Berks Catholic baseball falls in PIAA quarters

Baseball

BERKS CATHOLIC » The District 3 champion Saints’ season came to an end in a PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal loss to Valley View, 7-2, on June 7.

Berks Catholic made three costly errors in Valley View’s five-run fourth inning, more than enough support for pitcher Mason Black, who went the distance and struck out 12. He also had a two-run single while brother Dixon Black was 2-for-3.

For Berks Catholic, David Jones had an RBI double, German Vasquez Marte had a RBI and Tre Dabney went 2-for-3.

Berks Catholic finished the season 18-4. The loss marked the final game of coach Tom Frees’ tenure. Frees retired after seven seasons at BC at 10 at Holy Name. Brandon Shurr will take over after serving as an assistant under Frees. Shurr, 26, is a 2009 Schuylkill Valley grad and four-year player at Kutztown University.

HIGH POINT » High Point Baptist reached the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class A tournament before suffering a season-ending 9-1 defeat to Southern Fulton on June 4.

A round earlier, High Point advanced with a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Tri-Valley. High Point, the District 3 runner-up (14-4), scored six runs in its final two at-bats. Zach Kauffman led the way with two hits including a triple and home run and two RBI. He also got the pitching win.

OLEY VALLEY » The Lynx reached the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 3A tournament, ultimately falling to Montoursville 12-2 in a quarterfinal on June 7.

Zach Pellock had two hits in the season-ender.

A round earlier, Oley came away with a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over Conwell-Egan. Eddie Standhardt’s squeeze bunt scored the winning run after Reese Kauffman hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning.

Gavin Blankenbiller had a double and got the pitching win for the Lynx, which were the District 3 second-place finisher and ended the year with a 15-8 record.

Softball

BRANDYWINE HEIGHTS »

The Brandywine Heights softball team suffered a season-ending defeat to Warrior Run, 7-6 in eight innings, on June 4 in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A tournament at Lyons Field.

The winning run was scored in controversial fashion with Warrior Run courtesy runner Megan Zimmerman arguably missing home plate on her slide while Brandywine catcher Naomi Fay applied the tag.

Brandywine concluded its season with a 20-5 record and a District 3-3A championship.

Warrior Run, the District 4 runner-up, turned the game with a six-run fifth inning for a 6-3 lead.

Brandywine Heights pitcher Jess Davidheiser hit two home runs and had three RBI, her second homer in the fifth inning drawing the Bullets within 6-5. She also scored the tying run in the seventh inning on a grounder back to the pitcher.

Ashley Lenhart added two hits for the Bullets.

Graduating seniors from the Bullets roster include Hannah Moser, Caitlin Miller, Lauren DeLong and Katelyn Smith.

TWIN VALLEY » The Twin Valley softball team fell in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A playoffs to District 7’s Thomas Jefferson, 5-1, on June 4 at Lyons Field.

The District 3 champions were unable to solve left-handed pitcher Bella Bucey, who allowed seven hits and zero earned runs while striking out eight.

The Raiders concluded the season 20-5 and were District 3-5A champions following a 10-6 win over Lampeter-Strasburg in the final, Twin Valley’s first district title in 38 years.

Sarah Clinton and Sam Phillips had multiple hits to lead the way against Thomas Jefferson. Grace Marsalo took the pitching loss after allowing five runs on seven hits over six innings. She struck out six.

Thomas Jefferson got a run in the third inning but took control with a threerun fifth inning for a 4-0 lead.