Jensen’s home run lifts St. Basil over Christopher Dock in District 1-AA final

UPPER DUBLIN — One swing.

Sometimes that can be the difference between winning and losing. The Christopher Dock softball team found that out the hard way Thursday, falling to St. Basil 4-3 off a solo home run in the top of the sixth in the District 1-AA final.

“I’m proud of these girls,’ Dock coach Wayne Benner said. “That last home run I had just waved our girl in two steps. Would two steps have made a difference? I don’t know but it kind of makes me feel bad about it. I don’t think these girls have anything to hang their heads about though they played well, and one or two little twists and we’d be out there with the trophy now so.’

Playing at Upper Dublin High School — a field with no home run wall — two steps very well could have made the difference on that play, but either way it was an amazing shot and by a freshman nonetheless.

With the game tied 3-3 in the top of the sixth Basil freshman shortstop, Carly Jensen, stepped to the plate for the biggest at bat of her young life and she couldn’t help but realize the moment.

“Yeah I was definitely nervous, but I just tried to hit the ball,’ Jensen said. “I went up, saw the first strike, and swung when I definitely shouldn’t have, but then I turned around, smiled at Nichole (Eberhard) and just hit it.’

Not only did she hit it, she crushed it. A high, towering shot over the left fielder’s head that kept rolling once it landed and let her take off around the base path.

“That’s our freshman, She’s been sometimes hitting well and sometimes not really hitting well so that was huge,’ St. Basil coach Steve Sonneborn said. “She has a tendency to lean forward and then come back in her stance so we told her that’s fine but you have to get that quicker because their pitcher was throwing a great game and she just listened and got it all.’

Not having a fence out there can make it tricky to judge for a coach when trying to decide to send his player, but Sonneborn said there was never a doubt in his mind, in that situation he was sending her home.

“Oh we were sending her no matter what,’ he said. “In a game like this against that good team we knew we had to try to get there and if they threw her out they threw her out but we were going to make them make the play.’

It was doubly important for them to get that run when they did because Dock’s pitcher Emily Groarke, also a freshman, was pitching fantastic all afternoon.

Up until that point she had allowed just two earned runs on three hits and struck out seven Basil hitters showing big-game stuff from such a young player.

“She was great,’ said Benner of Groarke. “When the season started she was a pitcher, I have three pitchers, and I didn’t know where she would fall in that line but she’s been our starter the last I don’t know how many games and she just doesn’t show fear and for a freshman to come out and pitch like she did it’s pretty cool.’

What made this game even more dramatic is the recent history behind it. Dock and St. Basil were meeting in the District 1-AA final for the third straight year, the teams splitting those games and setting stage for a rubber match Thursday. that didn’t disappoint the hype.

Unfortunately for Dock, only one team advances to the PIAA Tournament from AA and on this day Basil was just the better team. The Panthers move to face District 11 champ Palmerton in the first round of states Monday at a site and time to be announced.

Earlier in the game, it looked as if Dock had gained control off a clutch hit of its own. With runners on third and second and the Pioneers down 2-1, left fielder Cassidy Jagiela stepped up and delivered the only extra-base hit St. Basil starter Nicole Eberhard surrendered — a two-RBI double to the gap in left, ging Dock the lead in the bottom of the fourth.

Eberhard, however, settled down and allowed only one hit the remainder of the game.

“She (Eberhard) just threw so many strikes,’ Benner said. “When she was a freshman we faced her and she either threw more balls or we were just able to hit her better but she kind of faded a little at the end. Now she’s throwing so many strikes there’s just no chance to get her pitch count up and she just did a good job.’