Hallahan, Oltman lift Perkiomen Valley over Avon Grove in district semifinals

DOWNINGTOWN — Perkiomen Valley can now take a collective sigh of relief.

And they have Erin Hallahan to thank for it.

Hallahan played hero Tuesday afternoon against Avon Grove in the District 1-AAAA semifinals, lacing a two-out outside fastball between the hole at first and second to score Shannon Beattie, giving the Vikings a 1-0 win in a game that needed 10 innings and the International Tie Breaker rule to settle a pitcher’s duel between two of the best pitchers in the district.

The win sends Perkiomen Valley to its first District 1-AAAA title in school history where the team will face off against PAC-10 foe Owen J. Roberts (a 6-5 come-from-behind victor over Great Valley) Thursday at Spring-Ford High School at 4 p.m.

“My heart dropped when I saw the ball go through,’ Hallahan said. “I forgot I had to run. I was like ‘˜wait I have to run still.”

Hallahan’s hit culminated a game that featured eight collective hits – and more impressively – 24 strikeouts between two of the premier pitchers in District 1: Maggie Balint and Emily Oltman.

“We kind of knew that was what it was going to be like coming in, especially with the two pitchers out there today,’ Perkiomen Valley head coach Dan McLaughlin said. “You have to work hard just to get one run. We didn’t know it would be 1-0 going into extra innings but you kind of could predict it would be a low scoring game. It didn’t take a genius to figure that out.’

In the field, Hallahan was equally as impressive as she came up with a momentous catch in the ninth inning, tracking back to the fence to haul in a bomb from Rachel Butler for the third out. Hallahan fell to the turf after hauling in the blast, and raised the ball into the air.

“I think my heart jumped out of my chest on that one,’ Oltman said. “I was screaming ‘˜back!’ because I knew it went far, but I saw her tracking back and I knew she had it. It carried pretty far, I thought it was going to hit the fence.’

“Coach is next to me grunting and I was like ‘˜she has this,” McLaughlin said. “Erin has been an outstanding outfielder for us all year. I was a little bit surprised about how far it went but I had confidence that she would catch it. It wasn’t until she caught it that I realized how close to the fence it was.’

The catch was a good omen for Oltman, who had rebounded from two walks in the first and second innings with a workmanlike effort through the game’s last eight innings. The junior right-hander didn’t allow an Avon Grove runner on base in four of those innings and registered eight strikeouts in that span – including striking out the side in the fourth inning.

With runners on, Oltman was equally as impressive as she got Avon Grove to strand a runner on third in the sixth inning followed by getting out of a two-out, two-on situation in the ninth (courtesy of the aforementioned Hallahan snag) and a two-on, two-out situation in the tenth. She finished the game with 10 strikeouts while allowing three walks and four hits in 10 innings of work.

“I was just focused on my game,’ Oltman said. “My rise ball was my strikeout pitch today. I got them on some change-ups which was working for once.’

“I know its hard when you go out there, especially knowing that your team isn’t going to score too many runs,’ McLaughlin said. “It’s easy to put too much pressure on yourself. I think she did a little bit in the first inning after missing locations a bit. After the first inning she was good, she battled her way through it.’

Oltman needed everything working for her, especially in going against the reigning Gatorade Pa. State Softball Player of the Year in Balint.

Balint lived up to her credentials as one of the most overpowering pitchers in the district, racking up a game-high 14 strikeouts while producing two innings where she struck out the side.

Balint worked efficient three-up, three-down innings in five of the game’s 10 and didn’t allow a runner past third until the ninth inning when Rachel Helverson moved the speedy shortstop Ana Bruni over with a sacrifice bunt. The talented righty went 9 2/3 innings while allowing four hits.

“It was the first time our team was facing a pitcher that strong, for some of them probably ever,’ McLaughlin said. “It takes a while to get your timing down. You can work on it in practice, tell them to shorten up their swing, but you’re not the one digging in the box against someone that is that good.’

The Vikings started to connect with Balint in the later innings. Brenna Sermarini singled in the fifth, Bruni doubled in the sixth and Beattie singled in the seventh. However, each time Balint was able to reverse course and leave the Vikings scoreless. She got the next two batters to fly out to strand Sermarini, was aided by Bruni being caught stealing to help her get out of the sixth and induced Sermarini to pop up in the seventh.

With Oltman also dealing, getting Logan Needham to ground out to Rachel Helverson to end the 10th, the Vikings finally struck gold.

With Beattie on second due to the International Tie Breaker rule, Matekovic moved her over to third with a weak grounder to second after she failed on the previous two bunt attempts.

Following a strikeout to the next hitter, Hallahan, who ripped a liner right to the center fielder in the fifth, took an outside fastball the opposite way to cue the celebration. Beattie was mobbed at home plate before Hallahan got her fair share of praise near first.

“It felt good to help my team, but it was definitely a team win,’ Hallahan said. “I don’t knock in the game-winning run if Laura doesn’t move the runner over to third.’