Avon Grove beats Hazleton, 2-0, heads to state championship
06/14/2016 12:31PM ● By Richard Gaw
By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer
Behind the pitching and hitting of Maggie Balint, the Avon Grove softball team (24-3) advanced to the PIAA Class AAAA championship by defeating 23-2 Hazleton by a score of 4-2, in a semifinal game held at Lyons Park in Fleetwood, Pa., on June 13.
With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Balint slugged a two-run, inside-the-park home run, and then held the District 2 champion Hazleton scoreless in the last of the seventh. In addition to her clutch hit, Balint struck out 13 batters and surrendered five hits.
Early solo home runs by Camryn Laterza and Rachel Butler put the Red Devils up 2-0, but in the bottom of the sixth, pinch-hitter Kasey Biever hit a two-run triple to knot the score, leading to Balint's homer.
With the victory, Avon Grove advances to the state title game against 25-2 Hempfield Area High School (Greensburg, Pa.), who defeated Chambersburg 2-0 on June 13 in the other Class AAAA semifinal. The championship game will be held at Nittany Lion Softball Park, on the campus of Penn State University, on June 16, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail [email protected].
Staff Writer
Behind the pitching and hitting of Maggie Balint, the Avon Grove softball team (24-3) advanced to the PIAA Class AAAA championship by defeating 23-2 Hazleton by a score of 4-2, in a semifinal game held at Lyons Park in Fleetwood, Pa., on June 13.
With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Balint slugged a two-run, inside-the-park home run, and then held the District 2 champion Hazleton scoreless in the last of the seventh. In addition to her clutch hit, Balint struck out 13 batters and surrendered five hits.
Early solo home runs by Camryn Laterza and Rachel Butler put the Red Devils up 2-0, but in the bottom of the sixth, pinch-hitter Kasey Biever hit a two-run triple to knot the score, leading to Balint's homer.
With the victory, Avon Grove advances to the state title game against 25-2 Hempfield Area High School (Greensburg, Pa.), who defeated Chambersburg 2-0 on June 13 in the other Class AAAA semifinal. The championship game will be held at Nittany Lion Softball Park, on the campus of Penn State University, on June 16, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail [email protected].
