EDWARDSVILLE – After 6½ innings of near flawless softball, Abington Heights still needed a little something more to finish off the defending state champions.
Lindsay Tasker and Lauren Stalica provided it with two throws – one the result of a quick reaction, the other keeping an opponent from reacting.
Tasker made an alert throw across the diamond to cut down the potential tying run and Stalica froze all-state leadoff hitter Kallie Booth with a game-ending, called third strike May 30 as the Comets knocked off top-seeded Pittston Area, 2-1, in the District 2-4 Class 5A championship game at Wilkes University.
Abington Heights went into the bottom of the seventh leading, 2-0.
After putting just four runners on in six innings, Pittston Area scored its only run, moved the tying run into scoring position, got the winning run on base and returned to the top of the order.
Stalica’s eighth strikeout ended the rally, but Abington Heights coach John Kelly came away just as pleased with the play second baseman Tasker made for the first out.
Marina Antal led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the right side and Sam Herbert reached on an error.
Pittston Area tried to bunt the runners into scoring position, but as the fielders rotated, pinch hitter Grace Callahan placed the bunt past Stalica into the spot vacated by Tasker as she rotated to cover first base.
As the ball came to a stop near Tasker’s normal position, Antal raced all the way around the score and Callahan was easily safe at first.
Herbert, trailing Antal on the bases, hesitated briefly after rounding second, then headed for third. Tasker recovered, got to the ball and threw across the diamond to erase the runner for the first out.
“We made a mistake and opened the door and our second baseman made a heckuva play to throw that runner out at third,” Kelly said. “That was huge.
“That won the game.”
There, however, was still work to be done by the Comets.
After a foul popup and a walk made it two on with two out, Stalica ended the game.
Stalica also had a role in building the lead as the second-seeded Comets had the leadoff batters reach and score in the fourth and fifth innings, then held on.
Pittston Area’s Gianna Adams, the 2022 state Class 5A Pitcher of the Year, retired nine of the first 10 batters on her way to 10 strikeouts.
Marley Sarafinko and Stalica had consecutive singles to begin the top of the fourth.
The runners advanced on a groundout and Riley Knott squeezed in Sarafinko to open the scoring.
“Riley Knott has a heckuva bat,” Kelly said. “We knew she’d get it down. I just told Marley Sarafinko as soon as they pitch, just take off.
“We needed that run.”
Tasker singled in a run with two outs after an error had put the first runner on in the fifth.
Pittston Area got its first runner into scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, another in the sixth, then three in the seventh.
“It was tough,” Kelly said. “Pittston’s a class team. They won the state last year. You know they’re not going to give up without a fight.”
Abington Heights 7, West Scranton 1
Tasker drove in three runs by hitting two of her team’s four home runs during the May 24 semifinal victory over visiting West Scranton.
Ava Stafursky and Stalica, the winning pitcher, hit one each.
Stalica threw a five-hitter with a walk and five strikeouts.
Abington Heights 15, Scranton 0
Abington Heights needed just three innings to roll through the May 22 district quarterfinal, scoring six times in the first, then nine in the third.
Season recap
Abington Heights won 12 straight after starting 6-6.
Along the way, the Comets defeated Valley View, 6-5, May 6. It was the only loss prior to the state tournament for the Lackawanna League Division 1 and District 2 Class 4A champion Cougars.
Abington Heights went 12-2 in the division, finishing just a game behind Valley View.
“We played a really tough out of league schedule,” Kelly said. “The six teams that we lost to are all in their state playoffs. They’re all really good teams and that really helped prepare us and get ready for the rest of our season.
“I told our girls when we were 6-6, ‘we’re not a finished product. Don’t get down. Let’s keep working hard.’ The big win was Valley View. From Valley View, we really started getting momentum and started feeling better about ourselves.”
