SCH freshman Becca Arnold decides that this pitch is up out of the strike zone. (Photo by Tom Utescher)

by Tom Utescher

Getting an early jump on visiting Germantown Academy last Thursday, the softball squad at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy had already satisfied the mercy rule standard by the end of the first inning, as the Blue Devils scored 11 times in their first turn at bat.

In addition to one team having a 10-run lead, the rule also stipulates that the team that is behind must bat in the fifth inning before the contest concludes, and the Inter-Ac League encounter at SCH ended in the middle of the fifth frame with a 20-0 final score.

Junior Kayla McTamney went the distance in the circle for the victory, striking out seven while giving up four hits and no bases on balls. Her offense backed her up with 16 hits for the afternoon as the Blue Devils climbed to a record of 8-2 overall and 4-0 in league play. The team's two losses came against ball clubs from Wisconsin (a defending state champion) and Ohio during a spring break trip to Florida.

Going into last Thursday's contest, Springside Chestnut Hill had already beaten the other three traditional contenders in the league in the first round of Inter-Ac games, topping Penn Charter (6-3), Episcopal Academy (15-7), and Agnes Irwin (11-1). The victory over the Irwin Owls occurred on Tuesday of last week.

Germantown Academy gave one of its best Inter-Ac performances against Irwin on April 13, losing a squeaker, 9-8. The outcome at SCH lowered the Patriots' league mark to 0-4; outside of the league, they lost their season opener to Academy of the New Church.

On Thursday, the GA girls had the misfortune of encountering what is probably the best team that SCH has ever had, a squad without a single senior, but one bolstered by the addition of six freshmen whose club softball experience has made them varsity-ready. In addition, sophomore Mo'ne Davis, of Little League fame, has made the transition to softball this spring and has taken over at shortstop.

After sending the visitors down in order at the top of the first, the Blue Devils got all the runs they would need in the bottom of the inning. Following walks to sophomore Steph DeAngelis (another new addition; a transfer who lives in nearby Roxborough) and junior veteran Rachel Kazlauskas, Davis slapped a single between short and second base to drive in the game's first run. A walk to sophomore clean-up hitter Colebe Oliver loaded the bases, and when the team's third junior, Lucy Lamb, hit the ball to shortstop, Kazlauskas slid safely to the plate as GA was unable to get the out on a throw home.

With all the bags still occupied by Blue Devils, GA sophomore pitcher Shelby Kuehnle issued a walk to her opposite number, McTamney, pushing a third run across the plate. Freshman Katie Regan then dropped a single over short to make it 4-0, and a fifth run scored when her classmate, Erin Fennessy, was hit by a pitch.

GA got one out by tagging a runner trying to steal home, but the ball came loose just after the tag and the next SCH runner in line hustled home for a 6-0 tally. The batter at the time, freshman Erica Arnold, wound up with a walk, as did DeAngelis as the top of the SCH order came around again.

With the bases loaded once more, Kazlauskas sent a sacrifice fly into left field. The remaining baserunners later stole ahead to second and third, and both scored on a hit to shallow right center by Davis, raising the score to 9-0.

Oliver was hit by a pitch, then Lamb got to second on what should have been a simple base hit, advancing Oliver to third and scoring Davis to make it 10-0. A double steal got another run in before Germantown Academy pocketed a fly in right field to end the inning.

With two outs in the top of the second, Kuehnle produced the first GA hit of the game, directing the ball down the first base line and beating a throw to the bag. She got no farther, as the next batter struck out.

In the bottom half, four more SCH runs crossed the plate to make it 15-0. Patriots freshman Kathryn Sands slugged a line-drive single to the right of second base at the top of the third, but once again GA was unable to advance as far as second base.

SCH entered two new freshmen in the batting order in the home half of the third; two runs scored when Meg McNesby's ball hit to right field eluded the outfielder for three bases, and Alysa Akins earned an RBI with a sacrifice fly. In all, five Blue Devil runs scored to send the hosts into the fourth inning with their final total of 20 on the board.

The Devils did not run the bases quite as aggressively later in the game, and GA's defense stiffened noticeably. The Pats need to avoid giving up that one decisive burst of scoring to opposing teams.

In the fourth and fifth innings, the visitors got a total of seven batters up to the plate, with junior Kamryn Demasi getting on base through an error. SCH had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fourth, then the Patriots picked up a force-out at home and secured the third out on a fly ball.