SOFTBALL
Greencastle-Antrim 8, Big Spring 5: The Blue Devils rapped out 14 hits and scored 6 runs in the final 2 innings to hand the Bulldogs a key Mid Penn Colonial defeat Wednesday afternoon in Newville.

Minnie  Gambacurta

“That was a great win over an unbeaten team,” G-A coach Mark DeCarli said. “We needed that win for our confidence, especially after the loss to Northern; now I hope it gets us kick-started.”

Trailing 3-2 entering the top of the sixth, Greencastle (6-2, 4-2 MPC) got a leadoff double by Brooklyn Sanchez, followed by a Kylie Kerns single and a 2-RBI base hit to right field by Kindal Rice to take the lead. After loading the bases on hits by Erika Hoover and Lydia Pryke, two more runs were plated by a Minnie Gambacurta single and a fielder’s choice grounder by Paiton Gordon.

In the top of the seventh, now leading 6-4, G-A tallied 2 more runs. Sanchez and Kerns led off with singles, and Hoover and Gambacurta delivered RBI base hits.

Kerns was 3-for-4 and Sanchez, Hoover, Pryke and Gambacurta each had 2 hits.

Katie Zawilinski was handed her first start for the Blue Devils. She allowed 12 hits to the strong lineup of the Bulldogs (8-1, 5-1 MPC), but walked only 2 and gave up only 3 earned runs.

“Katie moved the ball around pretty well,” DeCarli said. “Pryke has hit the ball well lately and we put Gambacurta in at second base and she made several nice plays there and hit well. We’re getting back some of our girls who were out sick, which helps because we had girls playing out of position. We’re about 97% there.”

BASEBALL
Greencastle-Antrim 9, Big Spring 0: The Blue Devils’ potent offense was working well again and Jaxson Bostick threw 6 shutout innings to help G-A blank the Bulldogs in a key Mid Penn Colonial home game Wednesday afternoon.

Jaxson Bostick

“Jaxson pitched an outstanding game, we had some good hitting to score some early runs and we made some good defensive plays in big spots,” Greencastle coach Eric Shaner said. “Mason Mellott made a diving stop on a grounder at third in the first inning that saved a run, and catcher Bryce Davidson threw out two guys out on the basepaths.

“It was just a good complementary team win.”

For the Blue Devils (7-0, 5-0 MPC), Bostick allowed 5 hits and walked 4, but struck out 5. Manny Brookens pitched the final inning and issued 3 walks, but did not allow a run to Big Spring (6-2, 4-2 MPC).

Greencastle scored 3 runs in the bottom of the first, added single runs in the next two innings, then piled on 4 more in the fifth inning.

Andrew Weaver led off the bottom of the first by being hit with a pitch. He moved up on a balk, and scored on a base hit by Cam Rakaczewski. Nolan Sullivan moved Rakaczewski to third with a single and Avery Horst’s fielder’s choice grounder scored him. A sacrifice fly by Manny Brookens later made it 3-0.

Rakaczewski, Sullivan and Mellott each had 2 hits and Rakaczewski and Bo Brookens both produced a pair of runs batted in.