Methacton’s Miller gets win No. 500 over Upper Perkiomen
FAIRVIEW VILLAGE >> Nothing seemed out of the norm as the Methacton softball team broke its huddle out in left field after Thursday’s 7-2 victory over Upper Perkiomen.
Then head coach Cathy Miller let the big news slip.
“Oh, by the way, that was my 500th career victory,” Miller said as her team was about to walk off the field.
While it was certainly a big milestone for Miller, milestones are not what it has been about for her last 38 seasons and Thursday’s win was no different.
“I wasn’t thinking about it,” Miller said. “We’re out there trying to play some ball. The kids had no knowledge of it. It’s just fun. It’s 38 years, and it’s still fun. I’ve got a nice bunch of kids, and that’s all it’s about.”
Miller, a 1968 Methacton grad, played lacrosse during her high school days and at Lock Haven University because neither school offered softball. She got her fix of the sport playing local fastpitch softball growing up and then playing in the Norristown women’s league.
Methacton started its softball program in 1979 and three years later Miller took over. She’s had more wins than losses in 35 of the 38 seasons since. Her success stems from preaching the basics and letting her teams enjoy themselves out on the field.
“They buy what we’re selling, which is fundamentals,” Miller said. “Play fundamentals, don’t give them an extra base, and think the game a little bit.”
“She’s always looking to have fun,” said senior third baseman Abby Penjuke, who recorded the final out Thursday. “She has a pep in her step. She’s always here ready to go. She doesn’t play games. She loves it.”
Though Miller kept the news quiet from her team, word got around about her upcoming milestone.
Impending weather pushed the date of Thursday’s game and kept Miller’s whole family from making it down, but her daughter and son, who used to wander the field and help her keep score in some of her early seasons, both made it for the special day.
Players from several of her past teams also showed up to the field. Assistant coach Katie Civitello, a 2013 Methacton grad, was on the team for Miller’s 400th career win and shared in the moment once again for victory No. 500.
“The cool part is I’m looking around today and Coach Civitello was part of 400, a couple of the other kids were around at 100,” Miller said. “It was kind of fun.”
The outcome of Thursday’s contest was up for grabs for most of the game. The two teams were tied, 1-1, after three innings. Three runs in the bottom of the fourth and three more in the bottom of the sixth helped the Warriors pull away.
Upper Perkiomen was without sophomore pitcher and cleanup hitter Taylor Croak, who hurt her knee in gym class Wednesday. Sophomore Lily Dibble gave the team a strong effort in the circle, holding the Warriors to just one run through the first three innings before some defensive woes and hot hitting derailed her day.
The Indians are trying to replace three all-state players in Alyssa Sullivan, Karlee Fretz, and 2018 Mercury All-Area Player of the Year Taylor Lindsay. Alexa Banner and Gail Kooser are the only seniors on this year’s squad.
Upper Perkiomen head coach Dean Sullivan is relying on a large group of freshmen and sophomores to help fill the void. Banner, sophomores Jenna Sullivan and Sierra Fretz and freshmen Lynnsi Joyce and Dani Freer tallied the team’s five hits Thursday.
“(The team is) still young,” Sullivan said. “I only have two seniors. We’re still building a good team here. We’ll be all right.”
“A lot of these girls play travel ball, so hats off to all the travel coaches,” he added. “They give me good players. I really don’t do too much. I just guide them as much as I can and try to get some wins.”
Many of the Warriors and Indians underclassmen played travel ball together growing up. Likely no coincidence, Methacton also has a group of young players contributing this season.
Sophomore Paige Deal tossed a complete game, holding Upper Perk to two runs on five hits. A pair of freshmen had big days at the plate for the Warriors, who tallied 14 hits. Right fielder Nicole Timko went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run, and shortstop Tori Bockrath went 3-for-4 with three RBI along with multi-hit days for senior Kiki Hamilton (3-for-4) and juniors Nichole Dorn and Carley Sorber.
Timko, whose solo shot came in the third inning to put Methacton up 1-0, was happy to play a part in her coach’s milestone victory.
“It’s really cool,” Timko said. “I didn’t even know it was her 500th, but it’s surprising to hear. That’s a lot … I think it’s really big. Five hundred wins, that’s huge.”
Miller said she’ll likely stick around for at least a few more seasons to see this group of freshmen through. One woman with a daughter currently pitching for the middle school team told Miller she has to stay around a little longer than that.
Her team asked if she would stick around for 600? Miller’s not quite thinking that far ahead.
“Right now this is good, this is fine, and this was kind of a goal,” Miller said. “I think I got a couple more.”
Methacton 7
Upper Perkiomen 2
UPPER PERKIOMEN METHACTON
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Sullivan 3 0 1 0 Dorn 4 2 2 1
Banner 3 0 1 1 Hamilton 4 0 3 0
Lindsay 3 0 0 0 Bockrath 4 0 3 3
Fretz 3 0 1 0 Penjuke 4 0 1 0
Freer 3 0 1 0 Angelillis 4 0 0 0
Gooch 0 0 0 0 Timko 3 2 2 1
Joyce 3 1 1 0 Sorber 3 2 2 1
Bernhart 3 0 0 0 Terry 3 0 0 0
Kooser 2 1 0 1 Newman 3 1 1 1
Totals 26 2 5 2 Totals 32 7 14 7
Upper Perkiomen 001 010 0 — 2
Methacton 010 303 x — 7
E — UP 1. 2B-Timko, Sorber. HR-Timko. SB-Freer, Joyce 2.
IP H R ER BB SO
Upper Perkiomen
Dibble (L) 6.0 14 7 7 0 0
Methacton
Deal (W) 7.0 5 2 2 1 4
