Jags’ frosh Halford all smiles after tossing 1st perfect game
Garnet Valley softball coach George White is always trying to get freshman pitcher Becca Halford to come out of her shell.
“She’s a quiet kid,” White said. “So sometimes I like to yell ‘Teeth!’ from the dugout to get her to smile more.”
Halford was all smiles Saturday. She pitched a perfect a game to lead Garnet Valley to a 1-0 victory over Interboro.
“Today, I was calling her ‘Smiley’ all day,” White said, “and you can tell she was on.”
Halford attacked the Bucs’ lineup with a steady dose of fastballs and changeups. She recorded six strikeouts on the afternoon, and was aided by good defensive plays from infielders Diane Torregrossa and Kelly McLaughlin, as well as sophomore catcher Lindsey Hunt, who called a “great game,” White said.
“Becca has done really well for us all season. Coming into today, she had a 1.38 ERA,” White said. “But she had two losses on the year. Allison Ferrante, our senior, has also pitched well, but the both of them haven’t been getting rewarded for pitching good games.”
Halford
Halford’s special day may not have happened without Hunt, who crushed a home run in the bottom of the sixth for the game’s only run. A Drexel recruit, Hunt hustled out of the box and slid into home plate safely ahead of the tag.
“She’s out at home if she’s not hustling the whole way. It was a bang-bang play,” White said. “I talked to the kids after the game about Lindsey’s hustle. I gave her more credit for running hard than for the home run.
“The perfect game wouldn’t have happened without Lindsey, but Becca certainly did her part,” White said. “She was excellent certainly did Saturday. today.”
Halford outdueled Interboro ace Bridget Bailey, who struck out seven while allowing only four hits. The victory for the Jaguars pushes them over the .500 mark at 7-6 overall. and
Baseball
really game
Andrew Paulus coaxed a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Springfield a 6-5 Central League victory over Garnet Valley.
The Cougars were issued three straight free passes following a one-out double by Brandon DiChiacchio, who scored the winning run.
GV grabbed a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning thanks to a runscoring single by Danny Sweeney and a throwing error that enabled two additional runs to score. In the fifth, the Cougars rallied to tie the game as Paulus and Tom Quinn delivered RBI knocks. Trailing again in the bottom of the sixth, DiChiacchio scored on a double by Layne Kelly to even the score.
Dave Strawley picked up the win with 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief. He struck out three and gave up just one hit.
Paulus went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two walks. Kelly and DiChiacchio also had a pair of base knocks for Springfield.
Mason Miller went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for the Jaguars. Dom Bertone also churned out a pair of hits for GV.
Elsewhere League: STRATH HAVEN 6, RIDLEY 1 >> Andrew Robinson pitched a complete game for the second time in as many starts. He held the visiting Green Raiders to one unearned run on two hits while striking out four.
Anthony Viggiano powered the Strath Haven bats with a in on the her Central 3-for-4, four-RBI day. Viggiano was a triple shy of the cycle.
Luke Mutz went 3-for-3 with three runs scored from the leadoff spot. Will Carey and Brendan Ricciardi each knocked in a run.
Nate Dunning singled scored a run for Ridley.
In the Del Val League: INTERBORO 16, GLEN MILLS Brandon Welden registered win for the Bucs. No other were reported.
In nonleague action: EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 6, ARCHBISHOP CARROLL 3 >> The Churchmen, who were ranked No. 7 in last week’s Daily Times Super 7, defeated the top-ranked Patriots thanks in part to Alex McLaughlin’s go-ahead tworun double in the sixth inning.
EA scored six unanswered runs after Carroll raced to a 3-0 lead in the second inning behind RBIs from Nick Argentieri (2-for-3) and Sean Lawley.
Jack O’Reilly earned the victory with two innings of scoreless relief. MARPLE NEWTOWN 5, CARDINAL O’HARA 1 >> Luke Zimmerman pitched five solid innings against his former teammates. The junior left-hander, who transferred to Marple Newtown from O’Hara, scattered four hits en route to picking up the win.
Steve Morrison posted a twoinning save for the Tigers.
Corey Woodcock’s RBI double in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie. Bobby Steven drove in a run with a single in the Tigers’ four-run fifth.
Cameron Mathes added hits and a run scored. DELCO CHRISTIAN 14, PENN WOOD 3>> Cody Moorhatch pitched a one-hitter over five innings and scored four runs to lead the host Knights past the Patriots. Tyler Rossini had a big day with a double, triple, sacrifice fly and five RBIs. HAVERFORD SCHOOL 14, DEVON PREP 8 >> The Fords hosted a and 6 >> the details two doubleheader for their “Striking Out Breast Cancer” charity event. In the opener, Justin Meyer belted two homers and drove in four runs, and Bryan Hyland added a two-run homer and three RBIs. Meyer was the winning pitcher. HAVERFORD SCHOOL 10, PENNCREST 0 >> Calvin Costner paced the Fords (11-10) in the nightcap with three hits and two RBIs. Hyland (home run) and Tommy Toal chipped in with two hits apiece. Zak Summy earned the win and helped his cause with two RBIs. Grady Nance tossed three scoreless innings in relief of Summy to preserve the shutout.
Christian Evans collected two singles for Penncrest.