District 1 Class 6A softball: As Haverford ousts Boyertown, ‘nobody better’ than Shannon Gavigan

HAVERFORD – An afternoon-long demonstration of high school softball pitching excellence had reached the bottom of the eighth Wednesday, and that’s when Haverford coach Bob Newman had a vision and a reaction.

The vision: Shannon Gavigan grabbing a bat.

The reaction?

“I just yelled out to her,” Newman said. “I said, ‘Nobody better.””

After struggling for seven-plus innings against overpowering Boyertown pitcher Ella Hurter, the Fords used a little small-ball to place runners on first and second with two outs. By slinging a single into left to plate Claudia Stuk, Gavigan would give the Fords a 1-0 victory, advancement to the quarterfinals of the PIAA District 1 Class 6A tournament, a pile-on celebration and support to her coach’s claim.

At that point, in that game, in that spot, the Fords’ leadoff hitter was ideal.

“I just really wanted to be there for my team,” Gavigan said, “and do something crazy.”

Crazy as it could sound, the Fords improved to 21-0 despite generating just one hit out of the infield against Hurter, who struck out 10 in a fascinating duel of left-handed pitchers. Matching Hurter scoreless inning for scoreless inning in regulation, Haverford’s Emma Taylor whiffed 14 and kept three of the Bears’ four hits in the infield.

“They are both good pitchers and I knew it was going to be like a 1-nothing game,” Boyertown coach Kim Musselman said. “Whoever was going to score first was going to win the game. It was going to be another pitchers’ duel, and we have been dealing with those for the last four games.”

Aware that scoring opportunities would be few, Musselman took a chance in the third, but Fords catcher Morgan Barrett quickly corralled an Alyx Morgan squeeze bunt and nabbed Avery Frey at the plate. The Bears’ best chance for a breakthrough inning came in the eighth, Cydney Kiedaisch lashing a leadoff double to left center and advancing on a wild pitch. Though the Fords kept Kiedaisch at third amid a tapper toward the mound, a late throw allowed Morgan to reach first. Carlee Frantz would load the bases with a bunt single, as the the Fords were careful not to allow Keidaisch to score.

That’s when Taylor – the reigning All-Delco Player of the Year – was at her best.

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Haverford High pitcher Emma Taylor, in action against Penncrest, struck out 14 to lift the Fords to a 1-0 victory over Boyertown in the District 1 Class 6A second round. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group).