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Mounts move into second place tie
- 27 April 2006
Last night at home and under the lights for the first time this season, the Ephrata Softball team knocked Warwick out of a first place tie in Section One, and moved into a tie for second place in Section Two, in front of their largest crowd on the season.The Lady Mounts hung on for a 2-1 win (boxscore) over the Warriors, while Cedar Crest topped Elizabethtown, leaving the Bears and the Mounts with identical 8-3 league records.
Ephrata struck first in this one, taking advantage of a Warrior mental error. In the third inning, Ephrata's Keirah Hoerner laced a single to left-center field, but Warwick's centerfielder Pickel fired a strike to Martin to nail Ephrata's Caitlin Mull at third base for the second out of the inning. Hoerner would later advance to third on a wild pitch, and it looked like Warwick's Kreiter would get out of the inning when she induced Jen Keith to hit a ground ball back to her. Rather then going to first for the third out however, Kreiter went for the play at the plate and Hoerner's collision with Gabers jarred the ball free and the Mounts led 1-0.
Meanwhile, Christi Wise (8-5, 2.26 ERA) held the Warriors in check as she carried a no-hitter through 5 innings.
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Mounts added another run to make their lead 2-0. After Alyssa Harnish grounded out, Laina Martin singled to right, and moved to second on Mull's fielder's choice. As Hoerner attempted to call time, Martin stole her 10th base of the season, as she moved to third. Hoerner (.535) then singled to left scoring Martin.
Warwick then tried to make it interesting in the sixth. With one out, Warwick's shortstop Witmer singled to right field. She quickly advanced to second base on a Wise wild pitch. Morales then hit a ground ball to third, which Eprhata's Sara Burkholder fielded and threw to Jen Keith, however Witmer tried to score on the play and Keith fired a strike to Jolyn Stauffer who blocked the plate and applied the tag to Witmer, ending the Warrior rally.
Ephrata had nothing for the Warriors in the sixth as they went down 1-2-3.
In the seventh with their backs against the wall the Section One leaders came out swinging. Gennett led off the inning with a single, Herrmann fouled off 7 pitches before eventually flying out to right. Gabers then singled moving Gennett to second base.
Warwick's third basemen Martin delivered a clutch hit scoring Gennett and moving Gabers to second. DiGiacomo then hit a ground ball to the shortstop, and the Mounts took the smart play, getting the leading runner.
Warwick down to their last out put the game in the hands of their leadoff batter Pickel struck out, leaving two on base, sealing the 2-1 win for the Mounts.
The Lady Mounts are home again Friday night under the lights as they take on Section leader Manheim Central (11-0) as they look to avenge an early season loss to the Barons.
We here at www.ephratamounts.com are proud sponsors of the Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament.