Lansdale Catholic falls in 8 to Wimmer, Chichester in PIAA AAA 1st round

CHELTENHAM — All season long the Lansdale Catholic softball team has relied on strong pitching from its ace Shannon Hill and timely hitting from its

lineup. Unfortunately for LC, only one half of the equation showed up Wednesday afternoon at Arcadia University’s Blankley Field, as the Crusaders fell to Chichester 1-0 in eight innings in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA tournament.

Hill saved one of her best performances of the year for this one. The junior pitched eight innings of six-hit ball and allowed just one earned run while striking out four in the process.

She was so dominant that at one point she retired 12 hitters in a row and had Chichester’s hitters guessing at the plate all afternoon.

“Shannon was just outstanding,’ Lansdale Catholic coach Paul Suder said. “She pitched a fantastic game and we knew coming into this one we were underdogs. They’re 22-2 or whatever they are but I always knew Shannon would keep us in this game. Before the game, to be honest with you, I said if we can just get one run I think we’ll win it just didn’t happen.’

Unfortunately for LC, it just couldn’t get that run.

Chichester pitcher Meghan Wimmer had an excellent afternoon as well. The All-Delco Times selection mowed down batters with ease, striking out nine and allowed just three hits through eight on her way to a complete-game shutout.

She (Wimmer)’s a competitor and she battled and she made good pitches and she beat us today that’s the fact,’ Suder said. “The first time we played her we had seven hits off her, so she’s pitching much better. She used her changeup more today and I think that was the difference.’

Hill made just one mistake all afternoon for the Crusaders, but that one mistake ended up costing them the game.

With two outs in the top of the eighth, Chichester nine-hole hitter Jenna Cassidy stepped to the plate just looking to put the ball in play, but she ended up doing more than that.

Hill left a pitch over the plate for Cassidy and she roped a shot into the gap in left for a two-out double.

“That’s a tough one to lose because, give their nine-hole hitter all the credit in the world, but their nine-hole hitter comes up and manages to get a double in the gap,’ Suder said. “We had her under control pretty much the whole time but she got us there.’

Cassidy was 0-for-2 up to that point in the game, but to her credit she stayed on the ball and drove it for a hit, bringing life back to the Eagles.