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SPRINGFIELD >> For a few minutes Wednesday, it appeared that Penncrest would pack up the bus and head home with a feel-good win.
The Lions trailed until the sixth inning when they scored three times to grab a two-run lead. Senior pitcher and All-Delco Maya Hartman was rolling along, retiring seven of the last eight hitters she faced. The Lions were by no means comfortably ahead on the scoreboard, but the momentum certainly was on their side.
Springfield had an answer.
A fielding miscue to begin the bottom of the sixth opened the door for a three-run rally by the host Cougars. Lauren Quinn and Victoria Ryan delivered the crushing blows at the plate, and Springfield walked away with a 5-4 win.
It was one of the best wins of the season for Springfield … and probably one of the most frustrating defeats for Penncrest.
“It hasn’t always been so easy,” said Jenna Casasanto, Springfield’s slick-fielding junior shortstop and No. 1 pitcher. “We needed this one.”
Springfield played a game of “whatever you can do, we can do better.” Penncrest scored all of its sixth-inning runs with two out, so Springfield came back and showed some two-out magic of its own. Quinn smashed a double to the gap in left-center, plating Sam Ciasullo and Jordan
Galloway to pull even at 4-4. The freshman Ryan then dug in and drove a pitch the opposite way to right field to knock in Quinn, who scored on a close play at the plate.
Ryan was thrown out trying to take second base, but not before she gave Springfield the lead and eventual victory.
“I was pretty nervous,” Ryan said. “I just didn’t want to get out.”
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PETE BANNAN-DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Springfield closer Jenna Casasanto (10), Caitlin Chambers (7) and starter Sam Ciasullo (20) react to their 5-4 victory Penncrest Wednesday.
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