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WILKES-BARRE — Holy Redeemer had an entire missed season to think about that uncharacteristic finish in 2019.

The Royals continued on Tuesday to do something about it.

Jenna Santuk struck out 14 and was 4-for-4 at the plate to lead Redeemer to a 9-1 victory over Hanover Area a battle for possession of first place in Division 2 of Wyoming Valley Conference softball.

Redeemer improved to 3-0 in the division and 6-0 overall. Hanover Area fell to 2-1 in the division and 3-1 overall.

The six wins so far are just three fewer than in 2019 when Redeemer finished 9-12 overall to post its first losing season since 2012. The Royals’ reign as divisional and district champions also ended.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out all high school spring sports in 2020, giving Redeemer ample time to think about redemption.

The bright spot was many of the 2019 contributors returned this season.

“I think that two years ago we were very young,” said Santuk, a junior who pitched as a freshman. “We had a lot of inexperience and that’s what hurt us. But since we didn’t have the season last year, I know everyone of the girls worked and we came back this season to take revenge on that season.”

Part of it included making amends for two losses to Hanover Area. Redeemer started early on Tuesday as Santuk singled in Akira Kopec for a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Royals scored four more times in the second, with Santuk and Olivia Murray knocking in runs.

Normally, a 5-0 lead after two innings isn’t exactly comfortable. But it seemed that way for two reasons.

First, Santuk was rolling along in the circle. She recorded a rare four-strikeout inning in the first and retired the side in order in the next two innings, striking out five more. Hanover Area’s Kasidy Slusser led off the fourth with a single to center, but the Hawkeyes didn’t get another hit until Ally Sheridan’s RBI double in the sixth with two outs.

“One hundred percent, easily,” Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis said of Santuk’s improvement since her freshman year. “She’s worked really hard. Even when we didn’t play, she did pitching.”

Hanover Area has been working as well trying to get its offense in gear. The Hawkeyes won their first three games, but totaled just eight runs doing so. They’ve been relying on Slusser’s pitching to keep them in games, but Redeemer ended those hopes early.

“We’re not sure of ourselves sometimes,” Hanover Area coach Kathy Healey said. “We hit great in the cage, and then when we get to live pitching we’re a little unsure. But we’ve done enough to win games and that’s important too.”

Wyoming Area 8, Nanticoke Area 7

Wyoming Area recovered from allowing six runs in the top of the first to defeat Nanticoke Area.

Jocelyn Williams paced the Warriors’ comeback with four RBI. She and Anna Wisnewski scored three times each.

Honesdale 1, Crestwood 0

The Hornets scored the game’s only run in the top of the first and finished with just one hit.

Crestwood pitcher Jessica Koptcho struck out 13 and the only run scored against her was unearned.

Crestwood finished with three hits. Koptcho, Brooke Aton and Allison Babula all singled.

MMI Prep 13, Wyoming Seminary 3

MMI Prep defeated host Wyoming Seminary. No other details were provided.

Holy Redeemer 9, Hanover Area 1

Hanover Area`AB`R`H`BI

M. Corbett ss`2`0`0`0

R. Corbett c `3`0`0`0

Slusser p`3`0`1`0

Gist 1b`2`1`1`0

Sheridan 3b`3`0`1`1

Bonsavage cf`3`0`0`0

Murphy 2b`2`0`0`0

Piscotty dp`2`0`0`0

Sipple ph`1`0`0`0

Mangan lf`3`0`0`0

Verga rf`0`0`0`0

Totals`24`1`3`1

Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI

Kopec ss`3`3`1`0

Skoronski 2b`3`0`0`1

Giovinazzo 2b`1`0`0`0

J.Santuk p`4`1`4`2

Mendrzycki 3b`4`0`1`0

Whitman cf`4`1`1`0

McDermott dp`2`1`1`0

McIngvale rf`1`0`0`0

Paulukonis rf`1`0`0`1

K.Santuk c`1`2`0`0

Gryboski 1b`2`0`1`1

Murray lf`2`1`1`1

Parker lf`1`0`0`0

Totals`29`9`10`6

Hanover Area`000`001`0 – 1

Holy Redeemer`142`101`x – 9

2B – Sheridan, Kopec, J.Santuk

Hanover Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Slusser L`6.0`10`9`4`3`5

Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

J.Santuk W`7.0`3`1`0`1`14

Wyoming Area 8, Nanticoke Area 7

Nanticoke`AB`R`H`BI

Shotwell`4`0`2`0

Keener`4`2`2`0

O.Nice`4`1`0`0

Brogan`4`1`2`0

Brown`4`1`1`1

Baron`3`1`1`1

L. Nice`3`1`1`1

Heffron`3`0`1`0

Sofchak`2`0`0`0

Totals`31`7`10`3

Wyoming Area`AB`R`H`BI

Earlley`2`0`0`0

Stepanski`1`0`0`0

Wisnewski`4`3`3`0

Slusser`4`2`2`1

Williams`4`3`3`4

Nowak`4`0`2`0

Janeski`4`0`1`0

Leo`3`0`1`0

Allen`2`0`0`0

Mezzeo`1`0`0`0

Scripkunas`3`0`1`0

Totals`32`8`13`5

Nanticoke Area`610`000`0 – 7

Wyoming Area`330`200`x – 8

2B – Shotwell, Keener, Baron, Slusser 2, Williams, Janeski.

Nanticoke`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Brogan L`6.0`13`8`5`1`3

Wyo. Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Nowak`7.0`10`7`4`0`2

Honesdale 1, Crestwood 0

Honesdale`AB`R`H`BI

Yarrish ss`3`1`0`0

Daub c`3`0`0`0

Gregory p`3`0`1`0

Meyer rf`3`0`0`0

Della Auila 1b`2`0`0`0

Maxion lf`3`0`0`0

Grund cf`3`0`0`0

Yarrish 3b`2`0`0`0

Canfield 2b`0`0`0`0

Totals`22`1`1`0

Crestwood`AB`R`H`BI

Aton c`3`0`1`0

Babula ss`3`0`1`0

Koptcho p`3`0`1`0

Truszkowski 1b`3`0`0`0

Pollock lf`3`0`0`0

Butler 3b`3`0`0`0

Kalinowski 2b`2`0`0`0

Harper`1`0`0`0

Amend`1`0`0`0

Niznik cf`2`0`0`0

Totals`24`0`3`0

Honesdale`100`000`0 — 1

Crestwood`000`000`0 — 0

Honesdale`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Gregory W`7`3`0`0`1`12

Crestwood`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Koptcho L`7`1`1`0`2`13

H.S. Softball: Holy Redeemer defeats Hanover Area to take over sole possession of first place