HS Softball: Pine Grove shuts out Pottsville

Pine Grove's Madison Shiffer reached the 100-RBI milestone during Tuesday's Schuylkill League Division I win over Pottsville. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

POTTSVILLE — It seems like every time Madison Shiffer comes to the plate, there are runners on base.

Pine Grove’s senior first baseman likes it that way.

Shiffer showed her appreciation for her teammates setting the table by belting a pair of doubles and driving in four runs Tuesday as the Cardinals cruised past Pottsville 13-0 in five innings in a Schuylkill League Division I softball game at the CACL Complex. With the big day, Shiffer reached the 100-RBI milestone for her career.

Meanwhile, winning pitcher Chelcy Clark mowed down the Pottsville lineup, hurling a one-hit shutout, striking out 10 and walking just one.

Pine Grove (5-0, 3-0 D-I) compiled 13 hits and scored in every inning.

In the first, Callee Leffler reached on an error, stole second, advanced to third on Hannah Aungst’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Shiffer’s groundout.

In the second, two errors led to a Pine Grove run. Pottsville (4-3, 1-2) committed eight errors in the game. Just four of the runs Pottsville pitcher Peyton Eckert allowed were earned.

Pine Grove broke the game open with a four-run third inning. Shiffer roped a two-run double to left, and Jamie Dinger slammed a solo home run to left-center. Dinger had a day, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

With two outs in the fourth, five consecutive Cardinals reached base to produce three runs. Shiffer had an RBI double, and Addison Zimmerman rapped a two-run single.

“I think the first inning was key to get that one across there,” Pine Grove coach Ryan Leffler said. “We manufactured a run there. And then we went out there defensively and shut them down. … I’m proud of the way the kids responded today. We had two outs (in the fourth inning) and we passed the bat and we got three (runs). We hit the ball really well. I thought the second time around our approach was a little better. Chelcy and our defense did an outstanding job.”

Leadoff hitter Callee Leffler reached base all four times she came to the plate, going 3-for-4 with four runs scored. In all, the top five spots in the Pine Grove lineup went 10-for-17 with 12 runs scored and nine RBIs.

Megan Yost singled for the only hit for the Crimson Tide. Aubrey Scanlan walked and stole two bases in the second inning, but Clark notched back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam. The Tide put runners at second and third with two outs in the third inning; once again, a strikeout ended the inning.

“I think each game we’re getting better,” Ryan Leffler said. “We still have work to do on some things, but I see the confidence level is rising for some of these young players from last year to this year. And I feel like they’re a little more determined. I’m seeing it in practice as well. These kids practice hard, a credit to them. They rewarded themselves by beating a good team today.”

Game Summary

PINE GROVE (13) — Leffler cf 4 4 3 0, Aungst ss 2 2 1 0, K. Umbenhauer pr 0 1 0 0, Shiffer 1b 4 2 2 4, Rumpf pr 0 1 0 0, Zimmerman rf 3 0 1 2, Schaeffer ph 0 0 0 0, Dinger dp-3b 4 2 3 3, Clark p 3 0 0 0, Reiner ph 1 0 1 0, Flynn 2b 3 0 1 0, Johnson ph 1 0 0 0, Bohr c 3 0 0 0, M. Umbenhauer 3b-lf 3 1 1 0, Morgan  lf 0 0 0 0. Totals 31 13 13 9.

POTTSVILLE (0) — Siminitus cf 2 0 0 0, Borger cf 0 0 0 0, Yost lf 2 0 1 0, Cromyak 3b 2 0 0 0, Steidle 3b 0 0 0 0, Eckert p 2 0 0 0, Scanlan ss 1 0 0 0, Ketner 1b 2 0 0 0, Kunstek rf 1 0 0 0, McGeoy rf 1 0 0 0, Wessner c 1 0 0 0, Templeton ph 1 0 0 0, Barnhart 2b 1 0 0 0, Kalovcak cr-ph 1 0 0 0. Totals 17 0 1 0.

PGA (5-0, 3-0)                114        34 — 13

Potts (4-3, 1-2)              000      00 — 0

E — Pine Grove 1, Pottsville 8

DP — Pottsville 1

LOB — Pine Grove 6, Pottsville 3

2B — Shiffer 2, Aungst, Leffler

HR — Dinger

SB — Leffler, Morgan, Scanlan 2

SAC — Aungst

Pine Grove

                                       IP     H      R       ER    BB    K

Clark W,3-0              5       1        0        0       1       10

Pottsville

                  IP     H      R       ER    BB    K

Eckert L,4-3           5       13       13       4       2       2

WP — Clark, Eckert 2. PB — Bohr. T — 1:36.