Mountain View edges Lackawanna Trail, 2-1, in 10 innings to win District 2 Class A softball title

web1_DP-0531615-Dallas-parade-5.jpg

Memorial Day celebrated in Dallas with parade, ceremony

THROOP &#8212; After stranding 13 runners on base in the first nine innings, Mountain View found a sense of urgency in the 10th and scored two runs to defeat Lackawanna Trail, 2-1, in 10 innings to win the District 2 Class A softball championship on Tuesday, May 26 at Mid Valley High School.&#8220;It was an unbelievable game,&#8221; Mountain View head coach Tom Rudzinski said. &#8220;We had many opportunities to end the game, but you have to give Lackawanna Trail and (pitcher Allison) Decker all the credit in the world. She made great pitches and they made the plays (defensively) when they had to. Fortunately, we got a break or two in the last inning and that&#8217;s what wins the games when you get to this level, sometimes.&#8220;It&#8217;s a tough way for either team to lose, obviously, because both teams played fantastic.&#8221;Lackawanna Trail, which had just two hits and five total base runners through the first nine innings, capitalized on a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) rule where both teams begin each half inning with a runner of second base and no outs once the game reaches the 10th inning.First baseman Kasey Buck, who had popped out three times previously in the game, lined a double, scoring her sister, Kerrigan, who started the inning at second base due to making the last out for the Lady Lions in the ninth inning.The next two batters, Taryn Matti and Daria Lewandowski, made outs before Karlee Cresswell drew a walk to put runners on first and third base.Mountain View pitcher Sam Krisa, who retired 19 of the final 23 Lady Lions batters, kept Trail from adding to the lead by inducing a ground out from Alyssa Sohns.&#8220;It kind of came easy because we&#8217;ve worked so hard for this and we weren&#8217;t about to crumble now,&#8221; Krisa said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve been in a lot of tight games and you just have to be a rock and work through it. I had faith in our team.&#8221;With Lucy Adams standing on second base to start the bottom of the 10th inning, first baseman Hannah Phillips, who had already reached base safely four times in the game with two hits and two walks, stepped to the plate and smacked an RBI single to tie the game.&#8220;I just focused on the ball and making solid contact every time,&#8221; Phillips said. &#8220;It was just really important to keep our composure at that point and play our game.&#8221;Lady Eagles catcher Rebekah Tiffany delivered the final blow, an RBI single, to give Mountain View its first District 2 title in softball in the school&#8217;s history.&#8220;By keeping them to one run, the kids came in confident,&#8221; Rudzinski said. &#8220;We had two kids (coming up) that were putting the bat on the ball, so I knew that we would hopefully (at least) tie it.&#8221;Decker, a freshman, allowed two or more base runners in the first, second, third, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but worked out of trouble each time without allowing a run.(Allison) did a great job,&#8221; Lackawanna Trail head coach John Brander said. &#8220;We kind of flirted with disaster a few innings and our defense was able to come up big. They just got the one hit when they needed it and it was good enough to get the win.&#8220;I could not have been prouder of these girls,&#8221; Brander added. &#8220;They played with their heart all year long. We&#8217;ve had a lot of fun and this team has set the bar really high. It&#8217;s going to be tough to top it.&#8221;