DALLAS TWP. — Dallas pitcher Maddie Kelley’s final appearance at her home field was a memorable one Wednesday.
Nanticoke power hitter Jenna Lipowski made sure it ended properly, but not in the way she’s accustom to.
Kelley pitched seven strong innings and Lipowski threw the final two innings, pitching for the first time since junior high, as the West defeated the East 4-1 in the 38th annual Robert L. Dolbear Senior All-Star Game sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Dallas.
Kelly surrendered two hits and struck out five while allowing one run. She was named the West’s MVP. Holy Redeemer pitcher Kristen Coffay was selected the East MVP.
“It definitely meant a lot because it was at my home field,” Kelley said. “I don’t know how to take something not seriously.”
Nanticoke coach Ryan Stetz’s team had to face Kelley twice a year. He liked it better when she was in his dugout for once.
“It was great,” said Stetz, who coached the West with Tunkhannock’s Bob Hegedty and Wyoming Valley West’s Jess Ras. “She’s an excellent, tough competitor. Everybody has a ton of respect for her, and for her to shut down that lineup we’re happy she’s on our side for once.”
Lipowski, a feared power hitter throughout her career, picked up the save with two scoreless innings. The Kutztown University recruit ended both innings by getting strikeouts with Buggs Bunny change-ups.
“Eight grade year,” Lipowski said about when she last pitched. “But I used to go to pitching lessons and everything.”
Coffay, who will play at Pitt-Johnstown next season, threw five innings. She struck out six and gave up two hits and one run. She also played third base and first base, not her usual position of shortstop when she isn’t pitching.
“We were all having fun and mixing around positions,” Coffay said. “We were playing positions we normally don’t play so it got exciting and fun. Actually, in travel ball I started playing first base a little bit — 5-foot-1, I’m a little short.”
Hits were hard to come by for both teams.
The East scored its only run in the second inning. Redeemer’s Abby Shorts singled to center, stole a couple bags and scored on a groundout by Coughlin’s Tori Martin.
The West knotted it up in the fourth as Nanticoke’s Kiera Brown singled to center and later scored on Lipowski’s double to the right-center gap.
The West made it 2-1 when Tunkhannock’s Danielle Krispin walked, stole two bases and scored on a groundout by Berwick’s Shea Petty.
Tunkhannock’s Paige Mokychic knocked in Brown in the sixth with a bloop single to center. Hanover Area’s Karly Bennett added an RBI single in the seventh for the West’s final run. Nanticoke’s Cassie Novakowski also had a single.
Shorts had two of the East’s four hits. Coffay and Pittston Area’s Taryn Ashby had a single apiece.
NOTES: Umpires Tony Chiarucci, Eddie Frier, Bob Law and Jerry Uram donated their time. … The first game was played in 1980.
Kiwanis All-Star Game
West 4, East 1
East`AB`R`H`BI
Holena 2b`3`0`0`0
Coffay p`3`0`1`0
Hebda 3b`3`0`0`0
Shorts c`3`1`2`0
Armstrong 1b`3`0`0`0
Martin ss`2`0`0`1
Malys lf`2`0`0`0
Ashby`2`0`1`0
Kost rf`2`0`0`0
Daniels c`2`0`0`0
Kline rf`2`0`0`0
Scarantino c`2`0`0`0
Cegelka 3b`2`0`0`0
Totals`31`1`4`1
West`AB`R`H`BI
Brown cf`4`2`1`0
Mokychic rf`4`0`1`1
Lipowski 3b`3`0`1`1
Traver lf`2`0`0`0
Davis lf`1`0`0`0
Novakowski 2b`2`0`1`0
Boller 2b`2`1`0`0
Krispin 1b`1`1`0`0
Kelley p`3`0`0`0
Briggs c`2`0`0`0
Petty rf`2`0`0`1
Bennett ss`3`0`1`1
Totals`30`4`5`4
East`010`000`000`—`1
West`000`111`10x`—`4
2B: Lipowski.
East`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Coffay`5.0`2`1`1`0`6
Malys (L)`3.0`3`3`2`1`3
West`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Kelley (W)`7.0`2`1`1`0`5
Lipowski (S)`2.0`2`0`0`0`4