Mahanoy Area edges Marian

With both teams sitting on pins and needles — and the outcome weighing in the balance — Marian had Mahanoy Area breathing heavy and fidgety.

Trailing by one run and down to its last out, the Fillies’ Toni Galasso thought she had a game-winning hit. Galasso barreled up a pitch tossed by Mahanoy Area’s splendid hurler Emily Lawrence with the tying and winning runs sitting at second and third.

The ball jumped off Galasso’s bat and looked headed for the gap in right center field. But out of nowhere, right fielder Payton Martin came racing to the exact spot diving to her right as the ball curved perfectly toward her mitt. Martin came up with the catch to not only clinch Friday’s 4-3 victory, but also put Mahanoy Area on the cusp of clinching the Schuylkill Softball League Division 3 championship.

“They’re all big and we don’t take anyone for granted,” Mahanoy Area manager Joe Hullihan said about the four remaining league games on the Bears’ schedule.

The Bears (7-2, 8-5) need to win just one of those games or have second-place Marian (5-5, 8-6) lose one ofits three remaining games to win the division title.

“It’s a tough loss to a very good team and a very good pitcher,” said first-year Marian manager Kyle Faust. “We had a good chance at the end, I thought (Galasso’s) hit was going to fall. But their kid makes a great play.”

Lawrence yielded but three hits and no earned runs. Her teammates flailed away for six hits off tough-luck losing pitcher Lindsey Reinoehl, who had seven strikeouts and nary a walk.

The Bears had the early edge thanks to a solo home run by Hannah Bruce in the second inning

Mahanoy then added three runs in the fourth. A double by Meghan Macleary, a Bruce single, and a Jessica WaldrenRBI single opened the inning. The table was set for Alison Scheeler who delivered what would be the game winning hit, chasing in the final two runs.

Marian finally dented the scoring column in the home fifth, although all three runs were tainted. Macy Alansky, Mia Nemeth and Abby Joy singled. The Bears defense then came unglued as three throwing errors made it a one-run game.

Lawrence settled down before facing a tough seventh. Nemeth and Alansky drew back-to-back walks with no outs. A fly out and a passed ball put Nemeth and Alansky at second and third. Lawrence got a strikeout for the second out, setting the stage for Galasso’s at bat and Martin’s game winning catch.

“That’s the fourth time she saved a game for us,” said Hullihan about his right fielder

And it just so happens to help possibly sew up the divisional championship, too.

SHORTSTOPS… Two of the finest shortstops were sharing the spotlight. Mahanoy’s Jordan Karmonick and Marian’s Reese Erbe were flawless. They both come up on the ball and never let the ball play them.

WEB GEM… Marian’s second baseman Jade Ritsick made a great stop on a grounder smoked by Karmonick taking away a sure base hit.

BY THE NUMBERS… Losing pitcher Reinoehl tossed 90 pitches, including 69 for strikes. Lawrence topped out at 104, including 78 strikes.

SENIORS ADIEU… Two Marian seniors, Erbe and Galasso were honored before the game.

Mahanoy Area 010 300 0 – 4 6 2

Marian 000 030 0 – 3 3 1

Lawrence and Bruce; Reinoehl and Shaud. W – Lawrence L – Reinoehl.