Lampeter-Strasburg's baseball team, with league wins over Elizabethtown and Conestoga Valley last week moved into first place in the Section Two standings at 4-0. They blanked Octorara Saturday morning in non-league play, moving their overall record to 5-0.
"The guys are all working really hard every day," said head coach Keith Martin. "I'm happy that they know and talk about the game, strategy and adjustments and have the ability to make in game adjustments."
In Monday's 14-2 win over Elizabethtown, the Pioneers led from start to finish in a game that lasted six innings. L-S scored one in the first on Aaron Snyder's two out RBI single and made it 3-0 after two with Brandon Karpathios' two run fly ball to left field.
The two out magic continued in third inning with L-S plating five more runs. Joseph Meck's two out single to left field plated Derek Eckman, whose grounder plated Hunter Cunningham, and Patrick Holmes, who walked. Braedon Karpathios added a double on a fly ball to center that pushed in Meck and courtesy runner Alex Knapp.
The Bears extended the game with single runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings but it wasn't enough as L-S countered with a three-spot in the top of the fifth and three more in the sixth.
In all, the Pioneers pounded out 18 hits with Cunningham and Meck each going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI. Karpathios (4 RBI), Dylan Byler (1 RBI) and Aaron Snyder (1RBI) supplied two hits each.
"We have had good hitting production up and down the lineup and at different times," Martin stated.
On the hill, Karpathios, with 4.1 innings pitched, struck out six, walked two, gave up three hits but earned the win. Brandon Miller threw the last 1.2 innings, earning one strikeout.
Wednesday's 10-3 win over CV featured 12 hits with Thomas Shockey going 3-4. Taso Kovac was 2-4 with 4 RBI and Eckman was 2-3.
CV broke on top with two in the first but L-S came back with single runs in each of the first three innings before plating two in the fifth and five in what proved to be their last at bat, the sixth inning.
Aaron Snyder picked up the win with eight strikeouts and two walks over five innings. Holmes pitched the last two frames, striking out two and walking one.
Friday the team traveled to Quarryville in the rain and came home after two innings and a 4-0 lead. That game will resume this week.
In non-league play Saturday, the Pioneers scored ten runs on five hits, four walks and three errors, ending the game with Octorara after three innings.
Shockey opened Lampeter's three run first with a leadoff homer. L-S, batting around in the third, took control with seven more runs. Karpathios opened the inning with a double and capped the scoring with a three run triple.
Ryan Guyer struck out two and scattered three hits to earn the win.
"Right now we need to stay focused on our team goals and take things one pitch at a time and one game at a time," Martin added.
BOYS' LACROSSE
The boys' lacrosse team went toe-to-toe with the top team in Section Two last Monday but the Lancaster Country Day/Lancaster Catholic squad extended its 5-4 first half advantage with a three goal second half and denied the Pioneers in the 8-4 victory.
Down 3-2 in the first quarter, L-S played even with the visitors in the second frame but came up empty after the break.
"We were out of rhythm and not running our plays," said head coach Corey Nihlig. "We also had too many turnovers and too many times played man down in the second half."
Connor Nolt (1a), Stewart McClain (1a), Joey Underwood and Joey Jordan each scored once
Wednesday the Pioneers hosted an improved CV squad and pulled off a 6-5 overtime thriller. L-S led 3-0 at the half but gave up four third quarter goals while only scoring twice, cutting the lead to 5-4.
"We struggled maintaining possession," said Nihlig. "I don't think we played to our potential.
Jordan scored the game winner.
A balanced attack featured seven different scorers with Jordan leading the way with two goals while Bryce Roberts, Logan Bradley, Nolt (2a) and Noah Patterson (2a) all scored once.
On a cold and wet Friday night, L-S pushed out to a 4-3 first quarter lead over second place Ephrata but the hosting Mounts responded with a 3-1 second quarter and denied the visitors in the second half while pouring in six more goals for a 12-5 win. The Mounts improve to 6-1 overall while L-S falls to 4-3 overall and 3-2 to sit in third place in Section Two.
McClain netted two goals for L-S with Jordan, Nolt (1a) and Bradley each adding one.
In goal Dom Reed collected ten more saves and finished with 22 total on the week.
TRACK
With contributions up and down the lineup, the veteran Lady Pioneers dominated a youthful Solanco squad 117-33 last Monday afternoon on their home track.
The Pioneers won all but four events and swept the field in six events to pull away. Lauren Gard led a sweep in both the 110 hurdles (with Bella Howells and Harnish) and the 300's (with Harnish and Danielle Dipace) while Colleen Gilbert, who anchored the winning 3200 relay (Sara Boyd, Dyla Drouillard, Tonna Harnish), led sweeps in the 800 (with Elizabeth Deodorff and Harnish) and the 3200 (with Godfrey and Brooke Smith).
In the field it was Kristin Herr leading a sweep in the discus (with Howell and Vidal) and winning the javelin (134-8). She also ran the first leg of the winning 4x100 relay with Elli Strauss, Lindsay Szymanski and Toby Harnish. And Alexis Moran led a sweep in the triple jump (with Nickle and Hoke).
