Back in the region final
Freshman paces La Plata softball past Calvert in 2A South section final
Sidney Bales admitted that she was in a bit of a hitting slump. It’s safe to say that slump may be over.
The freshman left fielder delivered with two hits, including a bases-loaded two-run single in bottom of the fifth, to key the La Plata Warriors to the eventual 4-1 victory over the visiting Calvert Cavaliers in Wednesday’s Class 2A South Region Section I softball championship game.
“I hadn’t been doing to well at the plate, so I just wanted to step up my game,” said Bales, who also had two stolen bases and a run scored. “I knew we needed a spark, so I just wanted to relax, have fun and help my team win.”
La Plata (11-8 overall) the section’s top seed and defending state champion, advanced to its second straight regional championship game as it hosted Section II final winner Southern of Anne Arundel County on Thursday. The winner advanced to the 2A state semifinals at 4 p.m. Tuesday to face the winner of the 2A West championship game between Catoctin of Frederick County and South Carroll at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie.
“We had some obstacles to overcome all season and I told the girls our number one goal is to fight through the playoffs,” La Plata head coach Dave Krahling said. “We never give up and leaned
on each other. Sidney was aggressive and her base running and she stayed on top of the ball, she was unbelievable. Overall, it feels great to be playing for the region title again.”
La Plata sophomore pitcher Ava Krahling allowed just one run on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk in a complete-game effort to pick up the win on the rubber.
Calvert scored the first run of the game as Alexis Commodore’s two-out RBI single to left field drove in courtesy runner Kassidy Oakes.
In the bottom of the third with one out, La Plata’s Ashleigh Mitchell walked and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Hannah Gill. Hannah Kraft then followed up with RBI single, scoring Mitchell, to tie the game at 1.
Bales led off the fourth with a single then stole second base. Two batters later, Kelsey Hanks grounded out, but as Bales took off for third base the ball was overthrown and she sprinted to home plate, putting the Warriors up 2-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, La Plata wasn’t done as freshman Sierra Sanderson laid down a bunt single to load the bases. That set up Bales, who drove in Gill and Kraft on a base hit to center to
cap off the game’s scoring.
Sanderson led the way three hits for La Plata.
Calvert (9-10), the section’s second seed, was led by Commodore with two hits, including a two-out double in the top of the first. Starting pitcher Gabrielle Toney went the distance, striking out three batters with two walks.
“The difference today was without a doubt the hitting,” Calvert head coach Lauren Robison said. “We tried out hardest to string some together, but we just didn’t get the timely hits that we needed. We had a couple defensive miscues, we just didn’t have the run support. La Plata is a very good team and I believe they can go pretty far.”
McDonough baseball, softball advance
with
The Rams baseball and softball teams advance to the Class 1A North Region championship games with victories this week.
The baseball team defeated Fairmont Heights of Prince George’s County in the 1A North Region Section II final on Tuesday, 16-1 in five innings.
McDonough scored five runs in the first and nine more in the second to put the game away. Tommy Willey had two hits and three RBIs, while Brant Butler finished with two hits and Kyle Wedding had three RBIs.
McDonough (16-3), the top
seed in the section, travels to play at Patterson Mill of Harford County, the top seed in Section I, at 4 p.m. Friday with the winner heading to the 1A state semifinals at McCurdy Field in Frederick on Tuesday versus the winner of the 1A East final between St. Michael’s of Talbot County and Snow Hill of Worcester County. McDonough and Patterson Mill faced off last year in the region final with Patterson Mill claiming the crown, 4-1.
The softball team scored six runs in the first and five more in the fifth to win 11-1 in five innings over Surrattsville of Prince George’s County in the 1A North Section II final on Wednesday.
McDonough (12-7), the section’s top seed, plays at Bohemia Manor, the top seed in Section I, in Cecil County at 4 p.m. Friday. The winner heads to the 1A state semifinals at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie for a 4 p.m. Tuesday contest versus the winner of the 1A East final between Mardela of Wicomico County and St. Michael’s.
In Wednesday’s win, Haley Arnold went 3 for 4 with two RBIs, while Reed Butler, Eliza Shontz, Quianna Willett and Jasmine Jordan also had hits. The Rams finished with nine in the contest.
Sarah Chen, who was 2 for 3 at the plate with two RBIs, got the win, giving up just one run on two hits while striking out 12.