Pine Grove's Callee Leffler bats during a game against Tri-Valley on April 19 at Hegins Park. Catching for the Dawgs is Lydia Rodichok. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

Pine Grove is starting to pull away from the pack.

The Cardinals added three impressive victories last week to tighten their grip on the No. 1 spot in the T102 Sports Now Super 7 Softball Poll. Pine Grove has the top spot for the second week in a row.

Starting last week with a 9-2 victory at Tamaqua, shutting out Pottsville 7-0 at midweek, then outwaiting the rainy weather, traveling to Patriots Park in Allentown and taking care of business 8-2 over District 11 Class 6A playoff qualifier Northampton 8-2 on Saturday night, the Cards are starting to climb to a higher level as we look to turn the calendar to May later this week.

In a week full of huge games, the top two teams in the poll will clash at 7 p.m. Tuesday when Pine Grove hosts No. 2 North Schuylkill (10-2) at Susan Y. Stump Field. The Spartans moved up one spot sparked by their 3-1 win at Blue Mountain. They also won the first meeting this season with Pine Grove, 6-5.

North Schuylkill opens the week on a seven-game winning streak but has a busy stretch ahead. In addition to the clash against Pine Grove, the Spartans will host Berwick today, visit Tamaqua on Thursday and travel to Lourdes at Mount Carmel on Friday.

Williams Valley (14-1), winners of six in a row, moves up one spot to No. 3.

After romps over Shenandoah Valley and Weatherly last week, the Vikings face a gauntlet this week: at Northern Lehigh today, home against Schuylkill Haven on Tuesday and home against Tri-Valley on Thursday. The games against the Hurricanes and Bulldogs will be broadcast on WPPA 1360 AM/A-106 FM with JZ on play-by-play and Bob Lipsky on color.

After its loss to North Schuylkill, Blue Mountain (11-3) slipped to No. 4 this week. The Eagles have a chance to climb back up the poll if they can get on a roll today at home against Tamaqua, at Tamaqua on Tuesday, home with Pottsville on Thursday and at Hamburg on Friday.

Tri-Valley, 9-1 in its last 10 games, moves up a spot to No. 5 after its 3-2 win over Schuylkill Haven. After visiting Shenandoah Valley on Tuesday, the Dawgs travel to Williams Valley on Thursday and visit Tamaqua on Friday.

After falling to Tri-Valley, Schuylkill Haven (11-3) drops one place to No. 6. The Hurricanes rebounded from that loss by beating Minersville and Oley Valley to end the week. Schuylkill Haven’s big week starts today when it hosts Schuylkill Valley for the completion of a game suspended by rain April 2. Then it’s off to Williams Valley on Tuesday, a home game against Marian on Thursday and a game at Shamokin on Saturday.

Tamaqua (8-6) remains steady at No. 7. The Blue Raiders have a rugged stretch ahead: at Blue Mountain today, home with Blue Mountain on Tuesday, home with North Schuylkill on Thursday and home against Tri-Valley on Friday.

After these games are played, the Schuylkill League playoff race will come into sharper focus. Entering Monday, only Williams Valley had clinched one of the six spots for the the playoffs, which open May 10 at Blue Mountain’s Patton Field with a pair of quarterfinal games.

In the latest District 11 rankings, Tri-Valley (A), Williams Valley (AA) and Pine Grove (3A) stand atop their respective classifications. As of today, 12 of the 16 Schuylkill League teams would qualify for districts. North Schuylkill is second and Blue Mountain third in 4A to Northwestern Lehigh (15-1). Tamaqua is fifth. Schuylkill Haven is second and Minersville (6-9) third to the Vikings in Class AA. In Class A, Marian (7-6) is rated second, followed by Shenandoah Valley (4-11) and Nativity (2-11).

Look for the T102 Sports Now Super 7 Softball Poll each Monday.

T102 Sports Now Super 7 Softball Poll

(Through games played Sunday, April 27)

1. Pine Grove (15-1)

Last poll: No. 1

Last week’s results: W Tamaqua (9-2), W Pottsville (7-0), W Northampton (8-2)

This week’s schedule: North Schuylkill (Tuesday), at Mahanoy Area (Thursday)

2. North Schuylkill (10-2)

Last poll: No. 3

Last week’s results: W Tamaqua (4-3), W Blue Mountain (3-1), W Panther Valley (12-2, 5 inn.)

This week’s schedule: Berwick (Monday), at Pine Grove (Tuesday), at Tamaqua (Thursday), at Lourdes (Friday)

3. Williams Valley (14-1)

Last poll: No. 4

Last week’s results: W Shenandoah Valley (21-0, 3 inn.), W Weatherly (24-0, 3 inn.)

This week’s schedule: at Northern Lehigh (Monday), Schuylkill Haven (Tuesday), Tri-Valley (Thursday)

4. Blue Mountain (11-3)

Last poll: No. 2

Last week’s results: W Pottsville (12-2, 6 inn.), L North Schuylkill (3-1), W Mahanoy Area (12-1, 7 inn.)

This week’s schedule: Tamaqua (Monday), at Tamaqua (Tuesday), Pottsville (Thursday), at Hamburg (Friday)

5. Tri-Valley (11-3)

Last poll: No. 6

Last week’s results: W Schuylkill Haven (3-2), W Nativity (22-2, 3 inn.)

This week’s schedule: at Shenandoah Valley (Tuesday), at Williams Valley (Thursday), at Tamaqua (Friday)

6. Schuylkill Haven (11-3)

Last poll: No. 5

Last week’s results: L Tri-Valley (3-2), W Minersville (10-3), W Oley Valley (5-4)

This week’s schedule: Schuylkill Valley (Monday, comp. of susp. game), at Williams Valley (Tuesday), Marian (Thursday), at Shamokin (Saturday)

7. Tamaqua (8-6)

Last poll: No. 7

Last week’s results: L North Schuylkill (4-3), L Pine Grove (9-2), W Lourdes (18-2, 4 inn.)

This week’s schedule: at Blue Mountain (Monday), Blue Mountain (Tuesday), North Schuylkill (Thursday), Tri-Valley (Friday)

—- Compiled by Bob Lipsky