Other first place winners include Boyd in the mile (6:05.5), Kathry Sigafous in the 400 (66.0), Lily Hoke in the high jump (5-0), Cameron Coleman in the pole vault (7-6) and Strauss in the long jump (15-6.5).
The boys' team only swept three events but won all but three races and two of three relays in a lopsided 113-37 final.
Ezra Mellinger was the top point-getter in this one, winning the 100 (10.7), the 200 (21.7), and the long jump (24-1). He also teamed with Josh Horst, Jacob Kipelman and Tyler Littler to win the 400 relay.
Josiah Zehr was also a triple winner in individual events. He was tops in the 110 high hurdles (15.4), the 300's (41.1) and led a sweep in the pole vault (with Caleb Bruner and Jansen Miller).
Contributing with two wins was Nathan Eberly who led a sweep in the mile (with David Helms and Dan McMichael) and clocked the top time in the 3200 (11:26.8) with Helms taking second.
In the field, Alex Stoeffler, throwing 154-2, led a sweep in the javelin.
Other first place winners included Jacob Long in the discus (130-5), Brayden Emmerling in the high jump (5-4), Jansen Miller in the 800 (2:10.8), and Gabe Frederick, who was second in the discus, in the shot (47-9.5). The boys also won the 3200 relay with McMichael, Luka Vranich, Harnish and Miller.
TENNIS
In two matches played last week the Pioneer tennis team dropped identical results. They fell 6-1 to Ephrata in Section Two play Tuesday and suffered similar results to the third place team in Section One, CV on Wednesday, dropping their overall record to 1-6.
Alex Braun and Luke Kelly, with an 8-4 win over Ephrata's Colin Zucchi and Tyler Martin, earned Lampeter's only team point with a No. 3 doubles win.
While both losses were of the same margin, Lampeter's loss to CV was much closer. After Kelly and Braun secured another No. 3 doubles win, 8-6, the singles play was much tighter. Braeden Weaver lost 6-3 in the first set but battled in the second before coming up short 7-6. Braun's result at No. 3, and Kelly at No. 4 suffered identical losses, falling shy 7-5 in the first set while losing 6-1 in the second.
GIRLS' LACROSSE
Coming into the third week of the season, the lady Pioneers were third in the league in scoring with a 15.2 goals per game average and were ranked sixth on the defensive end, giving up 9.3 gpg. And Kelsey Kimmel was tops in the league in scoring with 41 goals.
The Pioneers opened April with a solid 14-8 win over Lancaster Catholic/LCD on Monday and then came from behind to beat CV, 10-7 last Wednesday.
"In both games we did a much better job with draw control and shot selection in the second half," head coach Claudia Ovchinnikoff stated. "And Mary Pettica played a stronger second half in both games as well. She had 11 of her saves against LCDS in the second half and 10 of her 13 against CV came in the second half."
Tied at 4-4 in the first half against LCHS/LCD, the Pioneers picked it up a notch after the break, outscoring the hosts 10-4 to pull away.
Kimmel continued to pace the Pioneers on the offensive end, piling up five goals. McKenna Conklin netted a hat trick and Malaina Bauzon added two goals. Brittney Zameroski (2a), Katelyn Smith, Kelliann Drummond and Emma Gochenaur (1a) contributed with one goal each.
Two days later, the Pioneers found themselves in a much tighter contest against CV. Down 6-4 at the half, L-S turned things around with a dominating 6-1 second half to pull off the three goal win.
Kimmel collected another five goal outing but was almost matched by CV's leading scorer, Abigial Morley (31 goals) who finished with four. They were the only multi goal scorers in the game. Zameroski (1a), Smith, Conklin (1a), Drummond and Gochenaur chipped in with one goal each.
SOFTBALL
Five games, well actually 5.5, into the season, the softball team has yet to play a full seven inning game. And prior to Friday's rain-delay against Solanco, they hadn't given up a run. They stand at 5-0 overall with five shutouts. They lead the rain-soaked game against Solanco 13-4 in the fourth.
"Against Solanco was the first time we had to fight from behind," said head coach Gene Charles. The Mares scored three runs in the first inning. That game will resume this week.
L-S posted identical 13-0 shutouts over Elizabethtown, last Monday, and CV two days later.
Up 7-0 after three against the Bears, L-S plated six runs on six hits in the fourth to put the game away. Julz Garber was 3-4 with 2 RBI and one run scored. Cam Byler was 3-3 with 2 RBI and a double and Jocelyn Branco, with a bases loaded triple in the third, was 1-2.
Brynne Baker earned the one hit win with 5K and no walks.
L-S plated six runs, on five consecutive base hits, in the third inning against CV to pull away. Baker tossed a no-hitter, fanning a season-high nine of the 15 batters she faced.
Garber led the way with a 3-3 day.
Saturday afternoon L-S blanked Palmyra 11-0 in 4.5 innings. "They just missed districts last year and had the best pitcher we've faced," noted Charles.
And for the third time this week, officially, the Pioneers put together a six run inning to take charge. The second inning highlights featured two out doubles by Peters, Baker and Byler.
"We're getting good hit production up and down the lineup, including Jocelyn Branco in the nine slot," said Charles. "She is hitting well."
Gabby Drumm struck out five and walked one in three innings of work.
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