Gavin Kissel
BASEBALL
Chambersburg 5, Red Land 4: The Trojans pulled off the upset of the year in Mid Penn play this spring, knocking off the Commonwealth Division leading Patriots in a shocker Wednesday afternoon on the road.
Red Land (16-2, 11-2 MPC), which falls back into a tie for first with Cedar Cliff, went ahead 2-0 in the first inning off starter Elijah Snyder on a two-run home run by Jared Payne, and, after Chambersburg (2-17, 2-11 MPC) went ahead 4-0 in the top of the second, a two-run shot by Benny Montgomery tied the game 4-4.
“Once we put four on the board in the second, I think it clicked for us,” Trojan coach Scott Folmar said. “And then as it stayed tied 4-4 for several innings, the guys got more confident as the game went on.”
Snyder did not give up any more runs through six innings and Braden Byers pitched a scoreless seventh.
Meanwhile, the Trojans picked up the game-winner in the top of the seventh. Snyder led off with a walk, and, after a strikeout, Brady Hughes hit into a fielder’s choice. After Hughes stole second base, Aaden Newman hit a line drive into right field and Hughes scored easily.
Folmar said, “That was a big hit, and it was on an 0-2 pitch. He just got it over the second baseman’s head.”
In the bottom of the seventh, Byers walked the leadoff batter and, after an out, walked Payne intentionally. With runners on second and third and two outs, Byers struck out the final batter.
The four-run second inning for Chambersburg all happened after the first two batters made outs.
Gavin Kissel and Brady Stumbaugh singled and Kissel scored on a double by Braden Zeger. Then came consecutive RBI base hits by Snyder, Hunter Stevens and Hughes to give the Trojans a 4-2 lead.
Folmar said, “Snyder did a really nice job, and was solid for his last four innings; he kept them off-balance.
“And on defense we made some plays we hadn’t been making. They had the bases loaded in the fifth inning with one out and hit a line drive to shortstop (Kissel) and we got a double play to end the threat.”
Thomas Elia
BOYS LACROSSE
Chambersburg 8, New Oxford 7: Thomas Elia broke a 7-7 tie with 0:39 left in the game to lead the Trojans to a non-league win over New Oxford on Wednesday night.
The teams were tied 6-6 after three periods, then Elia assisted on a Haden Ocker goal to put Chambersburg (9-7) ahead. But the Colonials tied it again with 7:12 remaining.
Ocker led the Trojans with three goals and six ground balls, while Elia had two goals and an assist. Also scoring goals were Aidan Brechbill, Austin Brookens and Klein Burkholder, while Dom Marangoni and Grayson Hopple each had assists.
Hopple added six ground balls, goalie Angel Santos made 10 saves and Nash Bothe helped Chambersburg to a 12-7 face-off advantage.
GIRLS LACROSSE
New Oxford 22, Chambersburg 1: The Trojans ran into a strong Colonial team and dropped a non-league game Wednesday.
Ashlyn Bothe scored the goal for Chambersburg (2-13). New Oxford is 13-4.
Alyssa Wenger
SOFTBALL
Chambersburg 10, Red Land 0: The Trojans took care of business with a five-inning Mid Penn Commonwealth win over the Patriots on Wednesday at Norlo Park.
The win sets up a showdown Friday, weather permitting, with Chambersburg (15-4) at Central Dauphin, with both teams sitting at 11-2 in the division.
“We are ready to defend our Commonwealth title,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “I’m confident my team will play their best Friday against a great pitcher like Sam Gress. At the beginning of the year, if you’d said we had to win the last game to win the conference — just like last year — we would’ve taken it in a heartbeat.”
The Trojans led 1-0 after two innings Wednesday, then scored eight times in the third to take a commanding lead. One more run in the fifth ended the game.
Chambersburg rapped out five extra-base hits — a triple by Alyssa Wenger and doubles by Alyssa Brechbill, Brooklyn Miller, Haiden Brookens and Kara Neidigh.
Taylor Myers was 3-for-4, Wenger was 2-for-2 with an RBI, Brechbill was 2-for-3 with a run batted in and Miller drove in a pair of runs.
Erin Pattillo ran her record to 5-0 with four innings of one-hit ball, and Miller finished up in the fifth, giving up one hit. Neither pitcher allowed a walk.
Skultety said, “The offense is finally catching up to the defense and pitching. Pattillo pitched a great game and we hit some shots.
“This was a truly emotional day because it was Senior Day for four players, and they are a special group of ladies.”