, 1 k, 1 wp; Kruger .2 ip, 5 h, 4 r, 4 er, 0 bb, 1 k; Burnett 1.2 ip, 3 h, 4 r, 4 er, 2 bb, 0 k
Chambersburg pitching: Stake (W, 3-1) 4 ip, 6 h, 2 r, 0 er, 1 bb, 2 k; Miller 1 ip, 5 h, 3 r, 3 er, 0 bb, 1 k