NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Forest Area exploded for seven runs with two outs in the top of the seventh to erase a two-run deficit and then held on to beat Redbank Valley, 18-17.
Also see: May 11 District 9 softball recaps
The Lady Fires trailed, 13-11, going to the seventh and had two outs and a runner on first following a flyout by Maddie McFarland.
Emily Aites, though, kept the game alive with a double putting runners on second and third, and Jessica Wagner walked loading the bases for Nicole Meyers, who singled on a pop-up that was just out of the reach of pitcher Brooke Holben making it 13-12.
Brenna Thompson then gave Forest Area the lead with a two-run single to right field before Kaleigh Capelle added an RBI single to make it 15-13 before a two-run double and an RBI single made it 18-13.
Redbank Valley fought back with Brooke Holben’s one-out groundout making it 18-14.
Savanna Boyer then singled home a run to make it 18-15 before Sam Evans got the Lady Bulldogs within a run with a two-run double. But Meyers got Trista Bowser to pop out to her to end the game.
The Lady Fires trailed 10-5 going to the sixth but scored six runs with Emily Aites’ three-run home run and Chaise Siegel’s two-run double being the big hits. Aites dinger got Forest Area back within one, and Siegel’s double gave the Lady Fires the lead.
But a Trinity Weckerly double tied the contest at 11, and a double by Boyer gave the Lady Bulldogs the lead back before an Evans’ RBI single made it 13-11.
In all, the game featured 45 hits, 25 by Forest Area.
Wagner also hit a home run for the Lady Fires and was 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored, and two RBIs.
Aites added a double to her homer and went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and four RBIs, while Madison McFarland was also 4-for-6 with a double, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Capelle went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, Emma McFarland was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored, Maggie Boehme was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, Meyers was 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, Thompson was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs, and Siegel was 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBIs.
Evans had a monster day at the plate for Redbank Valley going 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, one run scored, and seven RBIs.
Weckerly was also 4-for-5 with a double, three RBIs, and four runs scored with Boyer going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Teja Hageter chipped in by going 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and three RBIs, Brynn Rearick was 2-for-5 with a double and three runs scored, and Nevada Boyer scored twice.
Meyers got the win. She gave up 17 runs, 11 earned, on 20 hits, two walks, and a hit batter while striking out one.
Holben took the loss allowing 18 runs, 15 earned, on 25 hits, three walks, and two hit batters while striking out five.