DALLAS — Back Mountain discovered something Thursday. It can play with the other two teams in the Section 5 Little League 8-10 Softball tournament.
A 3-1 loss to North Pocono in the winners bracket final made the discovery a little tougher, though. Now Back Mountain’s path to the state tournament will require three wins.
Up first for Back Mountain is an elimination game at 6 p.m. Friday against Valley View, an opponent it defeated 4-2. Whichever team survives that game must defeat North Pocono twice — at 2 p.m. Saturday and again at 2 p.m. Sunday in a game that will be played only if needed.
All games will be at the Back Mountain Little League.
“That’s pretty much a travel team,” Back Mountain manager Dan Wilson said of North Pocono. “We played four games together and they played probably 20, 30 games together.”
The difference Thursday was North Pocono made the most of its opportunities. And there weren’t many against Back Mountain pitcher Nora Oliver.
Oliver struck out 13, including seven of eight batters at one point, and surrendered just four hits. North Pocono capitalized on two of them.
“Our pitcher, Nora Oliver, hung in there,” Wilson said. “She pitched lights out tonight against that team.”
Molly Loringer walked to start the game and stole second. She scored on an error on a single by Kennedy Berry. Berry eventually scored on a groundout to give North Pocono a 2-0 lead. The team’s other run came on a home run by Berry in the fourth. She launched the ball over the left fielder’s head and it rolled to the fence, allowing her to circle the bases.
Back Mountain scored its run in the second. Oliver doubled to center to start the inning. She scored on an error on a groundout by Avery Mullery. Sarah Antall had walked prior to Mullery’s out, but ended up stranded at third.
Back Mountain’s other scoring chance came in the fourth when Ryder Adamshick singled and Vivienne Bross walked. Adamshick was left stranded on third.
North Pocono pitcher Serena Lesh retired Back Mountain in order four times. In all but one of those innings, Back Mountain put the ball in play, but North Pocono’s defense was strong all game.
“We hit the ball. We didn’t strike out that much,” Wilson said. “Their pitcher was pretty fast.”
Section 5 8-10 Softball
Winners Bracket Final
North Pocono 3, Back Mountain 1
North Pocono`AB`R`H`BI
Loringer 2b`1`1`1`0
K.Berry c`2`2`2`1
Havenstrite ss`2`0`0`1
Washko 1b`0`0`0`0
Lesh p`2`0`0`0
Kuzmak eh`1`0`0`0
Werner cf`2`0`0`0
Ketten rf`2`0`1`0
Murphy 3b`2`0`0`0
Jones lf`2`0`0`0
Ortona rf`2`0`0`0
R.Berry eh`2`0`0`0
Totals`20`3`4`2
Back Mountain`AB`R`H`BI
Adamshick c`2`0`1`0
Sears ss`2`0`0`0
Bross 1b`1`0`0`0
Oliver p`2`1`1`0
Wilson 2b`2`0`0`0
Antall 3b`1`0`0`0
Mullery rf`2`0`0`0
Pippen cf`2`0`0`0
Morris lf`2`0`0`0
Stackhouse eh`2`0`0`0
Murray eh`2`0`0`0
Totals`20`1`2`0
North Pocono`200`100 — 3
Back Mountain`010`000 — 1
2B — Oliver. HR — K.Berry.
North Pocono`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Lesh (W)`6`2`1`0`2`10
Back Mountain`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Oliver (L)`6`4`3`1`4`13
