WEST PITTSTON — Wyoming Area pitcher Alexa Gacek gave up a double to start Monday’s game. She then hit a batter and two outs later issued a walk to load the bases.
That was pretty much the extent of Berwick’s offense against the senior righty.
Gacek worked out of that jam, didn’t allow a hit over the last six innings, and finished with nine strikeouts as the Warriors posted a 7-0 win in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 softball.
Gacek, the only senior on the roster, retired Berwick in order in the second, third, sixth, and seventh innings.
Berwick’s Emma Welsh walked to open the fourth, and Brylee Weaver reached on catcher’s interference in the fifth for the Dawgs’ only two baserunners after the first inning.
Obviously, the first-inning trouble didn’t affect Gacek.
“I think just knowing I have my teammates behind me and going back to my basics and my mechanics,” Gacek said. “Just going from there.”
Wyoming Area had just two hits through three innings, including a two-run single by Allison Layland up the middle in the first inning that scored Josie Kivak and Addison Gaylord. Both had walked.
The Warriors broke open the game in the fourth. Londyn Sobeck started the inning with a single, and an out later, four consecutive hits produced runs. Kivak and Sophia Wardell brought in runs with singles, and Gaylord followed with an RBI triple. Gacek then singled in the final run for a 6-0 lead.
Wardell drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth for Wyoming Area’s final run and sent Berwick to its third shutout loss of the season.
Wyoming Area’s victory was key, more so in the District 2 Class 4A standings than in the WVC Division 2 standings. The Warriors remained in fourth place in D2-4A, a spot that would mean a home playoff game.
Wyoming Area 7, Berwick 0
Berwick`AB`R`H`BI
Khahold 3b`3`0`1`0
Belles rf`2`0`0`0
Brown p`3`0`0`0
Welsh c`2`0`0`0
Ashworth cf`1`0`0`0
Drauschak 3b`3`0`0`0
Schnerr 1b`2`0`0`0
Krepich ph`1`0`0`0
Holloway dp`3`0`0`0
Weaver 2b`1`0`0`0
Levan lf`0`0`0`0
Totals`21`0`1`0
Wyoming Area`AB`R`H`BI
Kivak cf`3`2`2`1
Wardell lf`3`1`2`2
Gaylord ss`3`2`1`1
Gacek p`3`0`1`1
Tokash cr`0`0`0`0
Gustitus 1b`2`0`0`0
Layland c`4`0`2`2
Lewis 2b`3`1`0`0
Sobeckk 3b`4`1`1`0
Park rf`2`0`1`0
Totals`27`7`10`7
Berwick`000`000`0 — 0
Wyoming Area`200`410`x — 7
2B — Khahold. 3B — Gaylord.
Berwick`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Brown (L)`6`10`7`7`7`5
Wyoming Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Gacek (W)`7`1`0`0`2`9
