Local roundup: South Western, Littlestown advance to York-Adams softball final

The two most dominant softball teams in the York-Adams League are set to square off for the championship.

Division I's South Western and Division III's Littlestown dominated their league semifinal contests Monday afternoon, setting up a meeting Wednesday afternoon for the tournament title. South Western beat Division II champion Northeastern, 11-1, at Susquehannock, while Littlestown dispatched Division IV co-champ Delone Catholic, 11-0, in five innings at Spring Grove.

Wednesday's matchup, set for 4:30 p.m. at Spring Grove, will pit the league's most dominant pitchers against one another. Sophomore Jayda Koontz tossed a complete game for South Western as the Mustangs improved to 19-1 this season, while senior Chelsey Stonesifer went all five frames for the Thunderbolts (20-1) to set up the showdown.

South Western 11, Northeastern 1: It was a similar story from the teams' first matchup this season, when the Mustangs cruised to a 10-1 victory on April 10. South Western jumped in front with three runs in the top of the first inning and four in the second to take a 7-0 lead, then added one in the fourth and three insurance runs in the seventh.

Koontz allowed one unearned run on three hits and three walks while striking out eight in her seven innings of work. She also went 3 for 5 at the plate with an RBI double in the second. Teammate Kelsey Smith finished 3 for 5 with four RBIs; Kinsley Proepper went 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored; and Olivia Bateman was 2 for 5.

Smith began the scoring with a two-run single in the first, with a third run scoring in the frame on an error. The Mustangs then lashed six consecutive hits after making two outs to start the second. Koontz's double made it 4-0 before Smith, Katlyn Grempler and Kelly Green added RBI singles. Smith stretched the lead to 8-0 with a single in the fourth, while the seventh-inning runs scored on an error, Bateman's double and a bases-loaded walk.

Northeastern (14-7) scored its lone run on a bases-loaded error in the bottom of the fifth. Colleen Finnegan went 2 for 4 to lead the Bobcats, and she also hit the grounder that plated her team's lone run against Koontz. Brooke Shorts pitched seven innings and allowed 11 runs (eight earned) on 16 hits and three walks while striking out four.

Littlestown 11, Delone Catholic 0 (5 innings): Stonesifer allowed two hits, walked one and struck out 11 in five scoreless innings while also connecting for a three-run homer in the top of the second to lead the Thunderbolts to the commanding victory. But while she's been the centerpiece of Littlestown's brilliant season, she's had plenty of help.

Teammate Libby Brown went 3 for 3 with a triple and three runs scored Monday, while Isabella Olvera connected for a solo homer in the top of the fifth and Adyson Popoff was 1 for 1 with two walks and two RBIs. Seven different Thunderbolts combined to amass 10 hits as a team.

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Littlestown opened the scoring with Emma Peart's sacrifice fly before Sarah Loveless scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 in the first. The Bolts loaded the bases with no outs in the second, then brought everyone home on Popoff's two-run single and Stonesifer's three-run homer to center. The D-III champs added a run in the third and three in the fifth to put the mercy rule into effect.

Caylee Zortman went 1 for 2 with a double for the Squirettes (14-6), while Amy Anderson went the distance in the circle and allowed eight earned runs on 10 hits in five innings.

MORE SOFTBALL

Eastern York 13, Dover 2 (5 innings): At Dover, pitchers Alexis Kirkessner and Makenzie Deaner led the Golden Knights (11-6) to the non-divisional victory by combing for eight strikeouts and allowing two walks, four hits and no earned runs. Deaner also went 2 for 3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. Teammate Kendal Hengst went 3 for 4 with; Kennedy Gray went 2 for 3 with three RBIs; and Cassidy Crean went 2 for 4. Nora Craig went 1 for 2 and scored a run for the Eagles (5-14).

Middletown 13, New Oxford 0 (5 innings): At New Oxford, the Colonials were only able to connect for one single in five innings and dropped the non-league contest. Autumn Lehigh delivered the lone hit for the Colonials, who fell to 11-9 with the loss but remained 13th in the District 3 Class 5A power rankings (16 teams make the playoffs).

TOURNAMENT BASEBALL

York-Adams League championship game

Susquehannock 6, Delone Catholic 3: At Red Lion, the Warriors (18-3) broke a 2-2 tie with four runs in the top of the sixth and held on to clinch their second straight league championship. Jarryn Andrews' RBI single gave Susquehannock a 3-2 lead, while Josh Preston's two-run single capped off the scoring in the frame. Brayden Heaps threw a complete game on the mound, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven. Luke Geiple went 3 for 4 on offense with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored; Preston was 2 for 3 with a triple and three RBIs; and Josh Pecunes was 2 for 4. For the Squires (13-8), Brodie Collins went 2 for 3 and Chris Cole went 1 for 3 with an RBI double and a run scored.

Semifinals

Delone Catholic 3, Bermudian Springs 0: At Dallastown, Cole Lambert pitched a shutout on the mound and connected for a solo homer in the sixth to lead the Squires to the victory. Lambert allowed five singles, walked one and struck out eight in the win. Brodie Collins went 1 for 2 with a two-run double in the fifth that opened the scoring. Austin Reinert went 1 for 2 at the plate for the Eagles (15-5), while starter Gabe Kline allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Susquehannock 3, Dallastown 0: At Red Lion, Joe Smith pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings and Heaps struck out the final two batters to secure the semifinal victory for the Warriors. Smith allowed three hits, walked one and struck out six. Josh Preston led the offense by going 2 for 3 with an RBI triple, while Josh Pecunes was 1 for 3 with a double and a run scored. For the Wildcats (16-5), Conner Barto threw a complete game on the mound, allowing two earned runs on five hits with four walks and strikeouts.

Susquehannock baseball rides ace pitchers to repeat York-Adams League title

MORE BASEBALL

Northeastern 3, Red Land 1: At Manchester, the Bobcats (11-9) plated all three runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a two-run single by Quinn Schindler that scored Hunter Bambulee and Nate Moser. Starting pitcher Owen Wilhide threw five innings and allowed no runs on three hits while striking out five to pick up the win. Northeastern all but locked up a District 3 Class 6A playoff berth with the victory.

TOURNAMENT VOLLEYBALL

York-Adams League semifinals

Central York 3, York Catholic 0: At Dallastown, the No. 1-seed Panthers (13-1) won Monday's first semifinal match by the scores of 25-21, 25-21 and 25-18. Mason Boyer led Central individually with 14 kills and eight digs. Teammate Christian Bucks had 10 kills and six digs; Lance Shaffer had 34 assists and nine digs; and Donovan Burris had six kills. Luke Forjan had 10 kills and John Forjan recorded 22 assists for the No. 4-seed Irish (15-5). The Panthers advanced to the championship match against Northeastern.

Northeastern 3, York Suburban 1: At Dallastown, the No. 2-seed Bobcats (13-2) won the second semifinal match by the scores of 21-25, 25-18, 25-22 and 25-14. Koltrin Forry led Northeastern with 13 kills, while Hugh Rogers had 11. Nathan Efiom-Ekaha and Matthew Torres had 12 and 11 kills, respectively, for the No. 3-seed Trojans (13-4). Northeastern advanced to battle Central York for the second time in less than a week after losing to the Panthers in five sets Thursday.

BOYS' LACROSSE

Dover 14, Central Dauphin East 4