Penn State recruit Kirsten Finarelli (26) is greeted at home plate after hitting a solo home run for Lake-Lehman in the fourth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Lake-Lehman second baseman Kaitlyn Brudnicki forces out Pittston Area’s Gabby Roman and then tosses to first base to attempt a double play in the fourth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Lake-Lehman’s Jordyn Shorts hits a double against Pittston Area in the third inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
HUGHESTOWN — Lake-Lehman didn’t have much problem getting baserunners Friday. The Black Knights’ issue was using them to create a much-needed big inning.
Then came the top of the sixth where four hits combined with three Pittston Area errors led to six runs and an 11-10 come-from-behind victory for Lehman in a Wyoming Valley Conference softball non-divisional game.
Kaitlyn Brudnicki had an RBI triple and scored on an error on the hit in the sixth as Lehman improved to 8-1 overall. Alexis Shotwell, Haylee Makarewicz and Hannah Chipego all singled and scored. Two errors on Jordyn Shorts’ grounder allowed Shotwell to score. Shorts ended up on third and scored on Makarewicz’s single.
“The first time, I think, I can say in three years I’ve watched this team claw back after having that many runs on us,” Lehman coach Nicole Chipego said.
Until then, Lehman had scored five runs, including a titanic solo home run by Kirsten Finarelli, but the Black Knights felt they could have scored more.
“Absolutely,” Nicole Chipego said. “We were leaving way too many runners on base.”
Lehman left the bases loaded in the second and fifth innings and stranded two runners in the first, third and fourth.
Pittston Area (3-4) won the PIAA Class 5A state title in 2022 and was the runner-up last season. Most of those players — including WVC all-time strikeout leader Gianna Adams — have departed, leaving the Patriots in a somewhat rebuilding mode.
Yet, the Patriots blasted the ball around the field in the first inning. Marina Antal had an RBI triple followed by another triple by Sam Herbert. Gabby Gorzkowski then hit an RBI double and Jillian Haas had an infield single. Both scored on a double up the middle by Julia Long.
An RBI triple by Gorzkowski was followed by an RBI double by Haas, pushing the lead to 10-4 after four innings. Pittston Area’s bats, though, went quiet after that. Chipego retired seven in a row until Haas doubled to start the seventh. Haas never moved past second base and Chipego retired the next three batters to end the game.
“We have to learn how to win,” Pittston Area coach Frank Parente said. “We have to learn how to win because we had a shot. … We have to be better. We have to be better in the field, we have to be better with decision-making. We can’t give them free passes.”
Seven of Pittston Area’s 11 hits were for extra bases.
Wyalusing 3, Wyoming Area 0
The Warriors had just three hits in their road loss to Wyalusing.
Jose Kivak, Addison Gaylord and Alex Gasek each had a single for Wyoming Area.
Lake-Lehman 11, Pittston Area 10
Lehman`AB`R`H`BI
Chipego p`5`2`1`0
James rf`4`0`1`4
Finarelli c`1`2`1`1
Brudnicki 2b`3`1`2`0
Reilly lf`4`0`0`0
Wallace ss`3`1`0`0
Shotwell cf`5`1`1`0
Shorts 1b`4`1`1`0
Makarewicz 2b`4`3`3`2
Totals`33`11`10`7
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Hintze cf`2`1`0`0
Davis pr`0`1`0`0
Roman rf`4`1`2`0
Antal 3b`4`2`1`1
Herbert p`3`0`1`0
Viglione cr`0`1`0`0
Gorzkowski 1b`4`2`2`3
Haas lf`4`1`3`1
Long ss`4`0`2`2
Sarf dp`4`0`0`0
Cocco c`3`0`0`0
Podwika 2b`0`0`0`0
Totals`32`10`11`7
Lake-Lehman`030`116`0 — 11
Pittston Area`521`200`0 — 10
2B — Shorts, Gorzkowski, Haas 2, Long. 3B — Brudnicki, Antal, Herbert, Gorzkowski. HR — Finarelli.
Lehman`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Chipego (W)`7`11`10`9`3`10
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Herbert (L)`6`10`11`6`9`2
Stevenson`1`0`0`0`0`1
