Hanover’s Ellie Malloy races past GWA’s Sophia Adams as she prepares to throw to third base for the out in the third inning.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
GWA catcher Melanie Redmond cools down with a fan and a cold drink between innings.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
GWA’s Lillian Miscavage slides into second base as Hanover’s Ella Gritz tries to control the ball in the third inning.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
GWA starter Natalie Pikas throws against Hanover.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hanover shortstop Chloe McDaniels throws to first as GWA’s Emma Stevens beats the throw in the third inning.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
ASHLEY — The road remains difficult for Greater Wyoming Area even after Wednesday’s victory.
But there still is a path after GWA used three strong offensive innings to defeat Hanover 10-6 in a Section 5 Little League Major Softball elimination game at the Ashley Little League.
District 31 champion GWA will need to win the elimination bracket final at 6 p.m. Thursday against District 17 champ North Pocono and then defeat undefeated D32 champ Carbino/Archbald twice on the Fourth of July to secure a spot in the state tournament.
All games are at the Ashley field.
Carbino/Archbald defeated North Pocono 12-1 in the winners bracket final on Wednesday.
“We’re in rare territory for GWA,” GWA manager Justin Adams said. “We’ve never won a district title, we’ve never won a sectional game. We’ve done both of those things in a span of a week. I told them they had nothing to lose today, everything to gain.”
GWA had 10 hits, including seven which never left the infield. Although Hanover pitcher Stella Styczen had 10 strikeouts, GWA’s hustle out of the batter’s box paid dividends.
“The key to the game was get the ball in play,” Adams said. “Every girl one through 10 in the order put the ball in play. That was the difference maker for us, putting pressure on their defense and letting the game play out the way that it did.”
The pressure started early as GWA’s Emma Corina and Natalie Pikas reached on errors with one out in the first inning. Corina eventually scored on a wild pitch and Pikas crossed the plate on an infield single by Harper McHale. Lillian Miscavage followed with an infield single, and she and McHale scored when Gianna Cook bounced a single into center field for a 4-0 lead.
District 16 champion Hanover tied the score 4-4 after two innings. Gianna Pericci and Ellie Malloy scored in the first, with Malloy scoring on a single to right by Styczen. A double by Gabbi Pericci and a groundout by Arianna McGill produced two more runs in the second.
GWA, though, answered with three runs in the third as Miscavage and Cook had RBI infield singles. Consecutive singles by Sophia Adams, Corina and Pikas resulted in three more runs in the fourth. Pikas brought two home with a single to right.
Malloy had an RBI double in the third for Hanover. Ella Grilz hit a bunt single in the fourth, stole second and used two wild pitches to score.
Pikas, the GWA pitcher, didn’t allow a hit after Grilz’s bunt. She retired six in a row in the fourth though sixth innings. Hanover made some noise with one out in the sixth, but Pikas got a couple grounders to end the game.
Section 5 Softball
Elimination Game
Greater Wyo. Area 10, Hanover 6
GWA`AB`R`H`BI
Adams ss`4`1`1`0
Corina 2b`4`2`1`0
Pikas p`4`3`2`1
Stevens 1b`3`1`1`1
McHale lf`3`1`1`1
Miscavage lf`3`2`2`1
Cook rf`2`0`2`3
Jimmerson 3b`2`0`0`0
Redmond c`2`0`1`0
Magallanes eh`3`0`0`0
Totals`30`10`10`8
Hanover`AB`R`H`BI
Gi.Pericci c`1`2`1`0
Malloy lf`3`1`1`1
Styczen p`1`0`1`1
Hliwski cf`3`0`0`0
McDaniels 3b`3`0`0`0
Grilz 2b`2`2`1`0
Ga.Pericci ss`1`1`1`1
Johnson 1b`2`0`0`0
McGill eh`2`0`0`1
Kalish eh`2`0`0`0
Owens eh`2`0`0`0
Benson rf`2`0`0`0
Totals`24`6`5`4
Greater Wyo. Area`403`300 — 10
Hanover`221`100 — 6
2B — Malloy, Ga.Pericci.
GWA`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Pikas (W)`6`5`6`5`4`9
Hanover`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Styczen (L)`6`10`10`6`1`10
