Lake-Lehman’s Rylie Bucknavage is congratulated as she enters the dugout after scoring in the third inning against Holy Redeemer Monday. Bucknavage doubled and then circled the bases on a throwing error on the hit.
Fred Adams | for Times Leader
Holy Redeemer’s second baseman Payton Parker makes a throw to first base for an out as Lake-Lehman’s Hannah Chipego advances to second base in the first inning Monday.
Fred Adams | for Times Leader
Lake-Lehman pitcher Hannah Chipego celebrates the lead over Holy Redeemer by wearing a Viking helmet and dancing in the dug out during the fourth inning Monday.
Fred Adams | for Times Leader
Lake-Lehman’s shortstop Kaitlyn Brudnicki fields a grounder in the third inning against Holy Redeemer on Monday.
Fred Adams | for Times Leader
Holy Redeemer’s Bella Boylan makes a throw to first base to put out Lake-Lehman’s Hannah Chipego in the fourth inning Monday.
Fred Adams | for Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — Lake-Lehman hasn’t clinched the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 softball title just yet.
But after Monday’s 10-1 victory over Holy Redeemer, the Black Knights pretty much did.
Lehman (7-0 Div. 2, 11-2 overall) opened a two-game lead over Redeemer (5-2, 8-3) with five Division 2 games remaining.
So mathematically, nothing has been won. Realistically, it likely has as Lehman has defeated its remaining divisional opponents already by a combined score of 63-4.
Lehman defeated Redeemer 14-3 in six innings on April 3. Three weeks later, the Black Knights’ four-run third inning allowed them to pull away.
“We knew we had to work hard for this one and it wasn’t going to be an easy game,” Lehman left fielder Rylie Bucknavage said. “Redeemer has good talent on their team and we knew we had to practice hard and play hard.”
Kaitlyn Brudnicki, Ava Hudak and Gracie Bucknavage opened the third with singles. Gracie Bucknavage brought home a run with her hit to make it 3-0. Two outs later, Rylie Bucknavage’s double brought home two more runs. She also scored on a throwing error on the play, giving Lehman a 6-0 lead.
An RBI single by Lucy Honeywell, a sac fly by Hailey Kline and an RBI double by Kirsten Finarelli bumped the lead to 9-0 in the sixth.
“From top to bottom, we’re pretty consistent with the hitting,” Lehman coach Nicole Chipego said. “I don’t think (our defense) performed their best today. We have put on a better performance and a cleaner performance.”
Redeemer had opportunities, but stranded two runners each inning from the second through the fifth. The Royals’ only run came in the seventh on a one-out single by Payton Parker. But like previous innings, Redeemer failed to capitalize more with the bases loaded as Lehman used a 1-2-3 double play to end the game.
Lehman jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Ava Hudak and Honeywell. Hannah Chipego tacked on the final run in the seventh on a single.
“We’ll just keep playing, keep getting better and go for districts,” said Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis, whose team in in a District 2 Class 3A bracket that includes Lehman and Lackawanna League power Mid Valley.
“If you look at how it’s set up, if we make it to the semis it’s us and (Lehman) in the semis.”
Lake-Lehman 10, Holy Redeemer 1
Lehman`AB`R`H`BI
Finarelli c`3`1`1`1
Chipego p`4`0`1`1
Beyer 1b`5`0`0`0
Brudnicki ss`3`2`2`0
Hudak cf`4`2`2`1
G.Bucknavage rf`3`3`3`1
Honeywell 2b`4`1`2`1
Kline 3b`3`0`0`1
R.Bucknavage lf`3`2`1`2
Totals`33`10`11`8
Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI
Santuk c`3`1`1`0
Whitman cf`3`0`0`0
Paulukonis lf`4`0`1`0
Williams ss-p`4`0`1`0
Parker 2b`4`0`1`1
Gryboski 1b`2`0`0`0
Pecuch 1b`1`0`0`0
Carter p-ss`2`0`1`0
Hayden rf`3`0`0`0
Boylan 3b`3`0`0`0
Totals`29`1`5`1
Lake-Lehman`204`030`1 — 10
Holy Redeemer`000`000`1 — 1
2B — Finarelli, R.Bucknavage.
Lehman`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Chipego (W)`7`5`1`0`0`7
Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Carter (L)`5`9`9`6`2`0
Williams`2`2`1`0`0`0
