Holy Redeemer’s shortstop Covington Lehman tags out Wyoming Area’s Allison Layland trying to steal in the fourth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area leadoff hitter Josie Kivak, right, is welcomed at home plate after hitting a solo home run against Holy Redeemer in the fourth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer right fielder Sadie Werner makes a diving catch to end the sixth inning with teammate Grace Stetz-Madden (3) cheering her on.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer freshman pitcher Ava Thomas took the win on the road against Wyoming Area.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Josie Kivak is tagged out by Holy Redeemer third baseman Bella Boylan after she overran the base in the sixth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
WEST PITTSTON — Holy Redeemer’s Katie Genovese picked a good time to hit her first career home run.
Genovese’s two-run shot in the third inning proved to be the difference as the Royals edged Wyoming Area 3-1 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 softball game on a frigid Monday afternoon.
The home run landed over the left-center fence where fans dressed in winter garb and some covered in blankets braved temperatures in the low 40s. The real-feel temperature was in the 30s.
“I looked and saw her trailing back,” Genovese said. “I don’t think I realized how far it was going until I saw her look over the fence. I didn’t process it at first. I was like ‘Wait, did that go over?’ And then when I was running to second it was like the best feeling ever to give my team that lead.”
Genovese singled in Zoe Pecuch with Redeemer’s other run in the fifth. Pecuch had hit a one-out double and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Ther victory allowed Redeemer (3-1 Div. 2, 4-5 overall) to keep pace with first-place Lake-Lehman (5-0 Div. 2, 9-1). The teams play Wednesday at Lehman.
“They are putting in the work, gradually getting better,” Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis said. “We have five underclassmen starting. We’re getting there.”
The loss was the second in a row by Wyoming Area (3-2 Div. 2, 5-4) to a divisional frontrunner. The Warriors lost 2-1 to Lehman four days prior.
“We hit better today than against Lehman,” Wyoming Area first-year coach Kayla Taddei said. “They just weren’t dropping. We were hitting it right to them.”
Wyoming Area didn’t hit early as Redeemer’s Ava Thomas started the game with three perfect innings.
Wyoming Area’s Josie Kivak changed that with a solo home run to right-center to start the fourth inning.
The Warriors, though, didn’t make the most of their opportunities.
Allison Layland singled and Alexa Gacek doubled in the fourth, but neither scored. Sophia Wardell singled to open the fifth, but was stranded on second.
In the sixth, Kivak tripled and two players walked only to have the inning end on a diving catch by Redeemer right fielder Sadie Werner. Aubrey Lewis and Harlee Pavlico had singles in the seventh.
Lake-Lehman 3, Berwick 1
Hannah Chipego, Hayley Wallace and Gracie James all had an RBI as Lake-Lehman slipped past Berwick.
Chipego had a double for the game’s only extra-base hit. In the circle, she struck out 14.
Makayla Brown knocked in Berwick’s only run in the top of the seventh. Emma Welsh had two singles.
Northwest 17, Crestwood 4
Jenna Robaczewski had four hits, including two doubles and a triple, and had two RBI as Northwest defeated Crestwood.
Abby Miller had a double and three RBI for the Rangers. Olivia Nevel singled twice and had two RBI.
Ashlyn Hermanofski, Addisyn Diltz, Natalia Ninotti and Elizabeth Noss all had two RBI.
Alekzandria Dutko had two hits and two RBI for Crestwood. Brooke Lenahan was 3-for-3 with an RBI. Kayla Sinavage had two singles.
Holy Redeemer 3, Wyoming Area 1
Holy Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI
Pecuch 1b`3`2`1`0
Genovese c`4`1`3`3
Boylan 3b`3`0`1`0
Brill dp`3`0`1`0
Thomas p`3`0`1`0
Jezorwski cr`0`0`0`0
Lehman ss`2`0`0`0
Stetz-Madden 2b`2`0`0`0
Hai.Pius lf`3`0`0`0
Grandzol cf`3`0`0`0
Werner rf`0`0`0`0
Totals`23`3`7`3
Wyoming Area`AB`R`H`BI
Kivak cf`4`1`2`1
Layland c`3`0`1`0
Gaylord ss`2`0`0`0
Gacek 3b`2`0`1`0
Gustitus 1b`3`0`0`0
Wardell lf`3`0`1`0
Lewis 2b`2`0`1`0
Sobeck p`3`0`0`0
Pavlico dp`3`0`1`0
Park rf`0`0`0`0
Totals`25`1`7`1
Holy Redeemer`002`010`0 — 3
Wyoming Area`000`100`0 — 1
2B — Pecuch, Gacek. 3B — Kivak. HR — Genovese, Kivak.
Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Thomas (W)`7`7`1`1`2`4
Wyoming Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Sobeck (L)`7`7`3`3`2`7
Lake-Lehman 3, Berwick 1
Berwick`AB`R`H`BI
Klahold ss`3`0`1`0
Brown p`3`0`1`1
Welsh c`3`0`2`0
Ashworth cf`3`0`0`0
Drauschnak 3b`2`0`0`0
Bankes 1b`3`0`0`0
Schnerr`3`0`0`0
Weaver 2b`2`1`0`0
Belles rf`3`0`0`0
Totals`25`1`4`1
Lake-Lehman`AB`R`H`BI
Brudnicki c`3`0`1`0
Butler cf`3`1`1`0
Chipego p`3`0`1`1
Sholtis 3b`3`1`1`0
Andrews lf`3`1`1`0
Wallace ss`1`0`0`1
James rf`2`0`0`1
Jenkins 2b`2`0`0`0
Reilly`1`0`1`0
Shorts 1b`3`0`1`0
Totals`24`3`7`3
Berwick`000`000`1 — 1
Lake-Lehman`000`210`x — 3
2B — Chipego.
Berwick`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Brown (L)`6`7`3`2`2`6
Lake-Lehman`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Chipego (W)`7`4`1`1`5`14
Northwest 17, Crestwood 4
Northwest`AB`R`H`BI
Hermanofski 2b`2`0`0`2
Diltz c`6`0`1`2
Ruckle ss`5`2`2`1
Robaczewski rf`6`4`4`2
Ninotti p`5`3`2`2
Moyer 1b`3`2`0`0
Nevel`4`1`2`3
Noss lf`4`2`2`2
Miller 3b`5`2`3`3
Gregorio cr`0`1`0`0
Totals`40`17`16`17
Crestwood`AB`R`H`BI
Stahlnecker ss`3`1`0`0
Sinavage 2b`3`1`2`0
Dutko cf`4`0`2`2
Stofko 3b`2`0`1`0
Toniatti 1b`4`0`0`0
Lenahan p`3`0`3`1
Martinez`1`1`0`0
Petzold rf`3`0`0`0
Ricko`1`0`0`0
Rodgers`3`1`1`0
Seltzer lf`0`0`0`0
Lomerson c`2`0`0`0
Begley`1`0`0`0
Totals`30`4`9`3
Northwest`041`241`5 — 17
Crestwood`003`100`0 — 4
2B — Miller, Robaczewski 2. 3B — Robaczewski.
Northwest`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Ninotti`3.2`6`4`2`5`6
Robaczewski (W)`3.1`3`0`0`1`7
Crestwood`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Lenahan (L)`4.2`13`11`9`5`3
Seltzer`2.1`3`6`1`1`2`1
