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Morgan Bienkowski baffles Montrose, puts Holy Redeemer back on top in D2 softball

<p>EDWARDSVILLE &#8212; Tunkhannock&#8217;s Faith Jones felt the 11th inning was just a few seconds away Friday.</p><p>Then it wasn&#8217;t, and Tunkhannock was the District 2 Class 4A softball champion once again.</p><p>Jones&#8217; fly ball was dropped with two outs out and the bases loaded in the 10th inning &#8212; Nanticoke Area&#8217;s third error of the inning &#8212; as Tunkhannock rallied for a 2-1 victory at Wilkes University.</p><p>The error scored Gina Walsh from third. Walsh had reached on the second Nanticoke Area error of the inning. </p><p>&#8220;I saw it go in her glove and I said, `Oh, dang,&#8217;&#8221; Jones said. &#8220;Then it fell out and that was just the best feeling in the world.&#8221;</p><p>The victory gave Tunkhannock its third district title in program history. It also means the Tigers (13-3) will be back at Wilkes on Monday, playing District 3 third seed Bishop McDevitt in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A state playoffs.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;d rather be here than heading down toward Philly,&#8221; Tunkhannock coach Bob Hegedty said.</p><p>That&#8217;s where Nanticoke Area (10-6) will be going. The Trojanettes play District 1 champion Upper Perkiomen at 5:30 p.m. at Methacton High School.</p><p>After nine scoreless innings, the international tiebreaker rule was implemented where each team started the inning with a runner on second base. Nanticoke managed to take a 1-0 lead when Megan Murphy walked, was sacrificed to second and moved to third on a ground out. From there, she scored on a wild pitch.</p><p>Tunkhannock started the bottom of the 10th with Nicole Howell on second, running for pitcher Kendra Schultz. An error on Walsh&#8217;s grounder moved her to third. She scored on a ground out by Jena Simmons, a play that could have ended the game if not for second baseman Brinley Scoblick knocking down the sizzler by going hard to her right.</p><p>Mackayla Quick was hit by a pitch and an out later the Tigers loaded the bases on an error on Erin Dunn&#8217;s grounder. Jones then ended the game.</p><p>Until the 10th, Nanticoke Area pitcher Miranda Bohn allowed just four base runners to reach second and none to get to third. She finished with 10 strikeouts and surrendered four hits.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve seen a lot of her great pitching performances and this was <em>the</em> best,&#8221; Nanticoke Area coach Ryan Stetz said.</p><p>Schultz, though, was equally as good in her seven innings of relief. She took over for starter Hope Jones, normal procedure most of the season, and allowed one hit and fanned 10.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s amazing because it&#8217;s always like a breath of fresh air when someone new comes in,&#8221; Schultz said. &#8220;To always have each others back is really nice because you don&#8217;t have that much pressure on your shoulders.&#8221;</p><p>The two Tunkhannock pitchers were aided by big plays by Dunn, the right fielder. She ended the third with a diving catch with two runners on and made another diving catch in foul territory to end the Nanticoke Area 10th.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>DISTRICT 2 CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Tunkhannock 2, Nanticoke Area 1 (10 inn.)</strong></p><p><strong>Nanticoke`AB`R`H`BI</strong></p><p>Rakowski ss`4`0`1`0</p><p>Bohn p`4`0`1`0</p><p>Sobeck 2b`3`0`1`0</p><p>Baron 1b`4`0`0`0</p><p>Murphy 3b`4`1`0`0</p><p>King c`3`0`0`0</p><p>Redenski dp`2`0`0`0</p><p>Skladzien lf`3`0`0`0</p><p>Stashak ph`1`0`0`0</p><p>Kurkowski rf`3`0`0`0</p><p>Nice cf`0`0`0`0</p><p><strong>Totals`31`1`3`0</strong></p><p><strong>Tunkhannock`AB`R`H`BI</strong></p><p>F.Jones ss`4`0`1`0</p><p>H.Jones p-2b`3`0`1`0</p><p>Farr c`4`0`0`0</p><p>Schultz 2b-p`4`0`1`0</p><p>Howell pr`0`1`0`0</p><p>Walsh cf`4`1`0`0</p><p>Simmons 3b`4`0`0`1</p><p>Quick 1b`3`0`0`0</p><p>Carpenter pr`0`0`0`0</p><p>Roote dp`3`0`0`0</p><p>Dunn rf`3`0`1`0</p><p>Larioni lf`0`0`0`0</p><p><strong>Totals`32`2`4`1</strong></p><p><strong>Nanticoke`000`000`000`1 &#8212; 1</strong></p><p><strong>Tunkhannock`000`000`000`2 &#8212; 2</strong></p><p><strong>Nanticoke`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO</strong></p><p>Bohn L`9.2`4`2`0`1`10</p><p><strong>Tunkhannock`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO</strong></p><p>H.Jones`3.0`2`0`0`2`2</p><p>Schultz W`7.0`1`1`1`1`10</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Tunkhannock Tigers swarm around Faith Jones (10) after she brought home the winning run against Nanticoke Area in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the District 2 Class 4A softball championship Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_2.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Tunkhannock Tigers swarm around Faith Jones (10) after she brought home the winning run against Nanticoke Area in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the District 2 Class 4A softball championship Friday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tunkhannock&#8217;s Ella Larioni and the rest of the team storm the field after the Tigers defeated Nanticoke Area 2-1 in 10 innings to win the District 2 Class 4A softball championship on Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Tunkhannock&#8217;s Ella Larioni and the rest of the team storm the field after the Tigers defeated Nanticoke Area 2-1 in 10 innings to win the District 2 Class 4A softball championship on Friday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tunkhannock&#8217;s Faith Jones slides safely to second base as Nanticoke Area shortstop Gabby Rakowski waits for the throw in the District 2 Class 4A softball championship Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Tunkhannock&#8217;s Faith Jones slides safely to second base as Nanticoke Area shortstop Gabby Rakowski waits for the throw in the District 2 Class 4A softball championship Friday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tunkhannock&#8217;s Kendra Schultz struck out 10 and allowed one hit in seven innings of relief to pick up the win Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_3.jpg</photo3><caption3>Tunkhannock&#8217;s Kendra Schultz struck out 10 and allowed one hit in seven innings of relief to pick up the win Friday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Miranda Bohn struck out 10 and didn&#8217;t allow an earned run in the 2-1 loss to Tunkhannock. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060218Tunk-NanSB_5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Miranda Bohn struck out 10 and didn&#8217;t allow an earned run in the 2-1 loss to Tunkhannock. </caption4><photoCredit4>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Tunkhannock tops Nanticoke in 10 innings for D2-4A softball crown</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By John Erzar</p><p>jerzar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>PIAA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>MONDAY</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>SOFTBALL</strong></p><p>Hazleton Area vs. Garnet Valley, 2 p.m. Wilkes University</p><p>Pittston Area vs. WC Henderson, 4 p.m. Univ. of Scranton</p><p>Tunkhannock vs. Bishop McDevitt, 4 p.m. Wilkes University</p><p>Nanticoke Area vs. Upper Perkiomen, 5:30 p.m. Mathacton HS</p><p>Holy Redeemer vs. Loyalsock, 5 p.m. Moser Complex, Turbotville</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>MONDAY</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>BASEBALL</strong></p><p>Northwest vs. Camp Hill, 4:30 p.m., Pittston Area Primary Center</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Tunkhannock defends title