EXETER – After a rough season opener against a powerful Nanticoke team, Wyoming Area did not need long to get on the right track in Wyoming Valley Conference softball.

Jess Parente led a late offensive surge and Gwen Glatz was strong in the circle after an early Berwick blast as the host Lady Warriors rallied for a 5-1 Division 2 victory Monday.

Wyoming Area trailed from Sami Starr’s solo homer for the Lady Bulldogs in the top of the first until it put together four straight hits to start the bottom of the fifth.

Parente’s single with none out in the fifth provided the game-winning hit. She then doubled in two runs with two out in the sixth and scored the final run in the three-run inning.

Related Video

“She’s been really hot lately,” Glatz said. “She has a really good bat.”

Annie Karcutskie, Nicole Silinskie, Kari Melberger and Parente reached base in succession in both the fifth and sixth innings.

They all had hits in the fifth when Karcutskie led off the inning, then they got on base again in the sixth with two outs to add to the 2-1 lead.

Parente finished 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Silinskie went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Karcutskie had two hits and scored twice.

Glatz settled in after the early homer to throw a three-hitter with two walks and five strikeouts.

“That’s one of the better games she’s thrown lately,” Wyoming Area coach John McNeil said of his returning all-star pitcher.

Glatz retired the last 11 batters she faced, three on strikeouts, and only allowed three balls out of the infield during that time.

“I tightened up my spin a little bit before that game,” Glatz said. “My curveball was definitely working; the change-up was also working really well.

“I tried to keep them off balance with the off-speed.”

The win evened Wyoming Area’s league record at 1-1. The Lady Warriors’ only other game during the week came in a non-leaguer when they opened an early lead before falling, 11-9, to Holy Redeemer, which won the 2015 and 2016 state Class 2A titles.

Wyoming Area also beat North Pocono, 6-4, in a non-league game between the 8-1 loss to Nanticoke and the victory over Berwick. McNeil said that game was helpful in getting the Lady Warriors ready for their second divisional game after limited days outside in the preseason.

By Tom Robinson

For Sunday Dispatch

Reach the Sunday Dispatch at 570-655-1418 or by email at sd@s24530.p831.sites.pressdns.com.