Team roster announced; play opens June 20 in Philly
Seven local players who played in the PIAA softball tournament, some whose teams are still alive as of Thursday, will get the chance to play in another tournament later this month.
The Lehigh Valley team in the 17th annual Softball Carpenter Cup, sponsored by the Phillies and held entirely at Philadelphia’s FDR Park, is filled with players who experienced success in the 2022 season.
Brian Fehnel is the firstyear coach of the local entry after former Whitehall coach Blake Morgan ran the team for several years.
Fehnel will be assisted by Ricky Sechler, Bill Held and former Parkland pitching standout Kelly Dulaney.
The 16-team tournament has been condensed to three days, June 20-22.
Each team is guaranteed three games.
The Lehigh Valley team will open play at 8 a.m. June 20 against Delaware County and will play Chester County at 10 a.m. and Suburban One at 2 p.m.
If the local contingent is one of the top two teams in its pool, it would return to play on June 22 in the quarterfinals. The final game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start on June 22.
Lehigh Valley won the tournament in both 2006 and 2008 and has finished second several other times. Last year’s team went 3-2.
Here’s a look at the roster, which, per tournament rules, has players entering either their junior or senior high school years:
LEHIGH VALLEY
SOFTBALL CARPENTER TEAM
Name, School, Class, Positions
Ashley Amato, Palisades, 2023, SS/C
Brianna Amey, Emmaus, 2024, SS/2B
Kassy Aquino, Whitehall, 2023, P/1B
Leah Chladny, Becahi, 2023, UTL
Marissa Christman, NW Lehigh, 2023, C/3B
Lauren Egan, ACCHS, 2023, SS/2B
Carly Gaffney, Palmerton, 2024, P
Taylor Gitski, Emmaus, 2024, 3B/P
Jordyn Hemingway, Northern Lehigh, 2023, 3B/1B
Hannah Makovsky, Northampton, 2023, UTL
Shayla Morgan, Emmaus, 2023, OF
Sydney Reinert, Easton, 2023, OF
Morgan Schultz-Stuardi, Parkland, 2024, C-2B
Aubrey Steiner, Whitehall, 2024, 1B/C
Sage Toman, NW Lehigh, 2024, C/CF
Delaney Troxell, Catasauqua, 2024, P/1B
Kate Yadush, Whitehall, 2024, 3B/1B